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Post by littlecowfl on Dec 28, 2014 6:09:12 GMT -5
Good advice, Patti. We just built a bull pen to contain our bull at 4 years old. He was respectful of fences until about 6 months ago. He decided that if we separated heifers from him, that it must be a mistake and so he would climb the no-climb fences or wiggle through the barbed wire to correct the mistake. The first 30 minutes in his new pen (with his favorite cow) he tested the fences. Since then, he's settled down and I have not noticed any increase in aggression since he's been in there. He's just as mild mannered and friendly as he's always been.
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Post by hollyrockranch on Dec 28, 2014 13:31:15 GMT -5
Hi Patty, Thank you for your comment. We work with Helios our bull every day just as you have mentioned in your first post. We have put a lot of time in to Helios and our cows. In my opinion that is why they behaves so well. He knows our rue-teen and comes when he is called. Helios is in a small herd that is handled daily so a lot of socializing petting and moving him around he loads and un-loads easily in a two horse trailer. I feel the more you handle your animals the easer they are to handle you have to put the work and time in to them it is called training just like our girls are trained to be shown and milked which we do with all our cattle. I have seen with my own eyes a Dexter bull named Clovis, "in Arlington WA" that the owner rides like a horse. You can look it up, Heather meadows. Dexter's are known to be more genital that is one of the reasons we chose them. The more time you put in to your animals the better your stock will be just like anything else. If you put the work in and your bull goes mental well then it is time to get rid of him. Yes we know how to fix fences, we chose to use it as a training tool, if at some point when we call him and he refuses to come or run from us then we will address the situation. He can not get out of our yard. We keep a small herd so we can give quality personal attention to each and every one of our animals. We have no range cows and do not want any. We are focused on our micro dairy so all our cattle have to be top notch. Genetics, Disposition, Quality. I did not ask for advice. I was stating what I have notices in our Dexter bull he is a sweet hart that like to roam our yard he has never shown any aggression.
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Post by carragheendexters on Dec 28, 2014 18:54:16 GMT -5
Oh dear, I burst out laughing when I read your post hollyrock, I am guessing it is predictive text LOL. We all know Dexter bulls have big genitals but ........, that wasn't why I chose Dexters LOL
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Post by kansasdexters on Dec 28, 2014 19:07:52 GMT -5
Perhaps she meant to say "gentle" or "genteel", but alas autocorrect strikes again! LOL.
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Post by Fran on Jan 6, 2015 15:24:39 GMT -5
Hi Fran, it's follow-up time! How did calving go with Clydes stand-offish daughter? Bill Hi Bill, sorry I'm just now seeing this. We were out of state visiting family for 2 weeks at Christmas and we had a new grandson born, and you know - the regular holiday stuff. Anyway.... Georgia was the standoffish daughter of Clyde that I was referring to and you would NOT believe how much this heifer has changed!!! She had her bull calf on Monday, October 6, 2014. She birthed at the top of the hill up behind our little cow barn. Scott was working that day and I was worried about what she might do when I picked up the calf to carry him down to the barn. She followed closely (with me carrying baby and walking backwards) until we got to the barn and then she went one way around it and I went the other. She lost sight of the baby and took off back up the hill to look for him. I went ahead and put him in the stall and grabbed a halter to see if I could get her. She stood at the top of that hill and let me walk straight up to her and put the halter on - I 'bout fell over in shock!! She is an excellent mother; she doesn't run from me anymore, allows me to scratch her or rub behind her ears, etc. It just amazed me with the change in her! Also, she turned 2 years old on October 20, 2014.
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zephyrhillsusan
member
Caught Dexteritis in Dec. 2009. Member of this forum since Oct. 2013.
Posts: 1,502
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Post by zephyrhillsusan on Jan 6, 2015 21:56:48 GMT -5
That's great, Fran! What a change!
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Post by littlecowfl on Jan 26, 2015 16:10:28 GMT -5
Armstrong is still happy in his bullpen with his 'wife'. The cows have settled down as well. They really missed him. Especially the young steers, who lost their big playmate.
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zephyrhillsusan
member
Caught Dexteritis in Dec. 2009. Member of this forum since Oct. 2013.
Posts: 1,502
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Post by zephyrhillsusan on Jan 26, 2015 17:29:56 GMT -5
I can't remember if you said how big your bull pen is?
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Post by littlecowfl on Jun 2, 2016 8:38:01 GMT -5
Hi there. Sorry, I lost track of this thread.
The bullpen is about the size of a round pen people use for their horses.
Our bullpen was very useful for keeping the bull away from our sorry excuse for fencing until we got our act together. Now, the bull's back in the pasture and behaving himself. The bullpen is attached to our working corral and squeeze chute, so it was a good investment anyway.
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zephyrhillsusan
member
Caught Dexteritis in Dec. 2009. Member of this forum since Oct. 2013.
Posts: 1,502
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Post by zephyrhillsusan on Jun 2, 2016 10:39:53 GMT -5
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