# Feeling Bullish?



## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

How much bull like behavior is normal for a steer?

I have one who is constantly riding the others and getting erections and even ejaculating.

He is about 14 months old, Dexter breed.

Banded as a calf but I am suspecting a missed undecended testical.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

postroad said:


> Banded as a calf but I am suspecting a missed undecended testical.



That's what it sounds like to me.

Mounting other cows or steers is normal, erections and ejaculations are not.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

tyusclan said:


> That's what it sounds like to me.
> 
> Mounting other cows or steers is normal, erections and ejaculations are not.


Yep, and my bull, his dad does not like him anymore eithier.

I would think that he would be infertile from the testicle being inside his body?

He should be fine to slaughter for beef at 18 months?


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

postroad said:


> I would think that he would be infertile from the testicle being inside his body?


It's not an absolute, but he should be. VERY rarely they can be fertile with an undescended testicle.




postroad said:


> He should be fine to slaughter for beef at 18 months?


He'll be fine for beef as long as he doesn't get too aggressive to keep around. I'd definitely keep an eye on him at all times.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

I too would think he is a rig if he is performing like that. Also, at 14 months, you should be starting to see it in his growth - looking more bull like and heavier than what would normally be expected from a steer.

And no, don't work on the assumption that he will be infertile. If he's running with cows or heifers I would seriously considering removing him if you don't want to take the risk of having progeny out of him. 

And yes, he will be fine to eat but I think if he were mine I would be doing him sooner rather than later.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Karin L (Oct 5, 2006)

postroad said:


> How much bull like behavior is normal for a steer?
> 
> I have one who is constantly riding the others and getting erections and even ejaculating.
> 
> ...


FYI, steers don't normally constantly ride others and get erections and ejaculate. They will ride if there's a heifer or cow in heat, or a steer that's a buller, but that's about it, no penis protruding or anything.

I was thinking the same thing, he could be a crypto...usually they're sterile, but like someone else said don't gamble your money's worth on that. Separate him and get him butchered as soon as you can.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

It would not be the end of the world if he would breed any of the females as he is not related to any of them.

There is a element of agitatioin in the herd dynamics though.

The Dexter breed is smaller than the average steer at fourteen months so I was hoping for a few more months to feed him up some.

I was told the beef itself would be just fine from an eighteen month old even if he was a full bull?


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

Yes, I can see your dilemma in terms of age against size.

The only rig I have had got sent to the works and the only bull that ended up in my freezer was a true bull, a two year old and was the first and last time I would ever do it. I found the meat strong and coarse in comparison to a steer of the same age. However, you are looking at a rig, not a bull, that will be 6 months younger when killed and I think he will be just fine.

Also, there is a lot of personal choice is what some people consider ok and what some don't. I know people who love bull meat, I know some who won't eat Jersey meat, and others who prefer heifer to steer.

I would say take the punt and keep him another couple of months to grow out. It's either that or get the vet in to remove the offending testicle and then you have to wiegh up the cost - over here it would still be overall cheaper than buying the same quantity of meat from the butcher.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

I seperated him along with the other steers and the bull.

The buggers had ganged up on one of the cows and where in the proccess of running it to the point of exhaustion.

I will let the bull back in a couple of days when he learns some manners again.

It seemed that the bunch of them had worked themselves into a frenzy.

He is usually very gentle with his cows.

Lesson learned. Do not run steers with the breeding herd.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

I just sent a 27 month old Dexter steer to the processor and he came back great.

He also may have had a crypto testicle.

During his time here, I only had one heifer get bred. On the slim chance that he did it, I pulled a sample of his tail hairs. If the heifer's calf doesn't DNA parentage test as a match for my herd bull, then this steer's tail hairs will be checked.

It doesn't cost anything to pull and keep some tail hairs and it's good insurance.

I think the beef just gets better with age up to the 30 month limit on processing the T-bones. If he even looks like he's 30 months old or older, the butcher isn't supposed to let you have any spine or brain tissue back. It's the mad cow thing.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## RosewoodfarmVA (Oct 5, 2005)

We've butchered bulls up to 2, 1/2 years old with great flavor and tenderness. We've also had bulls that acted more docile and steers that were bullish. I guess it depends on temperments to start with. 

We have 5 2yo bulls and steers to butcher this fall. Some are steers, several I forgot til it was too late to do it! But out of the 5, the most rowdy is a steer, I see him riding a bull!


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