Bull with stifle injury

[TCRanch]

Zero improvement so hauled him to the sale barn with my culls this week. Ouch! .70 per lb. That's some expensive burger.

[Nesikep]

that sucks!

[Stocker Steve]

Mine improved quite a bit, but did not seem to have any interest in girls. Got 82 cents about a month ago.

Do these kind of injuries seem more common with larger bulls?

[bird dog]

"Do these kind of injuries seem more common with larger bulls?"

I think its more in the Genetics. Vet said some breeds are getting like pure bred dogs with to much in breeding.

I don't know how much size has to do with it but I would bet a lot. I know wet conditions make things more problematic.

[TCRanch]

He was only 3 years old, kind of a tall, randy dude and weighed 1830 lbs. (as opposed to one of my cull cows that tipped the scales at 1930 ). At the time of the injury the pasture was dry but it's very rocky. Genetics? Maybe. His sire was Mitty In Focus.

[TCRanch]

Lots of threads on injured bulls. Lots of threads on bulls with attitude. Lots of threads on bulls fighting...
What is an average productive life for a breeding bull in a multi sire pasture?

Steve I will be watching the replies to your question.

We sold some 10-11 y/o bulls in the last 3 years. Used to run 2 bulls together. On the big ranches I’e been around in rough semi arid country it was 8-10 years. Now some PB breeders are telling me that a commercial breeder should only expect 6 years. And even if he is still sound he should be sold then in order to turn generations over faster. The 8-20 is still my goal.

One of my friends had her bulls tested last April, turned them out in May. Her fave bull was 10 years old but passed the BSE with flying colors. She pulled him from the main herd this year & put him in a smaller pasture they lease with 13 cow/calf pairs. Checked occasionally but everything seemed fine. Went to load/bring back to the ranch last Friday and 2 cows were in standing heat. Bull was just laying around. Took a hard look at the rest of the herd & none of them really look bred. They preg check at the end of Nov so she'll know for sure but the bull got a trailer ride to this week's sale.

Not my herd, not my bull, can't judge, but this could be a costly mistake.

[elkwc]

Lots of threads on injured bulls. Lots of threads on bulls with attitude. Lots of threads on bulls fighting...
What is an average productive life for a breeding bull in a multi sire pasture?

Steve I will be watching the replies to your question.

We sold some 10-11 y/o bulls in the last 3 years. Used to run 2 bulls together. On the big ranches I’e been around in rough semi arid country it was 8-10 years. Now some PB breeders are telling me that a commercial breeder should only expect 6 years. And even if he is still sound he should be sold then in order to turn generations over faster. The 8-20 is still my goal.

One of my friends had her bulls tested last April, turned them out in May. Her fave bull was 10 years old but passed the BSE with flying colors. She pulled him from the main herd this year & put him in a smaller pasture they lease with 13 cow/calf pairs. Checked occasionally but everything seemed fine. Went to load/bring back to the ranch last Friday and 2 cows were in standing heat. Bull was just laying around. Took a hard look at the rest of the herd & none of them really look bred. They preg check at the end of Nov so she'll know for sure but the bull got a trailer ride to this week's sale.

Not my herd, not my bull, can't judge, but this could be a costly mistake.

I try to pay attention to the cows everytime I'm around but has been hard till now with only being around on weekends. I'm retiring in early Dec and then will be around more. We are going to test an 8 y/o bull that has done well to this point and bred a lot of cows this year. She has always left bulls in year round. I pulled all but him last year and plan to start pulling all. Have noticed a cow in heat the last few times I've been to that pasture. Have had some fall babies so maybe it is just them but don't have a good feeling about him. We were planning to move him in late summer or early fall next year anyway. He was a home raised bull. I try to watch older bulls a little more but we have had more issues with the younger bulls we've bought making it to 5-6 years of age than we have the bulls we've raised or the older bulls bought 10 years ago.

Saw two bulls recently one a 4 y/o and the other a 2 y/o that will be headed to the sale because of structural issues. Both of these bulls cost a fair sum of money and the one only lasted one breeding season. Why I find it hard to buy much for a yearling or 2 y/o. Can be a very costly experience.

[snoopdog]

Just about a week ago, mine got injured, tore up a brand new 6 wire fence. I did see some improvement yesterday, but by the time he walked from the cubes in the corral to the hay, it didn't look good. He'll be some expensive burger too, hopefully he's already done his job for the year, that'll help some if he doesn't improve.

[TCRanch]

Just about a week ago, mine got injured, tore up a brand new 6 wire fence. I did see some improvement yesterday, but by the time he walked from the cubes in the corral to the hay, it didn't look good. He'll be some expensive burger too, hopefully he's already done his job for the year, that'll help some if he doesn't improve.

Hate to hear that & hopefully he improves but if it's a stifle I'm not optimistic.
My friend that sold her bull got $.45 per pound & was pretty bummed but I pointed out I'd rather get $.45 for an 11 year old bull that's more than paid for himself than $.70 for a 3 year old.

[Ebenezer]

"Do these kind of injuries seem more common with larger bulls?"

I think its more in the Genetics. Vet said some breeds are getting like pure bred dogs with to much in breeding.

I don't know how much size has to do with it but I would bet a lot. I know wet conditions make things more problematic.

Post legged and improper leg and skeletal angles set a bull up for the issue.

Some can be environmental: other bulls, wet or icy ground, an unknown.

An overweight bull, a young bull that has been pushed to high weights too soon (like test stations) a bull that has not been allowed ample exercise during the off season and the list could go on for lack of fitness are going to be in the high failure rates. But if you go back to pictures of great bulls in the late '70's and early '80's you see post legged animals with a lot of leg were fashionable. Man, you talk about stifle injuries. The feet were probably better then because the straight legs rotated the foot angles to a more proper setting. So today's foot problems, to me, stem from folks trying to correct too much height and too much post legged conditions without also culling the bad feet. Jut an opinion.

Today, if you select bulls for the proper structure before you look at herd prefixes, EPDs, genetic mumbo gumbo, pedigree or breeder names: proper feet, proper stride, proper development, straight topline, proper leg angles, you will save yourself a lot of trips, time and money as so many name and number cattle today are really sorry specimens and should have been culled generations ago. Throw in disposition to keep you safe, too.

[snoopdog]

Mine was due to fighting with the neighbor bull, hence the fence, got him up so he doesn't have to walk for feed and water. We'll see.

[snoopdog]

Let the ole boy back out yesterday, and I guess he was happy about it, crowhopped about 20 yards. I am sooo glad he got better!