Key Points on Feeding and Management Techniques for Yellow Cattle Breeding Bulls
The yellow cattle is an indigenous ordinary cattle breed of China. Its number raised in China ranks first among all large livestock or among cattle, and its raising areas cover almost the entire country. In farming areas it is mainly used for draught purposes, in semi-farming and semi-pastoral areas it is dual-purpose for draught and milk, and in pastoral areas it is dual-purpose for milk and meat. In terms of body shape and performance, differences due to different natural environments and raising conditions allow it to be divided into 3 major types: northern yellow cattle, Central Plains yellow cattle and southern yellow cattle. The coat of yellow cattle is most often yellow, which may be how the breed got its name, but there are also red-brown and black varieties. The head is slightly thick and heavy, the horn shape varies, and the base of the horn is round. The constitution is sturdy, the structure is compact, the muscles are well developed, the limbs are strong, and the hoof quality is solid. There are about 25 breeds of yellow cattle in China, and the top five are: Nanyang cattle, Qinchuan cattle, Luxi cattle, Yanbian cattle and Jinnan cattle, collectively known as China's five major improved yellow cattle breeds.
An indigenous ordinary yellow cattle breed of China. Its number raised in China ranks first among large livestock or among cattle, and yellow cattle raising areas cover almost the entire country. In farming areas it is mainly used for draught purposes, in semi-farming and semi-pastoral areas it is dual-purpose for draught and milk, and in pastoral areas it is dual-purpose for milk and meat.
Feeding of yellow cattle breeding bulls:
The key points of nutrient requirements for breeding bulls are protein, carotene and minerals. In production, energy is generally easy to meet and sometimes even exceeds the requirement, resulting in overweight. Therefore, concentrate feed should focus on protein, accounting for 40%-50% of the total nutritional value as appropriate, while energy feed should mainly be barley, wheat bran, etc., and corn should be fed sparingly to avoid making the bull too fat and affecting its breeding performance. During the peak breeding season, eggs, cow's milk, fish meal and other feeds rich in animal protein should also be provided as appropriate. Roughage should mainly be high-quality legume hay, and the supply of corn silage and root-tuber succulent feeds should be controlled.
The feeding standard of concentrate and roughage for adult breeding bulls can be about 0.5 kg of concentrate feed and 1 kg of roughage per 100 kg of body weight per day. In production practice, this can be handled as appropriate according to the body condition, sexual activity, semen quality and breeding tasks undertaken by different bulls. In addition, sufficient and clean drinking water is also essential for breeding bulls, but care should be taken not to provide water within half an hour before and after mating.
Management of yellow cattle breeding bulls:
1. Tethering: breeding bulls are fitted with halters at 6 months of age and nose rings at 8-10 months of age for control.
2. Weighing: weigh the body weight once every 2-3 months to check changes in body weight so as to adjust feeding and management; beef-type breeding bulls should be prevented from becoming too fat.
3. Exercise: insufficient exercise is a common problem in production; bulls should exercise at least 2 times a day, for about 2 hours in total.
4. Brushing and bathing: brush regularly every day, with special attention to key areas such as between the horns, the forehead, the neck, the flank and the base of the tail. In summer, bathing should be carried out, which can help cool the animal and keep it clean.
5. Hoof care: concentrate on hoof trimming in spring and autumn, and the keeper should always watch for conditions such as abnormal hoof shape.
6. Use of breeding bulls: a suitable number of semen collections is especially important for breeding bulls. Too many collections cause a decline in the bull's constitution and poor semen quality, while too few collections affect the bull's sexual reflex and reduce semen quantity and vitality. Generally, semen can be collected 2-3 times per week, while in the hot summer and cold winter it can be collected once per week; the specific use should also depend on the actual situation.