Bull breaks septum

Englebert Humperdink

Hello everybody. I have a problem and was wondering if anybody could help. My Charolais bull just broke the nose ring I had on him. It completly broke through the septum of his nose. I asked my vet if a new ring could be put in vertically but he said it couldn't be done. He said there was a special type of head collar that you can get but I can't find it on the Internet. The Bull is fairly quiet but I still wouldn't trust him. I would prefer to have another way to control him. I would appreciate any advice.

LostCovey

Englebert Humperdink wrote: »

Hello everybody. I have a problem and was wondering if anybody could help. My Charolais bull just broke the nose ring I had on him. It completly broke through the septum of his nose. I asked my vet if a new ring could be put in vertically but he said it couldn't be done. He said there was a special type of head collar that you can get but I can't find it on the Internet. The Bull is fairly quiet but I still wouldn't trust him. I would prefer to have another way to control him. I would appreciate any advice.

Pretty hard to fault his advice, I doubt if you will get better. Did he break the ring too? Did he get caught in something?

LostCovey

Englebert Humperdink

I had a chain attached to the ring, the chain got caught in a bush and he pulled it through his nose. I dont want to send him to the factory yet because he hasnt all the cows covered yet. Any advice?

LostCovey

Englebert Humperdink wrote: »

I had a chain attached to the ring, the chain got caught in a bush and he pulled it through his nose. I dont want to send him to the factory yet because he hasnt all the cows covered yet. Any advice?

I have never seen that injury, but the advice you have already got makes sense. It's a very unfortunate thing to have happened. If someone else has come across it and has a better solution I am sure they will post it.

LostCovey

snowman707

LostCovey wrote: »

I have never seen that injury, but the advice you have already got makes sense. It's a very unfortunate thing to have happened. If someone else has come across it and has a better solution I am sure they will post it.

LostCovey[/QUOT


Ive seen it many years ago in fr bull we had, the vet at the time tried to be a hero and reringed him further up, if any thing I think it made the bull viscous and he had to be culled

OP I think you are best just letting him work away, if you are worried maybe check the cows using a tractor or a jeep, or at the very least have another able bodied person with you

blue5000

I've 2 bulls with no rings, no problems yet. I think leave him alone for rest of season, you should be ok while he is with cows, be v careful in a yard or confined situation, make sure you can escape under a gate or between a pillar and wall.

reilig

I agree with you Snowman, we had a bull who pulled out his ring years ago too and the vet advised us not to have it put back in because we risked making him angry. He was the only bukk that we ever had to put a chain on and we got rid of him soon after that for safety reasons - surprisingly it was an angus bull.


You could look at some of the head collars that are available - I find christies to have a lot of this kind of stuff www.christiesdirect.co.uk

I don't know how well he would do with a head collar on him though, it might restrict his feeding.

Obviously when you had to have a chain in him, he is lively enough. Thankfully the last couple of bulls that we have had have been very quiet and we have never needed to use the ring to hold them.

I'm a firm believer that if a bull goes through an electric fence then he is giving you a sign to get rid of him rather than a sign to put a chain on his ring.

reilig

blue5000 wrote: »

I've 2 bulls with no rings, no problems yet. I think leave him alone for rest of season, you should be ok while he is with cows, be v careful in a yard or confined situation, make sure you can escape under a gate or between a pillar and wall.

Aren't you supposed to have a bull ringed by law? Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought there was some law on it. Would advise you to do it for your own safety at least.

pakalasa

You could put one of these on him, a chin-ball marker. It would double up as a maker for cows bulling also.
http://www.allivet.com/The-Kow-Ball-Chin-Ball-Marker-p/50027.htm

I have one on a yearling teaser bull. It's strong enough but hardly strong enough to add a chain or rope. If you not gripping the nose, your not going to have much control over him are you?

BTW, what age do bulls normally get aggressive?
My vasectomised bull is now over a year old. He's still quite and I was hoping to get an other season out of him....keep him till this time next year, all going well. I dont have a ring on him either, maybe I should have by law, like Reilig said.

reilig

pakalasa wrote: »

BTW, what age do bulls normally get aggressive?
My vasectomised bull is now over a year old. He's still quite and I was hoping to get an other season out of him....keep him till this time next year, all going well. I dont have a ring on him either, maybe I should have by law, like Reilig said.

Most bulls don't become aggressive - its normally the ones that have been badly handled that do. Sometimes they can get a few wallops while halter training to keep them in line or a hurt on the nose from pulling the ring - It could be weeks or even months later when they express this anger. The worst thing that you can do is "make friends" wilh a bull. Some people will pet their bull by bringing him meal while he is out in the field and scratching him on the head or neck. The day that you arrive with no feed for him makes him feel like he is being punished and he can often turn on people because of this. IMO there's a lot to be said for buying an unhaltered bull at a sale or direct from a farmer.

I'm sure that if your vasectomised bull is quiet, you can keep him for another year.
Out if interest, what breed is he and where did you get him??

Dozer1

Just after bringing my pbr CH bull to the factory this morning only 3 1/2 years old never had a problem with him quiet out then a neighbours cow broke in on Thursday, there were 7 of my own cows with him and I left her there till Saturday.
When I moved him and my own cows to fresh grass he got a bit excited. I arrived later with the trailer to carry the neighbours cow home he went nuts, I'd barbed wire across the gate and he tore himself with it without a bother, had to leave to old lad there while I dropped the cow home, by the time I came back he'd made 2 attempts to get out, we'd a short rope on him which I caught as he stood on the other side of the gate, as we opened it he pushed the gate and the pillar over....now he's gone for steaks and burgers, can't take the risk...gutted as never had a problem before with him

pakalasa

Dozer1,
That's mad. I didnt think they could turn nasty that easily. I often wonder is it worth keeping a bit of sedative around, the kind that you can add to feed. Shame to be getting rid of a good bull like that. If you used the sedative on him, I wonder would he still be dangerous, when he ' 'came around again'.

Reilig,
The teaser bull, I have, I bred him myself. He's by RIO, the saler AI bull and out of a Malibu (LIM) heifer, I also bred. He's quite enough but gets exicited when I have to handle him to re-fill the paint in the halter.
I do stay well clear of him and dont make a pet of him. That I know. The vacestomy cost 70 Euro last spring.

Dozer1

I guess its the time of year, I had planned on removing him from the last few cows but there was one heifer left that I wasn't sure he'd got to. Basically I'm too near a main road to have him rambling. Just onto the factory there, killed out at 491kgs graded U2 not 100% sure on price yet, most of it will go on his replacement anyway

reilig

Dozer1 wrote: »

I guess its the time of year, I had planned on removing him from the last few cows but there was one heifer left that I wasn't sure he'd got to. Basically I'm too near a main road to have him rambling. Just onto the factory there, killed out at 491kgs graded U2 not 100% sure on price yet, most of it will go on his replacement anyway

I've a fellow to go in the next week or 2. Thought he had put out his stifel joint, but had the vet out yesterday to certify him and vet recons he has torn ligaments in his back leg instead. It will heal in time, but will always be weak. Vet has advised me to feed the bull until the limp goes and then factory him - there will be less chance of me being deducted as they will not see his injury.
He's over 1000kg, so that could have been a couse of his damage. What live weight was your guy??

Englebert Humperdink

Thanks lads for all your help. I think ill hold on to the bull till I put cows in shed. He is a great bull, very easy calving and great calves out of him. He is bp CH out of Mogador. Once cows are all done Ill send him to the factory. If he gets bold before that Ill get rid of him straight away.

vanderbadger

Dozer1 wrote: »

Just after bringing my pbr CH bull to the factory this morning only 3 1/2 years old never had a problem with him quiet out then a neighbours cow broke in on Thursday, there were 7 of my own cows with him and I left her there till Saturday.
When I moved him and my own cows to fresh grass he got a bit excited. I arrived later with the trailer to carry the neighbours cow home he went nuts, I'd barbed wire across the gate and he tore himself with it without a bother, had to leave to old lad there while I dropped the cow home, by the time I came back he'd made 2 attempts to get out, we'd a short rope on him which I caught as he stood on the other side of the gate, as we opened it he pushed the gate and the pillar over....now he's gone for steaks and burgers, can't take the risk...gutted as never had a problem before with him

shame but what can you do, had to get rid of a new 2 and1/2 yr old bull myself this year, only his 2nd season and he had bred well, would have said he was the quietest animal we ever had on the farm but once he went out this year he changed..was disgusted to send him off but sure it would be worse if he hurt someone