Soo...I am off to buy a bull tomorrow..

Jackie · #1 10/21/11, 08:55 PM

I am probably doing everything wrong, but I am off to buy a purebred registerable 2 year old dexter bull tomorrow. I been in contact with these people since spring. First I asked them if they could hold him till fall for me...nope. Then like 3 months later they send me a message saying they still have him. lol! And I didn't even have to pay board like I had planned. Then I was JUST about to go and get him and they lost him for like 6 weeks. (which is easy enough to do up here on big places). So they finally have him and he is in the corral and I finally have the money and he is only about 1.5 hours away. Oh and I FINALLY have a working truck AND trailer! Its like a miracle.

Soo off I go to buy a bull. I only have 4 cows. but whatever. Sure this is a bit more expensive then AI but I will still have him next year and I can sell him when I am done with him. And i DO want to try and buy a few bred cows yet this fall or winter..so he will have more work next year.

**gone-a-milkin** · #2 10/21/11, 09:10 PM

Good luck and be safe.

Make sure he goes into a good stout pen for the first few days.

It sounds like he was just destined to come live on your place.

Forerunner · #3 10/21/11, 09:15 PM

Don't feel bad...... I only have one cow (and her up and coming heifer), but I keep a bull.
Just hate depending on outside assistance..... and that bull makes for mighty fine BS for the compost piles.

springvalley · #4 10/21/11, 09:16 PM

Did you ask where they lost him? did he just lay low or get out a travel half the county before they got him back. I`m just saying be carefull buying your bull, you don`t want somebodies problem.. > Thanks Marc

Jackie · #5 10/21/11, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

Good luck and be safe.

Make sure he goes into a good stout pen for the first few days.

It sounds like he was just destined to come live on your place.

There is no pen. I am turning him loose on 160 acres with the girls and hoping for the best. He is SUPPOSED to be tame as a kitten. They can walk up to him and scratch him etc. Which is better than some other bull I looked at when the owner said..."dont go in the pen! he will put you over the fence!"

I realize I need to watch myself around him, but he shouldnt get too excited being loose all the time. The only time I ever had cattle get riled up was when they were penned up.

Jackie · #6 10/21/11, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

Did you ask where they lost him? did he just lay low or get out a travel half the county before they got him back. I`m just saying be carefull buying your bull, you don`t want somebodies problem.. > Thanks Marc

From what I understand he stayed on their own property. he would have to work pretty hard to get out of my fence. Its 4 strands of REALLY tight barbed wire. And if he gets out there isn't really anywhere for him to go. All the neighbors have their cows home already and all the neighboring pastures for miles around are empty.

Forerunner · #7 10/21/11, 09:25 PM

*stomps foot*

How's come I didn't get a response ?!

**gone-a-milkin** · #8 10/21/11, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackie

There is no pen. I am turning him loose on 160 acres with the girls and hoping for the best. He is SUPPOSED to be tame as a kitten. They can walk up to him and scratch him etc. Which is better than some other bull I looked at when the owner said..."dont go in the pen! he will put you over the fence!"

I realize I need to watch myself around him, but he shouldnt get too excited being loose all the time. The only time I ever had cattle get riled up was when they were penned up.

If he was raised on their place and hasn't travelled in trailers to new surroundings, be prepared to see a different side of him the first few days.

Of course he is a s tame as a kitten, usually.

he might be a bit freaked out at getting rehomed though.

At the very least, dont turn him out of the trailer in the dark. Wait til morning so you can all see who is where.

Jackie · #9 10/21/11, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

*stomps foot*

How's come I didn't get a response ?!

lolz! Sorry! I did read it!!!

MO_cows · #10 10/21/11, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

Don't feel bad...... I only have one cow (and her up and coming heifer), but I keep a bull.
Just hate depending on outside assistance..... and that bull makes for mighty fine BS for the compost piles.

Say what? Only the bull makes compost? Your cows don't poop???

Seriously, even though it is more expensive to keep a bull for just a few cows, we do it too. Our stumbling block is heat detection for AI, two of us work full time jobs and the one who is home all the time isn't observant enough. On the up side, buy a good quality bull and turn him over before he gets too old for someone else to want him, and what you get for him can go a long way on the purchase of the next bull.

Forerunner · #11 10/21/11, 09:44 PM

Only the bull can make authentic BS.

Don't be fooled by cheap imitations.

Jackie · #12 10/21/11, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

If he was raised on their place and hasn't travelled in trailers to new surroundings, be prepared to see a different side of him the first few days.

Of course he is a s tame as a kitten, usually.

he might be a bit freaked out at getting rehomed though.

At the very least, dont turn him out of the trailer in the dark. Wait til morning so you can all see who is where.

My *plan* is to load him around noon (best I can do) and get him home around 2-3pm. Drive into the middle of my land and call my cows and then let him out. They are all randy as heck right now so I think they are gonna be excited to see him! And yes I know to pull the door open with a rope and get ready to jump into the box of my truck. I used to live on a place that had WILD cows that were so wild and crazy if you grabbed one of their calves they would just run away and you would often have an orphan on your hands. It was totally ridiculous. The 200 head lived in 8000 acres of bush. They WOULD attack you when you let them out of trailers and if you put them in a corral....or if you tried to cut them off on horseback. My pony and I got tossed real bad by a cow and i was just lucky he landed on his feet.

So....having spent two years living and working around the craziest of the crazy cattle I think I am prepared.

mariaricarto · #13 10/22/11, 01:48 AM

Let us know how the event goes!

G. Seddon · #14 10/22/11, 07:57 AM

If you want him registered, be sure to check the paperwork before you load him. Tested PHA-free? I'd get that paperwork too.

haypoint · #15 10/22/11, 10:48 AM

There is a wide variation in temperment in the Dexter breed ( as in most breeds). I know of a guy that bought Dexters because he heard they were mild mannerd and they wwere wild as the wid. He'd paid too much for them and had to dump them and take the loss.

So, in your case, temperment should be more important than registration or even conformation.. You need a bull that isn't trying to kill you every chance he gets. Yes, I know, never trust a bull.

Jackie · #16 10/22/11, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

There is a wide variation in temperment in the Dexter breed ( as in most breeds). I know of a guy that bought Dexters because he heard they were mild mannerd and they wwere wild as the wid. He'd paid too much for them and had to dump them and take the loss.

So, in your case, temperment should be more important than registration or even conformation.. You need a bull that isn't trying to kill you every chance he gets. Yes, I know, never trust a bull.

I should be ok. I was told he is tame and pleasant to be around. My cows are big sucky babies. Two were bottle babies and just about mow you down looking for treats (habit previous owner created). The other two dont quite want to be touched. But you can walk around them and they do come when called. And 3 out of 4 of mine are halterbroke. So hopefully if I spend a lot of time around the new calves I can continue the trend. I aint interested in chasing cows anymore, I want them to come when called. Oh I was also told the bull comes when called and eats oats out of a bucket.

Jackie · #17 10/22/11, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G. Seddon

If you want him registered, be sure to check the paperwork before you load him. Tested PHA-free? I'd get that paperwork too.

I made sure yesterday (and again today) that they know I want him registered and I expect the paperwork. And no one mentioned PHA free....I am not even really sure what that is... :S

mistletoad · #18 10/22/11, 11:33 AM

PHA free is a biggie - especially if your cows are carriers or untested. If both parents are carriers there is a 1:4 chance of a dead calf and maybe a dead mother.

G. Seddon · #19 10/22/11, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackie

I made sure yesterday (and again today) that they know I want him registered and I expect the paperwork. And no one mentioned PHA free....I am not even really sure what that is... :S

Jackie, you might want to read up on this, so here's the Canadian Dexter organization's info on PHA. You will want to test all of your Dexters so you know what the risks are. Are you familiar with chondrodysplasia?

You owe it to yourself and to your cattle to learn about their genetic problems. I don't know if the Canadian group requires bull genotyping (the ADCA does), but you might want to find out if you are interested in registering your Dexter calves.

http://www.dextercattle.ca/ (read section called "About Dexter Cattle Genetics")

**gone-a-milkin** · #20 10/22/11, 10:44 PM

Well? How did it go? Did you get yourself an authentic BS producer standing in your yard?