bull (redirected from bull calf)

bull

1. a male bovine animal of breeding age, usually over one year of age. Until recent times the use classification for such an animal would be breeding. The present acceptance of bull beef by consumers adds this use to what was previously a limited range of life styles. See also breeder bull. See Table 20.

2. adult male of most wild ruminants except for small deer in which the male is called buck. Includes wapiti, moose, elk, reindeer.

3. adult male cetaceans and pinnipeds. See Table 20.

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bull battery

rarely used term for the total serving capacity of the bulls in a herd. Is the number of bulls multiplied by the length of the breeding season.

bull beef

from entire males instead of the fatter steer or bullock.

bull calf

male young entire bovine animal up to stage of yearling.

catch-up bull

in dairy herds that use artificial insemination (AI), one that is run with cows in mid-lactation to breed those cattle that have not held to AI or that have early embryonic death.

bull-cow ratio

usually refers to paddock mating of beef cattle and reflects the desire of the farmer to achieve high fertility and over what period the breeding program can be allowed to continue. The proportion of bulls needed will also depend on their age, testicular size and serving capacity.

bull leader

a pole about 6 ft (2 m) long with a spring clip on the end to snare the bull's nose ring. Enables the handler to keep the bull moving forward without any risk that the bull can come too close.

proven bull

one whose progeny have achieved the production target set as desirable by the registering breed authority.

bull rotation

changing the bull out of a group of cows and replacing him with a different bull at short intervals. The objective is to ensure a high mating rate or to mark the calves by using a bull of a different breed.

bull test station

an establishment run by government or cooperative farmer organization which houses young bulls and measures rate of body weight gain under standard conditions of feeding and housing. A good rate of gain under these conditions does not guarantee a similar performance at pasture.