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What contributes to buller steers? Did you know that the stages of the moon was once associated as a cause for buller steers. In fact, over the years many ideas have been suggested to cause such riding activity. But the main causes are: co-mingling of cattle, inconsistent feeding time, the use of implants, improper implant techniques, aggressive genetic traits and weather factors. Buller Cages vs. Buller Pens Bullers are usually removed from their home pen. They are added to a pen of heifers or co-mingled with other bullers in a special buller pen. Another tactic is to construct a buller cage. The steers that are ridden can escape from the other aggressive buller steers. The use of cages to help buller management has been used by cattle feeders for many years. One idea is to construct a portable cage that can be moved from pen to pen as needed. Another idea is to have permanent areas in a corner of a pen for the timid animals to escape their aggressive pen mates.
The use of buller cages as a method of buller management has some advantages. Injury is prevented in both the buller and the timid animal. Billing the feed is easier with the use of buller cages compared to prorating the feed from a buller pen. At shipping time, bullers can be loaded with the rest of the lot. Buller cages prevent the need to sort the buller pen at shipping. With a buller pen, extra time is needed to locate, weigh and load the bullers with the rest of the lot. Preventing bullers Co-mingling steers at the start of or during the feeding period is a prime cause of bullers. But it is impractical to eliminate co-mingling at most feedyards. Bullers can also be caused by poor bunk management. Out of feed in the morning or in the evening is a good way to cause bullers. If steers are hungry at any time of the day, they may begin riding another animal in the pen. The activity starts soon after sun rise. Another time of play in the pen is just before "bed down." It is not known if the problem is caused by a hormone imbalance in the animal being ridden or the animal that does the riding. I suspect it is the animal that does the riding has the hormone imbalance, and the animal being ridden is just a timid animal. Or it may just be the natural instincts of the "boss cow" effect in every herd of cattle. The steer that does the riding is always a big, aggressive steer. Proper Implant Techniques Proper implanting procedures is not only needed to get the benefits of the implants, but also to prevent bullers. Your implant supplier can supply information about proper techniques and timing of the application of the implant to get maximum production. Comments or questions can be directed to Dr. James I. Sprague, 1021 N. Second, Garden City, KS 67846. Or call (620) 276-8966. |
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