# how soon can a bull breed



## john in la (Jul 15, 2005)

I will second the train of thought that...................
If you have a 8 month bull running with heifers old enough to come into heat they are most likely breed already.


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## Bluebonnet (Oct 21, 2003)

You should also have the heifers to see if they are pregnant. If they are pregnant and are too young then they should be given a shot to cause them to abort so they don't die when trying to calve.

Bluebonnet


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## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

My personal experience with the angus is that the bulls require much more maturity to be able to breed successfully. I had three different angus bulls from different bloodlines, all three were 18-20 months old before they could impregnate a cow/heifer. Believe I missed an entire year buying a 12 month old bull  Now there is always the possiblity that he is able to breed so I would pull him unless you want your heifers bred.


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## JeffNY (Dec 13, 2004)

I've seen a bull calf jump a cow, well try and he was less than 4 months. He was too short of course, but he tried! Depending on the heifer, some don't come into heat till later. I find our beefers dont come into heat till about a year or so. We did make a mistake with one heifer, she calved at 14 months so figure on the date she came into heat. She was a freak tho, she was breeding weight at 5 months, she was as big as her mother at 14 months. She calved with some difficulty, but i've seen those who were 3 years have some issues. It was a big calf, but we pulled. That calf that she had, has had 3 of her own .


Jeff


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

I lease 12 month old Angus bulls to put over my cows. All of them calve.
I personally don't care what weight the cow is or what breed she is, I won't breed them until they are at least 15 months of age and preferably older making them a minimum of 2 year olds when they calve. 

If these heifers were mine, I would be having them pregnancy tested and if in calf, having them induced rather than risk losing the calf, the cow and sometimes both.

In the meantime, pull the bull out as he is more than old enough to do the job.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## leaping leon (Jun 10, 2004)

Good info...

I've been thinking about the logic of buying a bull calf, keep him until he breeds my cows (which I don't have yet, sigh...) castrating him and slalughtering him a couple of months later...bred cows for the price of a beef calf, and then beef to eat...

Since some of them can breed at 8 months this could be workable...

I understand that late castration results in more meat...

What breeds of cattle have bulls that breed early? Anyone know? (Other than what has already been mentioned.)


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## dosthouhavemilk (Oct 29, 2004)

Our half Norwegian Red, half Jersey bull started settling mature cows at eight months old. Our 3/4 Jersey, 1/4 Norwegian Red bull settled his first cow at nine months old.....
But those are dairy breeds..not beef.


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## Christiaan (Mar 13, 2004)

I've found that most bulls don't breed until they've had their morning coffee and the first cigarette of the day.


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