Managing the health needs of an entire herd of cattle can be a challenging endeavor.
There are several factors that need to be taken into account, including breed, geographical location, time of year and herd goals. But one thing to always keep on top of is the health needs of herd bulls. Herd bulls are a vitally important part of your operation, and sometimes their needs differ from that of cows.
Breeding Soundness Exams
One very different aspect to the health of bulls as opposed to the health of cows is their need for breeding soundness exams prior to their breeding season.
“Doing a breeding soundness exam is very important and rarely done for the cows,” Dr. Scott Poock, associate extension professor for the University of Missouri-Veterinary Extension explained. “During a breeding soundness exam, a bull should be observed for soundness, body condition, eyes, teeth and overall health. All these factor into his ability to find and cover the cows he is exposed to.” And of course, if your bull or bulls have been in contact with the neighbor’s cows or moved between herds on different farms, it is very important to have a Trichomoniasis test done. General bull health should include the bull being dewormed strategically, flies being controlled, and having a vaccination schedule developed with the local veterinarian.
Hoof Health
The hoof care and health of bulls is quite a bit different then that of cows. “Bulls have a greater need for hoof health,” Poock said. “In general, for beef cattle, it is more likely that a veterinarian would trim bull’s hooves than a beef cow. The bull has to cover more ground to be able to breed a high percentage of the cows he is exposed to. Also, because of their larger size hoof care is important.”
A bull’s hoof health is something that will be checked during a breeding soundness exam, and can also be monitored through regular observation of your breeding stock.
Dietary Needs
Because of the job a bull needs to do, it is often assumed that the more feed he eats the better, but Poock says this is not the case.
“At all times a bull should not be overfed grain,” he advised. “This can lead to a bull becoming fat, which leads to laziness and potential lameness. Once a bull comes out of breeding season he may need some extra feed to replace lost body condition but it can not be overdone.”
Care During Aging
As with any animal, a breeding bull’s needs and performance will change as he ages.
“Lameness becomes more prevalent as a bull ages due to the increase in size of the bull,” said Poock. He also stressed the importance of a breeding soundness exam prior to each breeding season to decrease the chance of a bull becoming subfertile.
