how old for jersey to breed?

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I am buying a 7 month old jersey bull and I'm not sure how old he has to be before he is able to breed. Can anyone help me?Thank you in advance!!!!shawn patrick

-- shawn patrick (sapatrick2001@yahoo.com), April 09, 2002

Answers

I don't have any experience in this, but I looked it up for you. The American Jersey Cattle Association says 16 months.

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), April 10, 2002.

Oh, my gosh! You don't even know the age at which a bull becomes able to breed, yet you are going to purchase one of the meanest, nastiest domestic animals on the planet!?! A Jersey bull is not a Hereford bull. Jersey bulls are the meanest and most treacherous of any breed of dairy cow, and dairy bulls are notoriously mean and nasty.

Did you know you can artificially inseminate a Jersey cow with semen from one of the nation's top Jersey bulls for around $50? For goodness' sake, if you're as much of a novice as you sound, please reconsider! If you must have this animal, make him a steer. Jerseys make some really good table beef. But Jersey bulls kill people about every chance they get. My information comes from my partner's family. They've had a commercial Jersey dairy for around 80 years.

-- Laura Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), April 10, 2002.


.... and they don't just GET chances - they make them. Jersey bulls can be as nice at a particular minute as any other cattle individual, but they're not trustworthy, they're totally unpredicatable, they are treacherous, and they're a LOT bigger and stronger than any person.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), April 10, 2002.

I have a yearling and he tried to take me on. I was close to a hoe and caught him across the nose. This is the first time and I hope the last. Now he watches me when I am feeding. Happy Future, Jim

-- Jim Raymond (jimr@terraworld.net), April 10, 2002.

A dairy man once told me that a friendly, playful bull is just as dangerous as a mean one, as a bull does not realize a person is too fragile to play with like you were another cow or bull. They simply don't realize people are more fragile than he is. A "friendly" head but, or that "playful" push where he accidently ends up going right over you can kill even if the bull is showing affection. He ALSO said that his bulls never gave him any trouble at all, as they never, ever got the opportunity to act up. I don't know everything he did to handle them, but I know a stick with a clip on it to go through the ring in their noses was part of it. I know his bulls were handled when necessary but I never actually saw it done so I cannot tell you more than that! I DO know that he wasn't worried that his bulls would hurt him, as he had been handling bulls for decades and he was confident with his skill. If you are lucky to have an experienced person in the area, you might ask his advice on handling your new bull, even if he is a friendly fellow. By the way, he said more injuries are caused by gentle animals than dangerous ones, as people tend to trust gentle bulls AND THE BULLS DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU ARE TOO FRAGILE TO PLAY WITH! Actually, I don't see a problem with you keeping a bull, I just think you need to know the techniques of handling one!

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), April 11, 2002.


Seriously, please reconsider this. The above information about artificial insemination is correct. You will have better calves, and no one will be in danger. Read the archives on Dairy cattle. Most beef breed bulls are pretty gentle, I have had many on my place. Most dairy bulls are treacherous, vicious creatures, and Jerseys are the worst of all! If nothing else, get an old book from your library about the keeping of dairy bulls....on the subject of Jersey bulls, they recommend concrete housing, and fencing of 6' to 8' high PLANKS, and electric fencing. Rings in the nose, and double entry/exits, so that you NEVER have any contact with the bull. Although I grew up out West, and my father always kept Guernseys, his family back East (Massachusetts) are on their fifth generation raising Jerseys. Score so far? One dead great-uncle, one dead uncle, 2 crippled cousins, and just 4 years ago, a five year old 3rd cousin, killed when the bull had crashed through his rough-cut 2"x6" 8' high fence (with 4 strands of "weed burner" electric fence), every other 5 strand barbed wire fence on the place, and then through the window over her bed, attracted, the investigating authorities said, by her 4 watt blue nightlight. And these people are (were) professionals! They still raise award winning Jerseys, but now sell the bulls by 6 months of age, with "collection" rights. Don't be deceived by their beautiful eyes, and often gentle behavior. They are more dangerous than any terrorist. My Dad was at Guadel Canal, and won a Silver Star, a medal of honor, and innumererable other awards....and often said he'd rather go back to war than face another Jersey bull. He was also one of the first ten farmers in Washington state to use Select Sires (then All-West). This was before any of his family had actually died! Seriously, re-think what you are doing! Kathie

-- Kathie in Western Washington (twinrosefarm@centurytel.net), April 11, 2002.

A bull is fertile at a pretty young age, it's just if he is large enough to breed. Jersey bulls are not terrible, they are just more work and carefulness. I have one and he is a handful, but you have to train him and never let your eye off of him. Bulls are terrible if they receive bad treatment and inconsistent handling. Don't let scared people work with him, they will make it worse. And since he is young make up for lost time and train him well.

-- (chellet4@yahoo.com), April 24, 2002.

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