Any cattle farmers on here who know much about bulls?

[Prontoe]

I'm worried about my Dad.

Is your dad a bull?

I know a bit about bulls.

Probably not enough to help, but I’m intrigued.

Not a farmer.

I am a cow though.

A bit. I'm intrigued?

Following!

?

PMSL. Only reading it back in light of your responses can I see that I'm making no sense!

My father has a bull who is mixing in with the cows as he hasn't a separate shed to keep him in. He says that he's a 'cunt of a thing'. He keeps pawing the ground etc. I'm just worried about my Dad. He was attacked by another bull and nearly died only that his little dog (sheep dog) attacked the bull.

Sorry, I hate random one line statements in OP's, so I apologise for that. I guess I was hoping a load of cattle farmers might respond haha.

I'm worried about my father having to mix in with the bull. There are other small sheds on the farm, but none sufficient to house a bull I suspect. I'm asking really how should you safely house a bull with cows in calf on a working farm.

Bit of a niche question probably, but MN has never failed me before!

Is your dad new to farming cattle? Surely he knows himself what he’s doing?

Your dad isn't Tony Archer, is he?

My Dad is turning 70 this year and has farmed cattle all his life, so not new to bulls.
No my Dad is not Tony Archer whoever he is!

Ask your dad

Why isn't he out in the field? I'd be hoofing the ground stuck in a shed in May.

There is a Health and Safety Executive information sheet about Housing and Handling Cattle, including bulls. You should be able to find it online.

the cattle my dh works around are in separate fields.

All bulls have the potential to be dangerous but this one sounds like a particularly risky individual. I would put him out in the field with a couple of cows who have calved already or are definitely not in calf and just leave him with them. He can check him from the gate. When lockdown ends and he can get help to load him, he should be going to the factory. He should not be in a shed that your dad has to walk into every day. Older farmers and those working alone are especially vulnerable to bull attacks and there is no place on such a farm for an animal like that.

Write to Jimmy Dougherty, he knows a lot about animal behaviour, He has a lot of animals on his farm. He might not have a bull as yet, but farmers know lots of things regarding all farm animals. I dare say he will be on twitter or the like, as he is on TV, and seems very approachable. A lot of farmers have been badly injured,or even killed.by an unpredictable and aggressive bull, as you already know.

It drives me bonkers when people breed from animals with poor temperaments. You just end up with more animals with bad temperaments!

Thanks for the responses. From what I know, this bull comes from good breeding stock. My father wouldn't buy an animal without seeing the heritage. He's just a 'bad boy' as my Dad says. I'm just worried about him. I'm going to suggest he leaves him out in the fields. Don't ask me why the bull is still in among the cows. I'll ask. Be back when I speak to my father.

Perfectly acceptable to leave a bull in with cows. They like company just like other animals. What breed is he? Beef bulls are (generally) more friendly than dairy bulls. Beef bulls can be put into fields with footpaths on as long as they are accompanied by some cows. He needs to remember not to walk between the cows and bull as the bull can get a bit possessive about his

If he doesnt need to handle the bull he shouldn't be doing too much to it. Give a wide birth and some respect. If he gets aggressive back off and try again later. Moving bulls is easier in a group of cows and mostly you can get them to follow a nice quiet cow. If the cows are sensible then the bull is less likely to get wound up.

Mostly just time and respect and always make sure that theres someone else around or at least knows where he is - just in case

All animals have the potential to be dangerous in the wrong situation. It's just that bus are 1.5 tonnes of pure muscle to the potential for damage is higher.

Yes my father was attacked by one of his former bulls, so he's super cautious. I don't yet know why the bull is in with the cows in May as you've highlighted. Apparently, only for the dog attacked the bull in the previous incident, the bull would have killed him, so he knows the dangers of them. I know the cows are in to calve, but don't know why the bull is still in. Knowing my father, it's probably fear that the bull will break out of a field or something. Will ask and get back to you. How could I get in touch with Jimmy Dougherty? I've never heard of him. And what do I bloody ask?? How to stop my Dad putting himself in danger??

This would be a beef bull. Don't know the breed. My father rears calves to go onto bigger farms to be fattened up. I think it's called 'weanlings'.

Definitely not dairy. Haha. All I learned about farming is that I don't know what my father does lol.

Pawing the ground and snorting is how my father described this bull.
Not sure how he gets into the shed around him to bring out the cows that are calving.

My Dad lost two sets of twin calves already this year, to what he puts down to as the bull attacking them. He's on the farm about 16 hours a day, fencing or moving cattle etc. So I really don't know why he has the bull in with the cows in calf.