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Parsons Kansas | Let me see if I can explain this the way I had heard it. I read a study from KSU or some other college that calves do better as bulls until about 600 lbs or so. Their natural "bull growing hormons" are still in tact making them grow faster naturally. After 600 lbs cut the bulls and start putting the feed to them.
Dad and I used to band the calves after about a day or two old. Had a cow get really really upset with me one time for messing with her baby and did a tap dance on my chest. After that Dad and I decided to wait until the calves were about a month old or so, just when the mama started bringing them back into the corral, then we banded.
Dad passed away and then I lost my greatest helper. I then waited until the calves were bigger about 500 to 600 or so take them to the vet and got them cut and all their shots and things. I have since sold all my cattle and don't worry about that anymore. I really didn't see a big growth change cutting them either way. The first time I took them to the vet he did band those 500 to 600 lb calves and I did think that was a little better then cutting them. Possibly a little less tramatic and cleaner for going back out to the pasture. Good luck Darren. | |
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Banding vs castration
