When spring-calving season is over or almost complete, then the next breeding season is already beginning or just around the corner. During a 75-90 day breeding season, it's not uncommon for a bull to lose 100 to 200 lbs., sometimes even more. For that reason, your bulls should be in a body condition score (BCS) of 5.5 to 6.5 and consuming primarily a high roughage diet (hay or pasture). If your bulls fit this description going into the breeding season, congratulations; you are ahead of the game. You understand the benefit of evaluating bulls well before the breeding season so that any needed adjustments in diet and condition can be made gradually.

Often, many of us aren't so on top of things and don't give the bulls much attention until their annual breeding soundness examination 30-60 days before turn-out. That's not much time to make adjustments in body condition. For instance, consider a bull that is in a BCS 5 and weighs 1,600 lbs. You need him in a BCS 6 at turn-out, so he'll need to gain about 125 lbs. If you have 60 days before the breeding season, he'll have to gain over 2 lbs per day. It's possible to get that rate of gain and still use a primarily roughage diet. If you only have 30 days, though, he would need to gain over 4 lbs/day. That rate of gain is possible, but his diet would have to be mostly concentrate, with very little roughage.

If you let conditioning slip up on you, your options are limited, but all may not be lost. There are some things you can do. First, use what time you have left before turn-out to gain the bulls at a moderate rate of 2-2.5 lbs. Supplementation, if any, will depend on pasture or hay quality.

To read the entire article, link here.