PuG
Member
- Location
- Languedoc-Roussillon
Afternoon, after some advice from the wise heads. Limousine with horns but I've been tipping them - reasonable individual temperaments towards me.
We have two herds that over winter inside, December through to April. 19 + 1 bull in there own pen (25m x 6, 150 sq/m), and a second herd about 40 with a bull plus followers in both groups.
Each herd are clamped for feeding up daily.
The smaller of the two herds tend to get on fine, no major problems. One pen with no divisions apart from a calf creep/calving area.
As for the second that's a completely different matter. When we took over the farm they had a 40 x 9 meter (360 sq/m) area with an old wooden feed barrier - basically the few large aggressive ones would spend there day patrolling the front bullying and keeping a fair few away. Two years ago we installed Jourdain monotubes and divided the pens into 10m x 9, each fitted with 14 head clamps, normal stocking rate I keep to 9 on average per pen, but culled 5 - 6 of the worst bullies from the herd (and reduced overall numbers). Most of the cattle will clamp next to each other, but 3 or so in each pen keep the clamp either side of them empty by jabbing the cow next to them.
The problem I seem to have is they seem excessively aggressive towards each other inside. Obviously at times when there bulling etc but I often find them fighting for no particular reason and picking up scrapes along the way. I keep to a routine daily, feeding up 2pm, clamped until 6pm, clamps are left open for grazing until 10pm. Plenty of bits for them to scratch on, deep bedded straw. Sometimes for a week or so they can be very reasonable before becoming grumpy. There just seems a few rotten apples and always more come to the surface. Changed the bull a few months ago but both are calm. I can't cull anymore of them.
Leave a radio playing.
On top of that the bigger beef clamp themselves first, and the previous bullied becomes the bullies taking advantage, which leaves me jumping in the pen to try and break it up before they do damage with the horns (which doesn't help man or beast because I've become agitated and now simply really frustrated with it).
We have been discussing a barn extension but that would be in a couple of years and I'm not convinced about giving them more space, just more room for running. According to the bio regulations its is 5 sq/m per animal for up to 500kg, so I average about 9 m/sq? Should I try shoving another eight in!?
Cheers, James
We have two herds that over winter inside, December through to April. 19 + 1 bull in there own pen (25m x 6, 150 sq/m), and a second herd about 40 with a bull plus followers in both groups.
Each herd are clamped for feeding up daily.
The smaller of the two herds tend to get on fine, no major problems. One pen with no divisions apart from a calf creep/calving area.
As for the second that's a completely different matter. When we took over the farm they had a 40 x 9 meter (360 sq/m) area with an old wooden feed barrier - basically the few large aggressive ones would spend there day patrolling the front bullying and keeping a fair few away. Two years ago we installed Jourdain monotubes and divided the pens into 10m x 9, each fitted with 14 head clamps, normal stocking rate I keep to 9 on average per pen, but culled 5 - 6 of the worst bullies from the herd (and reduced overall numbers). Most of the cattle will clamp next to each other, but 3 or so in each pen keep the clamp either side of them empty by jabbing the cow next to them.
The problem I seem to have is they seem excessively aggressive towards each other inside. Obviously at times when there bulling etc but I often find them fighting for no particular reason and picking up scrapes along the way. I keep to a routine daily, feeding up 2pm, clamped until 6pm, clamps are left open for grazing until 10pm. Plenty of bits for them to scratch on, deep bedded straw. Sometimes for a week or so they can be very reasonable before becoming grumpy. There just seems a few rotten apples and always more come to the surface. Changed the bull a few months ago but both are calm. I can't cull anymore of them.
Leave a radio playing.
On top of that the bigger beef clamp themselves first, and the previous bullied becomes the bullies taking advantage, which leaves me jumping in the pen to try and break it up before they do damage with the horns (which doesn't help man or beast because I've become agitated and now simply really frustrated with it).
We have been discussing a barn extension but that would be in a couple of years and I'm not convinced about giving them more space, just more room for running. According to the bio regulations its is 5 sq/m per animal for up to 500kg, so I average about 9 m/sq? Should I try shoving another eight in!?
Cheers, James
I'm too old to be rsiking life and limb...
