Crossbred Bull Bred Heifers for Sale (2024)

FAQs

How many heifers can one bull breed? ›

A “rule-of-thumb” for the proper bull to female ratio is one cow or heifer per month of age of the bull up to 30 months of age. For example, an 18-month-old bull could run with 18 females, and a 2-year-old bull (24 months of age) could be exposed to 24 females.

Highland cattle are a perfect selection for crossbreeding. They are the hardiest of cattle with the highest food conversion factor. Crossing them with other breeds produces a faster growing and more commercial animal without losing the hardiness and low maintenance of the pure Highland.

A new 2-year-old bull should start with preferably 10-15 cows, with 20x being maximum if he is with other bulls. ( A very high fertility bull can be placed with 40-60 cows, and expect this bull to loose 15% of his weight).

Look for good fleshing. You want easy-fleshing cattle, but this is harder to evaluate at weaning because a fat heifer may have a dam that milked too well. The dam may be thin. It's easier to evaluate a heifer's fleshing ability after her first winter, before her first breeding season.

Puberty in bulls occurs when they can produce viable sperm. This happens at approximately 12 months of age, though it can vary in individual bulls several months before or after this age depending on biological type (primarily frame size and potential mature weight), nutrition, and health status.

The larger the cowherd, the higher our recommended cow to bull ratio. For example, putting one bull with 50 cows might make me a bit nervous because he has no backup. Putting four bulls with 200 cows, however, does not concern me one bit.

What breed of cattle is most profitable? Angus: This is the most popular breed of beef cattle. Their meat quality is excellent and they provide 50 percent of their weight in the meat. Highland Cattle: Though they are not as popular as they once were, they are still in demand by people who know love their meat.

Pros: Highland cattle are typically very docile, low stress and are easy to keep and manage. It has lean meat, and functions as a low input animal. It has good dairy quality as well for both cheese and butter and is well suited for cold climates.

A subspecies of auroch, Bos taurus Ibericus, is thought to be the ancestor of the all the dark colored breeds found on the Iberian peninsula including the Fighting bull or Fighting cattle. The breed is selected primarily for aggressiveness, strength and vigor.

The good news is: It is possible to leave bulls with the cows year-round and still maintain a calving season of three months or less.

Will a bull still mount a pregnant cow? ›

Pregnancy does not stop a cow from cycling. It is not common, but I have seen this on several occasions, including on my farm. If a cow has been diagnosed as pregnant and shows heat, never assume she is open until she has been rechecked.

Number of Females

Absolutely, a yearling bull will not be able to service as many cows as an older counterpart. As a rough guideline, however, the working range is approximately 10 to 25 females per yearling bull during a 45 to 60 day breeding season.

For the small producer with fewer than 50 cows, buying heifers is usually more economical because of feed and labor costs.

Deliver before the herd's calving season

So, to fit the June cow calving season, begin breeding the heifers in mid-July, and the cows in mid-August.

Male to Female Ratio

The best ratio of breeding males to females has received much discussion among both cattlemen and researchers. A common rule of thumb used successfully for many years on pasture bred cattle in south Florida has been 4 to 5 bulls per 100 females.

One rule of thumb is that a bull can service about as many cows as his age in months. Therefore, a 15-month-old bull should be able to service approximately 15 cows in a typical 60-day breeding season.

As bulls mature, they should be able to breed, or “cover,” more cows in a breeding season. One mature bull for 25 cows is typically recommended in a 60- day breeding season. Table 4 shows recommended mating capabilities depending on bull age.