Discussion
The bull is Careens first calf and we needed the vet out for a bit of James Herriot ropes and pulleys. Highlands normally birth really easy but you always get one. David our vet could not believe he was up and walking 15mins after what was not an easy birth...hard as nails are our highlands. 
If we left him intact we would need to keep him well away from the cows because they are so strong no matter what you put infront of him he would go through.
We castrate and de-horn young bulls so it's painless and easy. We would need to cut the horns off prior to slaughter as abattoirs will not take horned cattle. This cost money and we would get less per kg body weight.
Stirks have been kept as pets and they do get very soft but you still have a very powerful animal that needs watching.
Careen is a show cow so hopefully her calf shows quality and will be used for breeding. I'll post up a few more photos as he grows.
We castrate and de-horn young bulls so it's painless and easy. We would need to cut the horns off prior to slaughter as abattoirs will not take horned cattle. This cost money and we would get less per kg body weight.
Stirks have been kept as pets and they do get very soft but you still have a very powerful animal that needs watching.
Careen is a show cow so hopefully her calf shows quality and will be used for breeding. I'll post up a few more photos as he grows.
C3BER said:
If we left him intact we would need to keep him well away from the cows because they are so strong no matter what you put infront of him he would go through.
We castrate and de-horn young bulls so it's painless and easy. We would need to cut the horns off prior to slaughter as abattoirs will not take horned cattle. This cost money and we would get less per kg body weight.
Stirks have been kept as pets and they do get very soft but you still have a very powerful animal that needs watching.
Careen is a show cow so hopefully her calf shows quality and will be used for breeding. I'll post up a few more photos as he grows.
These remind me of growing up in Scotland. We castrate and de-horn young bulls so it's painless and easy. We would need to cut the horns off prior to slaughter as abattoirs will not take horned cattle. This cost money and we would get less per kg body weight.
Stirks have been kept as pets and they do get very soft but you still have a very powerful animal that needs watching.
Careen is a show cow so hopefully her calf shows quality and will be used for breeding. I'll post up a few more photos as he grows.
A couple of questions if you don't mind? Why wont the abbatoirs take them with horns on? Is it just a H&S thing as the workers could get hurt? Secondly, what 'quality' would the young chap have to show to end up with a life of pleasure as it were?
Trace
Ace-T said:
C3BER said:
If we left him intact we would need to keep him well away from the cows because they are so strong no matter what you put infront of him he would go through.
We castrate and de-horn young bulls so it's painless and easy. We would need to cut the horns off prior to slaughter as abattoirs will not take horned cattle. This cost money and we would get less per kg body weight.
Stirks have been kept as pets and they do get very soft but you still have a very powerful animal that needs watching.
Careen is a show cow so hopefully her calf shows quality and will be used for breeding. I'll post up a few more photos as he grows.
These remind me of growing up in Scotland. We castrate and de-horn young bulls so it's painless and easy. We would need to cut the horns off prior to slaughter as abattoirs will not take horned cattle. This cost money and we would get less per kg body weight.
Stirks have been kept as pets and they do get very soft but you still have a very powerful animal that needs watching.
Careen is a show cow so hopefully her calf shows quality and will be used for breeding. I'll post up a few more photos as he grows.
A couple of questions if you don't mind? Why wont the abbatoirs take them with horns on? Is it just a H&S thing as the workers could get hurt? Secondly, what 'quality' would the young chap have to show to end up with a life of pleasure as it were?
Trace
He needs a straight back, good body shape and a nice wide face, he needs to look like a bull if you get what I mean. Trouble is most young bulls are castrated and de horned before they get old enough to show promise. As someone once said to us its amazing how many brilliant bulls have been sent for slaughter just because it was too late.
We castrated our young bull last year and he's a beauty he should never have been done, but hind sight is a wonderful thing.
If he's kept intact, we will only be able to keep until he's approx 18 months, then he will have to be sold, or find someone to hold him for us with other bulls for a while until he matures. Then hope someone likes what they see enough to buy him for breeding.
(tried it but they ran away 
)
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