Bull Health

Daily management of working bulls will reduce health issues and improve their reproductive performance.

Adapted from Dairy Australia InCalf: Bulls. Power up!

Avoid making bulls walk long distances on stony tracks and train bulls not to come onto concrete yards.
Avoid bulls coming into the dairy as they can consume large amounts of concentrates (avoid more than 2-3kg/bull/day)
Regularly monitor both working and resting bulls for their reproductive ability.
Ideally rotate bulls weekly.
Run at least two bulls with the herd at any one time.
Remove aggressive or difficult bulls as they are a risk to staff and other animals.
Ensure bulls can be handled safely for routine procedures such as vaccinations, lameness treatment or examination.
Immediately remove lame, injured or sick bulls from the herd and replace with healthy bulls.

Follow the same drenching and vaccination programs as for the heifers.
In addition to this:

Vibriosis:
This venereal disease can causes poor reproductive performance. Common signs include poor conception rates after the introduction of bulls, cows and heifers returning to heat, late-term abortions and a prolonged calving pattern.
Pestivirus:
All bulls should be tested and any persistently infected animals should be removed prior to mating.

If rearing your own bulls:

Monitor live-weights to ensure adequate growth from birth.
Feed young bulls to reach 50% mature weight by 15 months and 85% mature weight by 2 years of age.

If purchasing bulls:

Buy virgin bulls whenever possible as they are less likely to introduce venereal diseases to the herd.
Settle bulls on the farm at least eight weeks before mating start date.

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