Like I told ya’ll when I turned out the bulls in March, they have 75 days to have their fun, then it’s back to the bull lot for the boys. Well that 75 is up this weekend and it’s time to bring the boys home. Grulla and I have been getting an early start each day and gathering a few bulls each morning. Since I’m working alone, I figured it best to start a few days early, not rush myself, and make it easier on myself, Grulla, and of course the bulls in this 100 degree heat.
By 9 o’clock the bulls are headed to the trees or the pond and my gathering is pretty much done for the day. Wednesday it was nearly 90 degrees by 9:30, and that’s not even counting the heat index! You might ask why am I gathering before the full 75 days… Well, we haven’t been below 80 degrees since sometime last week, so there’s a pretty strong chance that due to heat stress the bulls won’t be doing much breeding any way and their fertility has most certainly dropped. This heat is literally killing our calf crop by reducing bull fertility and in turn conception rates.
A few asked for a “bull cam” as I was driving bulls from the pastures. I didn’t come up with that, but I did remember to grab the camera while I was loading bulls into the trailer. In each location, we have a set of corrals (however dilapidated they may be) where we can drive the bulls or catch cattle from time to time. This is where I will drive each bull from horse back so I can bring the trailer and load em up. In the first video I do some talking, show ya the bulls, and let ya know what I’m doing with them.
In this second video, I’m loading the bulls in the trailer.
Can’t believe breeding season is coming to a close. Guess we’ll have to wait til weaning time for some more gathering…
