Care of Breeding Bull

The care and proper management of breeding bull is important for success of breeding programme.

Selection:

The breeding bulls should be selected from good pedigree

Feeding:

The properly balanced ration should be given which contains adequate energy, protein, minerals & vitamins.
Feed to male calf after discontinuation of milk, it should be provided with good quality, legume hay and 2 to 2.5 kg of concentrate having 12-15% DCP.
Feeding to mature bull: Should be fed adequately to keep it on good flesh but not over fat, sufficient amount of green feed, 1 kg of good quality hay (DM) and 1.5 kg of concentrates per 100 kg of body weight per day will keep in good breeding condition.
The breeding calf if provided with good feeding practices it will develop in a vigorous nature mature bull & reach sexual maturity of young age.

Housing:

The bull should be housed in a separate bull pen measuring 15′ X 10′ dimension.
The stall should open into strongly fenced paddock into which the bull has free access & movement.
The pen should have stanchion to which the bull can be tied during cleaning time.
The feeding & watering arrangement should be made in the pen and paddock.

Exercise:

It is needed to keep normal appetite, retain breeding power and good health.
Males which received plenty of exercise produce larger ejaculation containing more sperms of higher activity.
Training: Bull should be trained to be lead with bull staff at an early age population is a pressure on limited sources, so timely culling of the unwanted animals is desired.

A. In case of calves the culling is done due to

Weak birth weight
>Poor type
>Poor growth rate
>Disease infected.

B. The important reasons for culling the cows from the herd are as:

i) Abortion cases

Learn more in our practical farm visit, click here to see more

ii) Disease infected

iii) Sterility

iv) Low productivity

v) Udder infection

vi) Long dry period

vii) Excessive fattening
viii)  Old age

C. Reasons for culling the breeding bulls is as:
i) Low pedigree

ii) Poor semen quality

iii) Lack of sexual libido
iv) Disease

v) Old age.

The culling of the animals is a continuous process by either of reasons mentioned above and is one of the most important management practices.