Bull sale season is approaching. While picking out the next herd sire is important, knowing how to adapt and manage a new herd sire is paramount to its success.
Selecting from the right source can reduce the amount of adaptation. I recommend selecting genetics that have proven to thrive in your environment. While cattle can adapt, drastic changes in environment can pose challenges to performance and fertility. Before traits can be improved upon, cattle must be functional and fertile within the production environment.
Source genetics from a program with strict health requirements. The last thing you want to do is pay for a new disease. Ask the breeder for vaccination history and herd health protocols. A conversation about testing for bovine viral diarrhea persistently infected (BVD-PI), Johne’s disease, trichomoniasis and other diseases is warranted. Not only will this help safeguard your herd against disease, but it can lead to more fluid communication about herd goals.
After you have procured herd health info from your bull supplier, give your veterinarian a call. Your veterinarian can advise on follow-up vaccinations or tests that should be conducted on the bull before it is turned out with your herd.
Likely the most important test prior to turnout is a breeding soundness exam. Many breeders will have bulls already checked. If they aren’t, any reputable breeder would guarantee a bull to pass an exam conducted by your veterinarian. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a yearly breeding soundness exam done on all bulls you plan to use.
When new bull purchases arrive on your farm, quarantine them for a minimum of two weeks. One month is ideal. This quarantine will allow time for potential pathogens to break without exposing your herd. Many times, cattle coming from a sale have experienced elevated stress. It is important to keep them on good feed, in a clean pen and allow the quarantine period to run its course.
During the quarantine period is a great time to start transitioning the bull nutritionally. Knowing what bulls were fed prior to arriving at your farm is useful. However, providing a fiber-based diet including free-choice long-stem grass hay is the foundation of a good transition diet. Because most bulls are developed at higher rates of gain prior to sale day, supplemental energy and protein should be provided to avoid drastic weight loss that can negatively impact fertility. Supplements may be needed while on pasture, especially for yearling bulls that are still growing.
Transition is the key word. Drastic changes to environment, nutrition and management can yield poor results and failure during the breeding season.
