Bulls tend to roam. Your bulls, the neighbor’s bulls, it is just something bulls do, especially when there are open cows up the road, greener-looking grass, or he just decides to widen his horizon. And no matter how strong you believe fences are, little will prevent a motivated bull from making his move.

So, what’s a rancher to do when he’s gained a bull or lost one? There are steps you can take in case your bull goes wandering or if a new one comes calling.

Brand Your Cattle
It’s easier to find the owner of a stray bull or identify YOUR stray bull when he turns up somewhere else if he has a brand. Ear tags aren’t a reliable method of identification and brands can’t be lost or removed.

A bull is an important — and sometimes costly — investment in your operation. Knowing that proper ownership can be tracked down, even if the bull is picked up and moved somewhere else, can be one less thing to worry about. Don’t leave cows and calves out of a branding plan. The faster you get a brand on your calves, the harder it will be for a thief to sell them at a livestock market and the easier it is for law enforcement to identify cattle if they go missing.

Brands must be registered in the county or counties in which you operate. For more information on brands, including how to read, design and registration, visit www.tscrabrands.com or tscra.org.

Know Your Neighbors
It seems obvious, but it is advice often unheeded: get to know your neighbors. Even if they’re not cattle raisers, it can save a lot of time and headache if you’re all on the same page. Keep their phone numbers handy and meet up periodically to talk about what you’d like done if they see trouble or spot your bull trotting down the road. This is also a good time to discuss fences, stray dogs and other issues you might be having.

Keep each other apprised of when you or they might be out of town or might have visitors or workers on site. Neighborhood watches aren’t just for urban areas; keeping an eye on strange or suspicious activity in the area can give everyone a little peace of mind.

It’s also a good idea to talk to your neighbors about trichomoniasis, also known as trich, and other herd health programs. You may not be able to prevent bulls from visiting, but you can be assured they’re not endangering your animals with a contagious or transmissible disease.

Consider proper biosecurity and quarantine protocols if you suspect a strange bull has mingled with your herd or if your bull mingled with cattle other than your own. Biosecurity information is available at the Texas Animal Health Commission website at tahc.state.tx.us.

Know Your Laws
Familiarize yourself with fence and range laws in your county and check your fences regularly, especially if you have bulls or have neighbor bulls.

A good resource is “Five Strands: A Landowner’s Guide to Fence Laws” published by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. This handbook was written in terms that “normal people” (as opposed to lawyers) can understand. The goal of the handbook is to help answer common questions related to fence law that come up frequently for Texas landowners and livestock producers.

This handbook, along with other important resources, is available for download at the Texas Agricultural Law Blog at agrilife.org/texasaglaw. Look under the “Published Materials” tab for more information.

Landowner Maintenance Checklist
(from Five Strands: A Landowner’s Guide to Fence Laws)

• Inspect and repair fences regularly.
• Check livestock frequently to be sure none have escaped.
• Get to know your neighbors. In case of emergency, share your contact information with neighbors and county officials (sheriff).

Know Your Local Law Enforcement
If you find an estray, call your sheriff within 5 days. This would also be a good time to make sure you have their phone number handy in case you need it later, as well as contact information for your local TSCRA Special Ranger. You can find your local special ranger at tscra.org under the “What We Do” tab.

More estray laws and regulations are available at tscra.org. Under the “What We Do” tab, choose “Theft and Law” and look for the “Report Theft and Estrays” under the left menu. ❚

“Estray Bulls” is from the October 2017 issue of The Cattleman magazine.