Borrowed bull

[bja105]

My neighbor lent me his bull. Actualy, the bull lent himself to me. We were going to get him anyway, but the neighbor kids left a gate open and the bull crossed the road. It waa a month sooner than we wanted, but convenience is worth a lot to me.
Anyway, I am curious what people who know what they are doing think of him. Its the bull we have, I can accept the flaws. We have a very small herd with a lot of dairy influence, including some full Jersey.

[Rafter S]

Did you intend to post a picture?

[bja105]

[bja105]

[bja105]

Playing with the water tank was an hour after he got here. He settled down a lot. Nothing aggressive, but I moved the herd away from the house. I have a lot of little kids that I don't trust him with.

I also think I might Lute the little black heifer. She is Dexter/Jersey. I didn't realize how small she is until I saw her standing with the bull. We plan to timed AI our milk cow again, and could do her, too. I don't have any history on this bull, don't know anything about calf shape or size. The neighbor only has one calf from him so far, from a Holstein heifer,\.

[A.J.]

It's hard to tell since he wouldn't let you get a good side shot of him, but based on the pictures you have, he looks like he should be a good bull for you. Hopefully he will provide you with some nice calves.

[Workinonit Farm]

Looks like he'll get the job done.

[Alan]

Very decent/nice bull! Lots better than a bunch have posted here. Good muscle and well balanced..... nice bull you have a borrowed/ wondering bull.

[dun]

Very decent/nice bull! Lots better than a bunch have posted here. Good muscle and well balanced..... nice bull you have a borrowed/ wondering bull.

Yup, what Alan said

[Son of Butch]

Seems to be an ideal bull for you.... you owe your neighbor a favor.

[Muddy]

The Dexter/Jersey cow should be fine judging by the size of her next to the bull.

[bja105]

I do owe him some favors. He has been a good neighbor and friend. My farming is far ahead of where it would be without him. The first few years of farming here, I lived 1.5 hours away. He looked after my horses, then cows, for a couple years. That saved me a few disasters, I am sure.

Its the second bull of his I used. The first was a mean Jersey bull. Mean, and didn't like fences. But, he did go 100%, with all polled heifers.

[Son of Butch]

I do owe him some favors. He has been a good neighbor and friend.

Glad to hear it. Life is so much better when neighbors are good to each other in working together.

[farmerjan]

Not a bad looking bull. Seems to be fairly well balanced. I personally have to disagree with Muddy and would lute the dex cross heifer for the simple fact that most, not all but most, hereford calves tend to be a bit more blocky built and I would not want a first calf heifer calving to one. Have used hereford before and like the calves, but the dex will make the heifer a bit smaller and even though she looks of decent size, I would not want her to calve to the hereford for a first calf. JUST MY PERSONAL preference. I worry more about the blocky front end than I do about birth weight per se.
You ought to get some nice beef calves out of this bull, and on the dairy crosses, it will improve their calves to be more beefy. I've raised many hereford and angus calves out of dairy animals; often liked the hereford ones better for disposition. But over the years we have culled for disposition also and have some pretty "handleable" cows now. Good luck with them.

[Muddy]

Not a bad looking bull. Seems to be fairly well balanced. I personally have to disagree with Muddy and would lute the dex cross heifer for the simple fact that most, not all but most, hereford calves tend to be a bit more blocky built and I would not want a first calf heifer calving to one. Have used hereford before and like the calves, but the dex will make the heifer a bit smaller and even though she looks of decent size, I would not want her to calve to the hereford for a first calf. JUST MY PERSONAL preference. I worry more about the blocky front end than I do about birth weight per se.
You ought to get some nice beef calves out of this bull, and on the dairy crosses, it will improve their calves to be more beefy. I've raised many hereford and angus calves out of dairy animals; often liked the hereford ones better for disposition. But over the years we have culled for disposition also and have some pretty "handleable" cows now. Good luck with them.

Agree to disagree. Have a 1/2 Hereford calf out of a black heifer and a Hereford bull and she had it without any problems.