If it weren't for Bad Luck!!

[cdncowboy]

Last summer my clean up/herd bull went bad and never bred a single cow, he was mounting just not doing anything else.  That led to a real mess, and the decision to cull a third of the cows he was with - can't make money wintering dry cows.  Now today after a 3 hour search for the new bull, through the hills and bush, and a couple of the neighbors pastures he reappeared with the cows sporting a Broken Leg.  Sometimes doesn't it just feel like someone is trying to tell you something.  I'm thinking the message is "stop raising clubbies".  We've had bulls injured before but this is the first time one has been lost in his first breeding season - let alone after only 21 days.  Really disappointing I was looking for some pretty good things outta this one. 
So, who's got a bull I wanna buy for next year?!!!

 

[TMJ Show Cattle]

What are you looking for?

 

[knabe]

so you didn't test the bull for anything?  trich, mobility, concentration etc?  with so much riding on him, you could have purchased an examed bull and saved money?

 

[PLKR]

so you didn't test the bull for anything?  trich, mobility, concentration etc?  with so much riding on him, you could have purchased an examed bull and saved money?

I don't think all of the testing in the world would have prevented the "broken leg"... and, how do you know he wasn't tested?

 

[farmboy]

just don't leave your head gates open  :'(

 

[knabe]

I don't think all of the testing in the world would have prevented the "broken leg"... and, how do you know he wasn't tested?
[/quote]

going by info presented.  it's not complete.

"Last summer my clean up/herd bull went bad and never bred a single cow, he was mounting just not doing anything else."

so how many females do you watch a bull mount but not do anything?  shouldn't he at least be semen/trich tested?

 

[mark tenenbaum]

WEVE BEEN BREEDING FOR CALVING EASE ALONG WITH TRYING TO HAVE SOME OF THE KNOWN COW FAMILIES, THE BULL WE COLLECTED WHO WAS PICTURED CAN SURE GET IT DONE, AND HE AINT NO PUD, GOT 2-3 REALLY DECENT SPRING SONS, HELL BE 3 EARLY NEXT SPRING, AND I MAY SELL HIM.HES CALLED PANAMA RED, AND WILL BE HANDLED BY CATTLEVISIONS AND SEK.THERE IS A PICTURE OF HIM OFF COWS IN THE JUNE 12 CLASSIFIEDS.+-

 

[PLKR]

I don't think all of the testing in the world would have prevented the "broken leg"... and, how do you know he wasn't tested?

going by info presented.  it's not complete.

"Last summer my clean up/herd bull went bad and never bred a single cow, he was mounting just not doing anything else."

so how many females do you watch a bull mount but not do anything?  shouldn't he at least be semen/trich tested?
[/quote]Semen testing does not insure that a bull will actually "service" cows--it simply indicates he has satisfactory semen quantity and quality when he is stimulated to ejaculate, often with a rectal probe--this does not necessarily mean he will achieve a proper erection while mounting a cow...thus the need to observe all new bulls as they service cows. Knabe, I agree that it was a mistake to not replace LAST YEAR"S bull sooner , but that has nothing to do with THIS YEAR'S bull breaking a leg--nor does the issue of him being tested. The bull couls have passed a BS exam with flying colors and still be "toast" with a broken leg.      cdncowboy--look at it this way--your luck is bound to get better!!

 

[knabe]

Knabe, I agree that it was a mistake to not replace LAST YEAR"S bull sooner , but that has nothing to do with THIS YEAR'S bull breaking a leg-

agree.  all tests do is increase odds. 

funny story, at least to me.  for shy yearling bulls, i was around an AI tech whose name lyle.  he used a few techniques to get bulls to mount cows in a stanchion to collect in an AV.  he would do the phlemen response softly, like huhhhhhhhh through his nose.  the bull would start moaning and then get the idea.  amazing how much patience he had.  whenever he came out, we'd all say    huuuuhlylllllllllllllllllle is coming.  coarse we'd never let him in on the joke cause we were just too cool.

 

[cdncowboy]

Knabe,  point of story - 2 bull  problems 2 years in a row.  And yes I did semen test him for 3 years in a row and matter of fact  he passed every year with flying colours, as a 3 year old he had a SC of 42.5 cm and a semen score of 92 - the largest SC and highest score outta of our 6 bulls.  He was seen extended when semen tested,  we run a closed herd and trich is not an issue in our part of the world.  After breeding 45 females in the previous 2 years maybe I didn't do my due diligence as well as I should have, sometimes a proven breeder is accepted as just that - my bad.  With that particular bull as a yearling I spent hours out in the pasture watching for him to breed something finally I seen him breed one cow, as a 2 year old never seen him so much as look at a cow, he cleaned up all the AI cows and naturals with not an open one or even so much as a late!! 
So last night I was a little peeved when I found a bull that I had put in a lot of time and miles into finding with a broken leg, and decided to be like millions of others and just whine and vent a little on a internet forum.  I'm sorry to have offended your sensibilities.

 

[Bawndoh]

My good friend had a problem close to this.  One bull out of 2 or 3 went bad, and threw off 50% of the cowherd.  Cows should have been culled, but weren't, and 2 years later, about 1/3 of the cows are still late calvers.  Their bad, as I think that they should have been culled right off the bat.  Now the producer is just an avid whiner...whatever.  The year after that, a new and exciting bull was sought out, and bought as the second high seller out of a great operation.  Bred 2/3 of his cows, was thrown in with the rest of the cows, and a couple other bulls, got in a scrap, and broke a leg also.  This year....1/3 of those cows are STILL late calvers, producer is STILL whiny, but a HIGH selling bull was bought.  It has been about 5 weeks now, bull has been out and working.  We will see what happens....
At least you have ambition, drive, and hope.  My friend doesn't seem to. 
Things will get better.  The good Lord challenges us, see's how we deal with it, and then throws us a whole lot of good.  Whether we recognize it or not.

 

[knabe]

I'm sorry to have offended your sensibilities.

none were offended.  just trying to fill in the blanks.  my comments were not directed at the broken leg bull.  sounds like you did your diligence.