Cows & Bull

[cassandrapettersson]

Maybe wait awhile, try helping someone who has cows, muck pastures, fill hay feeders, and spend some time with the cows and the people who own them. Really familiarize yourself with them before owning them.

I'll try to find someone, thank you!

 

[cassandrapettersson]

Depends on what bulls are selected. When we did AI it ran around 20 dollars a breeding, but that was in the 90's. Not sure what it is today. It's probably cheaper than maintaining a bull year round especially if you are only keeping a few cows. If you are a novice with cows it definitely would be worth looking into what's available in your area.

With a cost of about $20 for synchronization, $20-$40 for semen and about $20 if you need to hire a technician, you are at about $60-$80 without adding in labor. With a 60% pregnancy rate, you are at about $115 per pregnancy

- Copy pasted from google,
But that's the U.S, who the hell knows how much it costs in my country...

 

[Alagirl]

Isn't that pretty expensive?
I know nothing about this, i just assume it'd be expensive

cheaper than building a pen for a bull, fortifying fencing etc....
Many large farms go this route.
Because bulls can be difficult to handle.

 

[Everose]

With a cost of about $20 for synchronization, $20-$40 for semen and about $20 if you need to hire a technician, you are at about $60-$80 without adding in labor. With a 60% pregnancy rate, you are at about $115 per pregnancy

- Copy pasted from google,
But that's the U.S, who the hell knows how much it costs in my country...

In defense of AI tho, you can at least get sexed semen and won't have to worry about getting rid of unwanted bulls or steers.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

The best way to lessen your fear of cattle is to learn from someone experienced. Definitely look in to the 4 h showing scene, there are a lot of kids that show their cattle despite them being big animals.

You don't have to have a bull to keep female cows though.
My dad kept an all female/steer herd. When he wanted his cows bred, he would rent a bull or hire an AI tech. We never had a permanent bull.

To keep us kids safe, and to rotate his fields, he kept the pastures on a seasonal rotation. At any time of the year the cattle were only in one section of the property and we were able to play anywhere the cows were not. We were never supposed to play in the pastures solo, had to use the buddy system.

When it came to close interaction with the cows, he would bring one into a stanceon (sp?)
And taught us where to walk up to a cow in a way that would not spook her.

He showed us which areas to avoid to prevent getting kicked. (Cows kick sideways but they can't kick backwards).

Cows and steers are generally wonderful and friendly animals. They are big and sort of awkward, so even a large one can hurt a person. Best way to experience one is to train them to be used to handling, never go between a mama and her baby, and give food from the other side of the fence.

 

[cassandrapettersson]

In defense of AI tho, you can at least get sexed semen and won't have to worry about getting rid of unwanted bulls or steers.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

With a cost of about $20 for synchronization, $20-$40 for semen and about $20 if you need to hire a technician, you are at about $60-$80 without adding in labor. With a 60% pregnancy rate, you are at about $115 per pregnancy

- Copy pasted from google,
But that's the U.S, who the hell knows how much it costs in my country...

You don't need synchronization if your cow is healthy and cycling correctly. You can generally tell when a cow comes in heat if you are familiar with them.

We used to have an AI guy who would make the rounds. Not sure if that's a thing anymore. Probably would go through a cattle vet otherwise. Just depends on your area.

Just giving you another option. Not sure if you are looking at dairy or beef cattle. Beef you generally run a bull, dairy often is AI. Backyard hobbyist probably do both.

 

[tripletfeb]

You should always be wary with bulls. We always had a bull on the farm as a kid. I can tell you stories of daily terror because of them. Best defense is a nose ring with a long chain. If they come at you hopefully he steps on that chain and it stops him. They are nothing to mess with. Plenty of farmers are killed by bulls.

At my family's dairy farm, they always had bulls. For over a hundred years, they had bulls. Holsteins. Then one day my uncle got between a bull and his cow. The bull attacked. Another uncle had to get on a tractor and use the tractor to get the bull off his brother. Then he shot it in the head. Uncle was life flighted to Pittsburgh hospital and almost didn't make it. Now they do AI and keep no bulls over three months old. Just one experience, there are many positive ones also

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

At my family's dairy farm, they always had bulls. For over a hundred years, they had bulls. Holsteins. Then one day my uncle got between a bull and his cow. The bull attacked. Another uncle had to get on a tractor and use the tractor to get the bull off his brother. Then he shot it in the head. Uncle was life flighted to Pittsburgh hospital and almost didn't make it. Now they do AI and keep no bulls over three months old. Just one experience, there are many positive ones also

So sorry about your uncle. Glad he was okay. You just never know with bulls. They are hormones and muscle.

 

[tripletfeb]

So sorry about your uncle. Glad he was okay. You just never know with bulls. They are hormones and muscle.

Thanks. It was a very scary time for all. My uncles couldn't even face the bull's body. They had their Amish friends come and get him to butcher and eat