The Bull That Couldn’t—Until He Could

I recently dropped $6,500 on a registered Black Angus bull, hoping to take my herd’s genetics to the next level. He looked like a dream—muscular, healthy, and exactly what I was looking for. I couldn’t wait to see him get to work.

But once I introduced him to the cows, things didn’t go as planned. Instead of showing any interest, he just wandered off and started grazing. Day after day, he ignored the entire herd. Not once did he even try to breed.

Weeks went by. My excitement turned into disappointment, then frustration. I started wondering if he was too young or just not cut out for breeding. Honestly, it felt like I’d thrown away good money.

I finally called the vet, who gave him a full exam. “He’s perfectly healthy,” the vet said, “just probably a little inexperienced.” Then he handed me a bottle of supplements and said, “Give him one of these a day.”

I was skeptical, but I figured it couldn’t hurt. So I followed his instructions—and two days later, everything changed.

That bull lit up like a Christmas tree. He bred every cow in sight—and then busted through the fence to get to my neighbor’s cows. The turnaround was unbelievable.

My neighbors weren’t exactly thrilled, but I promised to reinforce the fences. Secretly, I couldn’t help but be impressed by his newfound drive.

Out of curiosity, I tasted one of the pills. It was minty. Just a plain ol’ peppermint. Hard to believe something so small made such a huge difference.

Looking back, I learned not to jump to conclusions too quickly. What felt like a bad investment turned out to be one of the best moves I’ve made. Now I just need stronger fences—and maybe a few more of those “peppermints.”