Bog Myrtle & Peat

Some people say that working a bull too soon will only bring trouble. Others reply that there is no reason why bull calves cannot work at twelve or fourteen months old, and even the difference in height between mates is surmountable where there is sufficient willpower. Farming is full of conflicting advice, and it’s hard to find a balance between accepting help from others and finding a way for yourself. If somebody assures you that working a young bull will only bring trouble, it’s hard to look them in the eye a week later when they see you’ve put your young bull to work. But when you only have a young bull, surely there’s room for necessity above politeness.

Besides, I’ve been working on this line long enough to have a little of my own experience too. My first bull “godwit” went out to the cows at fourteen months old. He was visibly smaller than them, but he did the job. All I’d say against him is that he suffered a fair measure of bullying in those early days. At only three quarters of his adult size, the herd saw fit to put him in his place. These cows do not go easy, and foreplay is frequently rough. Godwit was slightly injured once, and he only managed to cover his lot when, through a combination of frustration and resignation, the cows finally lowered themselves to meet him. A watchful neighbour applauded Godwit’s style and courage for jumping cows “willy-first on his tippy toes”. 

All the cows were put in calf, but it took him several weeks. As a result, the calving period was staggered and wore on for the best part of three months. But when he worked again, Godwit felt far more like himself. He did not accept anything but compliance, and all the cows were in calf in just over three weeks. That early slackness is all I have to complain about when it comes to working a bull too soon, and I’ve seen similar from other bulls – including the famous “Adder” who I sold to Northumberland and fathered something like a full house of calves at fifteen months old.

Now it’s time for Whitsun to work, and in fact he should have been out three weeks ago. If I’m doomed to a similarly staggery calving in 2023, he should get started now to avoid new calves dropping into Midsummer. But looking at this young white faery bull, I see more than enough to love. He’s bold and able to work; he’s filling out in all the right places, and I still feel a little uneasy around him, particularly since the simmental bulls have been out towards the town. There’s a sound of heavy growling in the gloaming, and I’ll be glad when my boy’s off to the hill to work.