Bulls Head

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coyote

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Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
499
The bulls head I think is very important when selecting a herd bull. I sure have noticed there are a lot of ugly bull heads around. I know it is tough to get all the boxes ticked when selecting a bull. I have heard that some cattleman only look at the head of a bull when selecting their next herdsire. I don't how they make out with their bulls but it is a good story.

I copied this from the NSW Government web page on Bull soundness - structural

The Head
The head should show reasonable length and width yet not be too large in proportion to the body. A head that is too big could potentially increase calving problems.

The eyes
Some breeds are very susceptible to eye cancer. Eye cancer is a serious condition leading to wastage in cattle and possible condemnation of the carcase. Susceptibility to it is a heritable trait, and while several factors contribute to its onset, exposure of the eye to sunlight plays a major part.

The eyes should be well set into the head to reduce this exposure. There should be a strong forehead over the eye, providing protection from sunlight (hooding). Eyes that bulge out from the head should be avoided. Pigment around the eye will also assist in reducing eyelid cancer in the white-faced breeds.

The muzzle
The muzzle should be wide for efficient grazing. The teeth on the lower jaw should meet squarely with the upper pad. Bulls with overshot jaws (lower jaw protruding) and undershot jaws may have difficulty grazing on pasture, especially when conditions get tough.

 

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beebe

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Apr 29, 2014
Messages
520
I agree that their are some not very masculine heads out there.  Bert Hanson of Shadybrook Farm at Vernon Center Minnesota used to say if I can only see one part of the animal let it be the head.
 

justintime

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Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
I agree that you can tell so much from a bull's head. When I was growing up, I heard lots of older breeders talk about the relationship between the head and the rest of the body. For example, I remember hearing the length of the head from top of the poll to the muzzle, was exactly the same length as the distance from the hooks to the pins. There were several more measurements like this, and I will have to do some research on this again. It has been years since I heard anyone talk about this, and I wonder why it has gone the way of the doodoo bird. My dad firmly believed this and he always told me, make sure you don't breed the head too short or the muzzle to narrow. You can imagine the looks I got when my dad saw the first Irish Shorthorns we imported!  Fortunately, Irish Mist did have a broad muzzle so he eventually got used to the longer nose. I also remember hearing Dr Bonszma, from South Africa talk at a livestock conference many years ago, and he talked for a long time on the relationship with the length and width of the animal's head and the rest of the body.
 

Limiman12

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Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
469
Location
SW. Iowa
Not specifically to Bulls, but where the swirl in the hair is relative to the eyes is a pretty good indicator of disposition.....  lower it is the calmer that animal.    Dad read it in an article 25 or more years ago.    In 25 years only very few have been exceotions
 
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