We are almost through calving season and now it is time to focus on the bulls in your herd. This is one of the most important animals in your herd. He is responsible for 25 to 30 calves to be raised.
With this, he has a lot of responsibility. The bull has to get 25 to 30 head of cows pregnant in order for them to have those calves next year. This can be measured in dollar value.
I know a lot of people hate math and numbers, but when you are in this to make money, it becomes important. If you turn your bull loose with just 25 cows to breed this spring and you watch him every day and see him breed all 25 cows the first 21 days or the first heat cycle of the cows and then see him breeding the same cows. We are in trouble. He is probably shooting blanks.
Now, if those calves are supposed to gain around 1 pound a day after they are born and that pound is worth $2. We just lost approximately 40 days. Two dollars times 40 days or pounds is $80. Then times 25 calves, you just lost $2,000.
Now, if you are not watching your bull and work another full time job, you will think those cows are pregnant. Next spring you will not have any calves born. Let’s say you had him turned in with 30 cows and they had no calves. Let’s also say those calves are only worth $1,000 each. Then 30 times $1,000 is $30,000 you just lost.
My pocket book could not stand these type of loses. The best insurance we can give is to have this bull tested for breeding soundness prior to turn out. Breeding soundness exams only take about 30 minutes, once the bull is restrained properly. This will give you an insight to the bull’s ability to breed those 25 to 30 head of cows. Generally this will cost less than $100 and around $100 if a trich test is added in. This is cheap insurance for a years’ worth of income. Yes, it is work to get these bulls up and get them restrained for the exam, but you can sleep easier at night knowing your bull has the ability to do the job he is meant to do.
This also becomes important when you think about replacement cost of this bull. Most bulls are going to cost around $3,000 to $5,000 now. But, we are relying on them to help produce $25,000 to $30,000 worth of calves a year.
