Keeping two bulls?

[tiffin]

Does anyone keep more than one bull? I have two nice dun (one polled and the other horned) calves born May and July of this year. I'm trying to sell the horned bull with no success. I'm trying to get the heifers and cows bred with AI and then have the bull take over next year after calving. But I can see a problem coming up if I don't get them all bred for whatever reason and I still have the two bulls, will they fight and obviously I won't know which bull impregnated which cow. I don't have the facility to separate cows and bulls at this point. I hate to steer such a potentially nice bull but perhaps I will have to. Any suggestions out there?

[windmill]

Some time you have to make the tough calls. If you do not have a way of keeping them separate I would cut one. They are bulls they will fight to see who gets the girls and who does not. Also if you go to have them registered you will not know who sired who. I have 2 myself right now but have them in different locations.

[tiffin]

Thank you, Windmill. I had a feeling having two would not be a good idea. I have some decisions to make in the next month or so I guess. When I have the vet come to dehorn I'll have to have him castrate also.

[Cloverbell]

I keep two bulls but they are separated by a driveway and wood plank fences with electric running on the inside. The only reason to keep two in my opinion is if they are different enough from one another to justify it - i.e. different colors, bloodlines, size, horns/polled, whatever. It is very nice to be able to alternate groups in the herd between them and to be able to take one bulls daughters and put them with the other bull.

When there's a break in the breeding season I'll put them together and away from the girls and they'll head butt and push each other around pretty hard for the first hour or two and then they're licking each other and acting like fools.

[copperhead]

I had to cut a great looking bull calve this week, just can't keep two. I need to get my fences fixed a little better. I'd like the idea of two just so that you can keep better heifers and rotate them with the "other" bull. Thats on my list of things for next season. Haaaa ha
P.J.

[windmill]

I have been working on a 85x85 corral for the last year to keep one of them separated. 3x3 sq tubing 3' in the ground with 5' above 2 1/2 round tubing for the side rails. If they get at each other thru this I guess I will have to cut back on the protein. hahahaha

[biscuit]

Monica Dexter "R Double D Dexters" (no joke that's her last name too) here in Washington keeps a couple bulls. They are in separately fenced pastures with an entire fenced area between them to keep some distance. They get into bellowing matches though. We recorded one here last year when we visited her place: seventrees.blogspot.com/2007/07/when-bulls-collide.html There's a video here of them bellowing at each other.

[Cloverbell]

That's a pretty funny video Biscuit. That one does sound like a moose!
Mine 2 have very different "voices" and when they get going and the Angus across the road joins in at 4:00 a.m. all I can do is put a pillow over my head and cringe wondering if all the neighbors hate me.

[copperhead]

I did have two bulls at one time and it resulted in some barren cows because the "boys" were too busy fighting to get any work done. I love the sound of your pens, Windmill, when you get finished, please head north and start on mine. It takes a pretty good fence to keep an amourous bull in, for sure.
P.J.

[tiffin]

Thanks again. One has to go as I don't have the facility to separate. I have to choose between the two very quickly.

[windmill]

My advice Tif.....waste not want not. I would let someone spend the winter in the freezer. Copperhead I just need 2 months off and $20,000 and I will be finished with my place. hahahahaha