by Chevy-Lynn Vaske, K-State Extension

Anyone who has ever had a difficult roommate knows the struggle of sharing space. According to Kansas State University (K-State) beef experts, bulls aren’t much different.

On a recent Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) Cattle Chat podcast episode, K-State beef cattle experts discussed what producers can do to reduce conflict when commingling bulls.

“We really don’t have strong data that tells us the exact ‘right’ way to commingle bulls,” K-State veterinarian Bob Larson says. “But we do know the basics matter: Plenty of space, plenty of water and plenty of feed go a long way toward reducing aggressive behavior.”

“You probably can’t prevent every fight, but you can create an environment that lowers the risk.” —Bob Larson

Larson emphasized that pen and housing design is where producers have the greatest opportunity to prevent injuries.

“Pen design is probably where we have the most room for problems,” he says. “Make the pen bigger than you think it needs to be. Giving bulls extra space doesn’t solve everything, but it absolutely helps.”

BCI beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster also weighed in, noting that physical barriers can make a difference under the right conditions. “If you have the facilities, separating bulls with a solid fence can prevent a lot of fighting,” Lancaster says.

The experts also discussed how bull age and maturity levels can influence behavior. According to Larson, mixing bulls of different ages may actually reduce conflict.

“A yearling bull paired with a mature bull may have fewer problems because everyone knows their place a little better,” he says. “Hierarchy gets sorted out more quickly when the size and maturity differences are obvious.”

While no management strategy can eliminate all fighting, Larson says thoughtful planning can reduce both the frequency and intensity of conflict.

“You probably can’t prevent every fight, but you can create an environment that lowers the risk,” Larson says. “Space, resources and smart grouping decisions give you the best odds of success.”

The veterinarians ultimately concluded there is no significant research to justify if any of these methods are considered effective, but these are just suggestions. To learn more about this topic, as well as information about rural veterinary clinics and bull-to-cow ratios, check out the BCI Cattle Chat podcast.

Editor’s note: Chevy-Lynn Vaske is the content marketing specialist for K-State Extension and serves as the liaison for the Beef Cattle Institute. [Lead photo by Shauna Hermel.]

Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, Vol. 17, No. 12-B