liMouSin - Harrison & Hetherington

19HousingBulls will have been in individual pens with alot of human contact (walking/grooming)plus several feeds per dayDo not ignore him post-purchase by keepinghim in a confined space or tied in a darkshed. Provide him with human contactand allow him to see his surroundings eventhough he is in isolationDo not keep him on a slippery floor surfaceand certainly do not allow him to serve cowson this surface. Look after his feet by trying tokeep him on a partial hard surfaceRemove from cows if it is apparent conditionis being lost – it will only lead to barren cowsCheck he is serving correctly (20-40% of bullscould be infertile or sub-fertile) so keep awatchful eye and check herd 3 weeks later.If in doubt, pull him out. It is essential to PDcows after bull removed from herd“Provide him with humancontact and allow him to seehis surroundings”Make sure pen divisions are high and strong– many accidents happen with bulls trying tojump out of pens shortly after arrivalTrainingYoung bulls are sexually inexperiencedUsing prior to sale is resisted as they becomeharder to handleAnnually (for all bulls)Being fertile one season is no guarantee.Prior to the next season do bull “MOT” andfertility check in conjunction with vetDo not trim feet just before use – plan for 6-8weeks before. Feet and legs do a lot of workin mating seasonpe”Try and pen bulls where they can see cows/other bulls workingTake a mature cow to him and allow him toserve her several timesWorkingAvoid overwork – young bulls areenthusiastic but have low semen reservesTarget 20 cows in the first seasonTry and get him to take a bit ofsupplementary feed to maintain bodycondition score around 3Feed 2-3kg concentrates per day prior tomating season to build condition ready foran active seasonAdapted from “Bull Selection Made Simple– A Guide for the Commercial Buyer”published 2011 by SAC & QMS