Usually a bull will mate with a cow once, but it's not uncommon if it's done several times, especially if she has garnered the attention of more than one.
Young bulls have their own considerations. For instance, an inexperienced bull may spend all his time breeding one cow, whereas an older bull may breed each cow once and move to the next.
Therefore, a 15-month-old bull should be able to service approximately 15 cows in a typical 60-day breeding season. Some data have been published that indicate that experienced bulls that pass a breeding soundness exam can service as many as 60 females in a 70-day season without pregnancy rates being compromised.
Bull Breeding
that a mature bull can service 25 to 35 cows; however it has been shown that highly fertile bulls can service up to 50 cows.
minimum 45 days for bulls run with cows (if bulls are not run with the cows for long enough, the calving percentage is decreased).
Seven of nine pregnant cows at oestrus stood willingly to be mounted by a bull. On seven occasions, bulls exposed only to cervical mucus from pregnant cows showing oestrus did not display flehmen.
The good news is: It is possible to leave bulls with the cows year-round and still maintain a calving season of three months or less.
For natural breeding operations, the general rule of thumb is to have one bull per 25 cows and to get those cows bred within a 60 to 90-day breeding season.
You can have father-daughter matings in beef cattle, but it is not recommended. This type of breeding practice is called inbreeding or close breeding. Again, this breeding practice is rarely practiced today, although it was common in the foundation animals of most breeds.
Observation of estrus (period in heat) after artificial insemination or natural service is a simple and early method of pregnancy detection. If a cow does not return to estrus 18 to 20 days after breeding, conception probably has occurred.
Bulls, much like cows, can live ten to twelve years. Most bulls will remain active in the herd for closer to four or five years due to feet and leg, structural, and fertility problems, temperament concerns, or injuries.
I've been asked by several breeders if it is "OK to breed two half-siblings" (usually, a bull and a cow that share the same sire). The short answer is that there is nothing "wrong" with breeding any two animals of any degree of relatedness, as long as one realizes the potential risks and benefits of the mating.
To pass a breeding soundness evaluation, a bull must have at least 30 percent sperm motility, 70 percent normal sperm morphology, and a minimum scrotal circumference based on age (Table 1). Bulls meeting these minimum requirements are classified as satisfactory potential breeders.
Each parent contributes 50% of the genetic make-up. But, if you mate a bull to its mother, 75% of the genetic make-up will be the same and the chance of the fault occurring simultaneously in both chains is very high. This is called in-breeding and must be avoided wherever and whenever possible.
steer, also called bullock, young neutered male cattle primarily raised for beef. In the terminology used to describe the sex and age of cattle, the male is first a bull calf and if left intact becomes a bull; if castrated he becomes a steer and about two or three years grows to an ox.
How long is a cow pregnant? A cow is pregnant for around nine months (or 279 to 292 days).
Puberty in bulls occurs when they can produce viable sperm. This happens at approximately 12 months of age, though it can vary in individual bulls several months before or after this age depending on biological type (primarily frame size and potential mature weight), nutrition, and health status.
Two Breeding Seasons per Year:
With two breeding seasons per year, bulls have a shorter time to replenish their weight loss before the next breeding season.
Usually a bull will mate with a cow once, but it's not uncommon if it's done several times, especially if she has garnered the attention of more than one.
Fertility of cows after calving
It is therefore important to ensure that cows calve in good enough condition to allow for weight loss and yet still ensure adequate condition for joining. After they calve, cows have only about 80 days in which to become pregnant if they are to calve again within 12 months.
Separating bulls from the cow herd after the breeding season gives them a chance to regain body condition if they lost weight. It also ensures that no cows are bred at the wrong time of year for your calving season.
If a cow gives birth to male and female twins, the female calf will never be able to breed. If it's two males, no problem. If it's two females, no problem. But if she gives birth to a male and a female, the female calf is infertile.
Ovulation is usually suspended during pregnancy to prevent further eggs becoming fertilized and to help increase the chances of a full-term pregnancy. However, if an ovum is released after the female is already pregnant, there is a chance of a second pregnancy—albeit at a different stage of development.
Dairy cows are pregnant for about 9.5 months and in the U.S., cows give birth for the first time when they are about two years old. Although twins are possible, it's not the norm and most cows will give birth to a single calf at a time, either a heifer (female) or bull (male) calf.