Bull Maturity

Tango · #1 07/08/06, 04:39 PM

Went to visit my Angus bull today. He's a year and a half old. Looks small still. He has good weight to him, meaning he's not skinny. He's on pasture only and he's in charge of ten cows. He's not considerably taller than my Jersey. Neighbor who is leasing him said that the first summer breeding is hard on a bull but like I said he's not skinny, just isn't getting bigger. I don't mind if he stays small since he will be breeding my Jerseys, and I asked my buyer for a small bull but I was wondering when do bulls reach maturity and stop growing up?

Patt · #2 07/08/06, 05:28 PM

We have a Highland bull. They don't mature until 3 but I think Angus are a 2 year breed. Could be wrong on that. Our bull will be 3 in October. His first 2 calves were born in April and May of this year. He just started really filling in and looking muscular this spring. He went through 3 halters in about 4-5 months because of his neck getting so thick.

Up North · #3 07/09/06, 12:10 AM

[QUOTE=Tango when do bulls reach maturity and stop growing up?[/QUOTE]
Like the male of the species Homo Sapiens, reaching maturity and growing up are optional

Tango · #4 07/09/06, 06:15 AM

rofl

[clearing throat] what I meant to say was when will he stop gaining height? I may have been wrong on his age, I think in October he was six months so that would make him 15 months not 18 months. I haven't taped him but compared to Karma he looks about 1100 pounds.

Tango · #5 07/09/06, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patt

We have a Highland bull. They don't mature until 3 but I think Angus are a 2 year breed. Could be wrong on that. Our bull will be 3 in October. His first 2 calves were born in April and May of this year. He just started really filling in and looking muscular this spring. He went through 3 halters in about 4-5 months because of his neck getting so thick.

Thanks. But had he grown heightwise before he filled in? I wonder if there are really low Angus bulls?

Up North · #6 07/09/06, 08:51 AM

Marcia go to www.PharoCattle.com then proceed to Semen Source, then click on Black Angus, then click on bull named MACHINE. Yes, there are LOWLINE ANGUS.

Yours might be--but I expect yours will grow thru his 3rd Birthday, which begs the question, will he grow tall or just wide?,LOL,LOL. :baby04:

Tango · #7 07/09/06, 09:17 AM

Are Lowline Angus short-legged? Machine is nice. I really like his adult weight ad his low birth weight predictions. That was what I was asking for when I asked for Kash. Maybe Kash will turn out that way but Kash's legs seem longer. Whatever happens he will defintely grow out sideways,he still has a bull calf frame to him.

Patt · #8 07/09/06, 09:56 AM

Jim has grown a couple of inches this spring. I'm measuring him by our oldest cow and he was a little shorter than her last fall and he's now about 2 inches taller. Sorry I didn't catch you were looking for height.

Oxankle · #9 07/09/06, 12:00 PM

I believe that some strains of Angus will gain both weight and height well past their third year. After they have finished with "frame" they will still put on weight and neck for some time.
Ox

Tango · #10 07/09/06, 02:02 PM

Thanks Patt and Oxankle. Kash was sprouting this winter and will no doubt sprout some more after this fall. Appreciate the information.

kgchis · #11 07/10/06, 12:37 PM

I have always heard a bull is mature around age 3. We currently have a black angus bull that is low and long bodied.

In fact, we were discussing getting a taller bull this past weekend.