Maniac Cows

[Henarar]

was thinking this last night about this thread and the other thread about heifers not letting calves suck, most people on here wont have breast fed either, its bloody painful to start with till you get desensitised, and also when they are full of milk it hurts worse, so saying why dont they want the calve to relieve it , its not like that, you have to grit your teeth and your eyes water for the first 5 mins so its the same for cows.

Mum said also the sucking action makes the womb contract which hurts apparently, this is all why I said on a thread the other day that I can forgive a suckler especially a heifer for being reluctant to stand let her calf suck, most times we have found that the heifer is fine the next year anyway

 

[liammogs]

Cows also like a routine, place i work cows are very weary of strangers, or anything different, i usually clear the yard before scrapping going in the bottom push all cows up around and locked into one shed, if for some reason i go in the top gate and walk the other way round, there all on 'edge' somthings up etc, same goes if one calves in the cubbicles buy chance etc i go put everything ready handle the cow on my own calf in the wheelbarrow cow follows, boss helped me yesterday cow wasnt happy to many people started winding up etc next thing i know im legging it down the passage!! I never trust a fresh calved cow no matter how quiet they may be, treat them as a bull and always keep somthing between you and them if possible and always plan a exit before you enter a shed!

 

[Cowcalf]

If you remember they are cows not pussy cats and treat them as such, some need more space at times than others. I would not cull a cow that did its job just because it protects its young either on the ground or due shortly

 

[digger64]

If you remember they are cows not pussy cats and treat them as such, some need more space at times than others. I would not cull a cow that did its job just because it protects its young either on the ground or due shortly

So how do look after the others in the field as they tend to be a bit auntish , lim calves bawl when you catch them to tag cows get upset en mass best thing I did was get rid of that bull

 

[fermerboy]

there is a difference in a cow that protects its calf for a day or two and one that will leave its calf come across the shed and have a go, the latter want hanging up

I agree 100%. I really don't mind a cow thats protective of her calf, its understandable and is nature really.
My problem is a few that will abandon the calf to run you out of the shed or put you down.
I amazed myself how fast I run when I'd got 600kg of crazy cow behind me. Three bays down a bedded court and grabbed the top rail and went over a five foot gate flat out, wasn't so impressive landing though.
Gave her another chance last time but not this time, her antics have signed her passport out of here. Getting too old for that kind of crap!!

 

[Henarar]

I agree 100%. I really don't mind a cow thats protective of her calf, its understandable and is nature really.
My problem is a few that will abandon the calf to run you out of the shed or put you down.
I amazed myself how fast I run when I'd got 600kg of crazy cow behind me. Three bays down a bedded court and grabbed the top rail and went over a five foot gate flat out, wasn't so impressive landing though.
Gave her another chance last time but not this time, her antics have signed her passport out of here. Getting too old for that kind of crap!!

yes any that do that sort of thing get shot of them as they just upset the rest, not to mention the likelihood they will kill you

 

[M-J-G]

there is a difference in a cow that protects its calf for a day or two and one that will leave its calf come across the shed and have a go, the latter want hanging up

There isn't any difference if she bursts you.

Unless you want it on your headstone, she was just protecting her calf!

 

[digger64]

[

There isn't any difference if she bursts you.

Unless you want it on your headstone, she was just protecting her calf!

Thats what I thought , I' ve handled alone on foot 5 new calves this morning all in the middle of field for tags / navels no issues at all but I still watch them if I had the problems talked about on here I would have to pack up dead or alive .

 

[liammogs]

Cant belive some of the stories on here though, with small calves worth so much and barrens any cow misbehave calf in the rearing section and cow in the barrens no cow is worth a risk!!

 

[choochter]

Nothing has changed other than a few new ones, thats the thing I can't figure it.

This may be the root of the trouble.

The addition of new animals has upset the social balance of an established group and made them all unsettled (and therefore made the more edgy ones look worse than they did before). It may be that there is a challenger for the leadership of the herd, or the addition of one or two flighly ones has made them all upset.

Or maybe some cows have left the group (or been culled?) and that has left a leadership vacuum that has yet to be filled.

And in the meantime, it's pandemonium.

If I'm right about any of this, I would pen the new additions in a separate group, if possible, leaving the original group as it is.

It'll be different when they are at grass and they can sort it all out themselves under the blue sky.

 

[Henarar]

There isn't any difference if she bursts you.

Unless you want it on your headstone, she was just protecting her calf!

there is a difference as I pointed out

 

[M-J-G]

there is a difference as I pointed out

But not if one that calms down after a couple of days, happens to mince you on day one.

Whether or not she calms down the day after she kills or severely injures someone, matters not IMO.

 

[choochter]

But not if one that calms down after a couple of days, happens to mince you on day one.

Whether or not she calms down the day after she kills or severely injures someone, matters not IMO.

Hey, I'd mince you on day one if you didn't stay out of my way!
Find some way of dealing with me, if you have to, so that I don't get to mince you!

(Tongue in cheek, of course, but you get my drift )

 

[Henarar]

whatever

 

[digger64]

there is a difference as I pointed out

A couple of weeks later when your dehorning it will be the same one or 2 months later the children who shouldnt be in the field

 

[digger64]

Hey, I'd mince you on day one if you didn't stay out of my way!
Find some way of dealing with me, if you have to, so that I don't get to mince you!

(Tongue in cheek, of course, but you get my drift )

Yes we have one and you get alot of mince .

 

[M-J-G]

Hey, I'd mince you on day one if you didn't stay out of my way!
Find some way of dealing with me, if you have to, so that I don't get to mince you!

(Tongue in cheek, of course, but you get my drift )

It's all about what you are prepared to tolerate. I know a guy pretty well, who was air lifted to hospital after being gored by a cow, during which he had a heart attack, and he's not really walked properly since.

I'm not prepared to take risks on an overly hormonal cow when there are so many cows that are capable if behaving in a calm manner. They can challenge the dog, a stranger, the vet etc. but I wouldn't accept for them to attack me when they are used to me looking after them.

 

[west coast angus]

It's all about what you are prepared to tolerate. I know a guy pretty well, who was air lifted to hospital after being gored by a cow, during which he had a heart attack, and he's not really walked properly since.

I'm not prepared to take risks on an overly hormonal cow when there are so many cows that are capable if behaving in a calm manner. They can challenge the dog, a stranger, the vet etc. but I wouldn't accept for them to attack me when they are used to me looking after them.

Can't agree more, never had a cow go for me, admittedly its a well handled small herd, but if any of them did turn nasty and attacked me, then they would be in the ground before they knew what hit them!!

 

[Flossie]

was thinking this last night about this thread and the other thread about heifers not letting calves suck, most people on here wont have breast fed either, its bloody painful to start with till you get desensitised, and also when they are full of milk it hurts worse, so saying why dont they want the calve to relieve it , its not like that, you have to grit your teeth and your eyes water for the first 5 mins so its the same for cows.

+1 speaking as someone who didn't really work the job out till being a 3rd calver
Also, do cow's hormones work the same? Straight after 'calving', I was all loved up with the world, but 3 days later when the 'baby blues' kicked in I could happily have murdered someone