Whether your a homesteader or a rancher who is raising grass fed beef, eventually you’ll need to introduce a bull into your cow herd. Today, I’ve got some new insights into what I think you should look for when selecting a Bull.
Keep in mind that this post is specifically addressing 100% grass fed and finished beef.
Greg likes to see cattle that have short legs and are lower to the ground. There are a few reasons for this. They are:
- Shorter legged cattle perform better on a diet of 100% natural forage
- They generally have a bigger gut, which can handle the amount of forage they will need to eat in order to perform on a diet of 100% forage
- They are easier to handle
- They require less feed than their towering counterparts
Now that we have a general overview of why shorter animals perform better on grass, let’s get into talk about what to look for in a Bull. My suggestions can also apply to smaller scale producers/homesteaders who might bring in a Bull and pay a stud fee to have their cows bred. These are the things you should look for when selecting a Bull for a grass fed operation:
- Curly hair in-between the eyes and around the head in general, this is an indication of testosterone. If you see a Bull with smooth hair that isn’t very curly, keep on looking for another Bull
- A broad chest when you look at him from the front
- A nice looking coat and a clean tail. These can be different depending on what season it is. Overall the Bull should not be in a poor state
- A big butt. Yep, a nice wide ass
- Shorter legs, this bull shouldn’t be towering over you or the other cattle, remember, shorter cattle perform better on grass
- The testicle size of a Bull is a contentions debate. Some people say bigger is better, some say smaller is better. Just take a good look at the Bull’s testicles and see if they are in good shape. Bigger isn’t necessarily better
Well that is all I have for you today. This will be a good start for anyone looking for a good Bull that fits into their grass fed beef operation.
What have been your experiences with Bulls and their traits that make them great for grass fed performance?
