Cattle Chat: Managing bulls between breeding seasons
Bulls need at a least a couple of months to recover body condition after a breeding season.
K-State beef cattle experts discuss critical management strategies for bulls in their off-season
At a glance: Kansas State University veterinarians recommend giving breeding bulls at least two months of rest, nutritional support and a breeding soundness exam between seasons.
Brad White, 785-532-4243, bwhite@vet.k-state.edu
Related: Beef Cattle Institute Cattle Chat
Aug. 12, 2025
By Chevy-Lynn Vaske, K-State Research and Extension news service
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Breeding season might be over for some, but bulls still need some attention. Kansas State University veterinarians Brad White and Todd Gunderson, and beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster say rest and proper nutrition are essential for helping bulls recover and prepare for the next cycle.
“A bull may lose anywhere from 100-200 pounds of bodyweight during a breeding season,” Gunderson said. “He’s going to need at least a couple of months to recover body condition and complete spermatogenesis (a process of sperm cell development).”
The experts, speaking on a recent episode of the K-State Beef Cattle Institute’s Cattle Chat podcast, recommend a comprehensive approach to bull management, including a breeding soundness exam before the next breeding season, and targeted nutritional supplementation.
“We typically want bulls in a body condition score of 6 when turning them out for breeding,” Lancaster said. “If he’s losing 100 to 200 pounds, he’ll likely drop to a body condition score of 5, (so) producers need to plan supplement strategies based on their forage resources.”
The veterinarians emphasized that bulls require strategic nutritional support, whether on warm- or cool-season grasses, to ensure optimal fertility and performance in subsequent breeding seasons.
They added each operation looks different based on forage resources and other regional conditions, but it’s important to care for bulls even when they are not covering cows.
To learn more about bull management practices, pre-weaning calf management and preparing for fall processing, listen to the full episode of Cattle Chat online.
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