Expert: Eileen DuJardin - 9/17/2011

Question
I have a small beef cattle herd in south Texas and I 7 heifers that I have raised on our ranch and want to keep for our future herd. We have been trying to sell our herd bull because we did not want to bred him back to these heifers but with this drought we have not had any takers...we would like to turn the heifers, that are now 18 months old, back in with the herd.

I have been searched the Internet for a good answer on whether or not to allow these heifers to be bred by the bull or continue to hold them out till I can get him sold.

What would you recommend?

thank you,
Thom

Answer
Thom,

Sorry for the delay!  I tried to answer this for you the day you sent it, but for some reason I couldn't get the response to go through.

Here's the deal... it's not a good practice to breed a heifer back to her sire, but it's not the end of the world either ! My suggestion would be.. if this is the best option you have, don't lose sleep over it.  I would suggest however that the calves out of this mating be terminal.  I wouldn't keep any from the next generation for breeding stock.  

Next year perhaps you'll have the luxury of getting a new bull that's not related.

Good luck.. and I hope you got rain yesterday!