Did you know that your cows are out? (Or sheep, or horses, or...)

[Jstpssng]

I was driving up a familiar road today and saw something in the ditch which seemed out of place. As I got closer I realized it was a big Hereford, placidly munching on the dried grass in the ditch. It's pasture mates were in the field across the road, so I drove up and pulled into the owner's dooryard where I was greeted by two very boisterous but friendly dogs. I got no answer when I knocked on the door so returned to my truck; as I was trying to find a name a woman stuck her head out the door and I asked if she knew her cow was out. OK, it was probably a steer but...

This wasn't the first time I've knocked on somebody's door and I doubt it will be the last. I always wonder though, if the people appreciate being told or if they don't give a care. I've chased so many horses out of the road that for a while I thought that it was a matter of time before I got trampled... I came close a couple of times.
I just would hate like heck to see them get run over because their owner was lax or made a mistake.

One day I came across two goats which were trapped on the road between the guardrails and I had to chase them out, and into the ditch. I went down to the next house and they had no idea where the animals came from but said they would try to find out.

Earlier this year I was about 1/2 mile from the nearest house when I saw two dogs out for a stroll. I slowed down and got them running in front of the truck. Pretty soon I looked in my mirror and there was another car behind me with their 4 ways on. Eventually the dogs ended up between us and we proceeded down the road. At the first house somebody was out putting up firewood and the dogs ran over to them. I looked in my mirror again, and we had a 3 car convoy escorting those two dogs home.

I've had the same done for my last dog one day when she went for a stroll, so really can't say anything.

Last year at about this time I saw a rabbit which somebody had obviously dumped in the middle of nowhere. I would like to have caught them and done the same. I tried to catch it but the animal was a bit skittish.It also was snowing and I gave up when I saw a truck coming, as I was partly into the lane.. No doubt he was coyote food or road pizza before very long.

 

[Oaktree]

This wasn't the first time I've knocked on somebody's door and I doubt it will be the last. I always wonder though, if the people appreciate being told or if they don't give a care. I've chased so many horses out of the road that for a while I thought that it was a matter of time before I got trampled... I came close a couple of times.

I had a neighbor whose livestock was always getting out. Mostly turkeys and pigs. He always acted like I was somehow imposing on him when I'd let him know. Don't think he ever even apologized for his pigs rooting up my yard. For a while he also had a goat that would bleat non stop.
Sure didn't miss him when he moved.

 

[oldnslo]

When I was dairy farming I appreciated be told animals were out especially since lived next to tarred county road. All of our neighbors had animals out at some point and time so we all worked together to get them back home. Unfortunately it seems like that helpful neighbor program has faded with the small family farms.

I commend you for doing your best to help.

 

[Joel/ak]

Had to corral a couple back through a down fence that the owner didn't know about. 1 got a way so while his boys repaired the fence he went looking for the lost cow. I could only point him in the direction it went. He got her back after a couple hours.

 

[ZTMAN]

Found a herd of cows in the middle of our hunting camp property about 15 years ago.

I was walking around the trails and heard some rustling in the thick stuff. Thought some deer were coming out but to my surprise a cow popped out. Turns out there were ten of them. Had no idea where they came from.

Started to back track their prints and ran in to two men on horses wanting to know if I have seen any cows. I gave them a short cut to find them. Said they traveled five miles.

 

[Alan W.]

A farm up the road from me has terrible fencing and they seem oblivious to fixing the problems. Cattle are out all the time. Really nice people that Ive known all my life. I have accused them of free ranging their cattle.
Have always stopped and either ran the critters back through a fence or called somebody no matter where I see some loose. Decent thing to do.

 

[zzvyb6]

I've been told more than a few times that my barn door was open.

 

[ponytug]

Well, I always like to be told, and I appreciate someone other than animal control letting me know. For us, it is invariably a calf that found just the right sized gap and stepped out, onl find that getting back in wasn't where they got out. Our neighbors and I are all pretty good about letting each other know, corralling loose animals into a safe place, and being generally responsible, with one notable exception.

The exception is a guy a few properties over who has a dozen or cows and bulls. They are too many for the land, so they jump fences and graze wherever they want to. I have seen them eight miles away from their home ranch. We used to try to let him know, but we realized that he isn't going to change, and the county won't confiscate the animals. Lethal removal is frowned upon and a legally gray area here. The largest of my neighbors corralled a half dozen or so probably a decade or so, fed them alfalfa for six weeks or so until they calmed down enough to trailer them off to slaughter against the cost of the feed that they had consumed, which is the legal way to remove them. It was a big production; not many of us have two acre corrals with eight foot fence on them.

All the best,

Peter

 

[/pine]

One of my neighbors has a herd of bison...a while back a flooded stream washed out a section of fence...it seems they are an adventurous lot...several of them had wandered a few miles down the road before they were led home...

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We see animals out...no big deal. Across the road a dairy farmer had fences made of bailing twine!
About 20 years ago another neighbor had beef Angus cattle and his bull got out. I had all garage doors open and it went in. I thought about all the cars and things getting torn up...but he was fine, didn't hurt a thing. I roped his neck then quickly wound it around a big maple tree. It was like me holding onto a 100 hp tractor! The owner had his trailer on the road and he went right in.

 

[QRTRHRS]

One of my neighbors has a herd of bison...a while back a flooded stream washed out a section of fence...it seems they are an adventurous lot...several of them had wandered a few miles down the road before they were led home...

Lol! People had Buffalo about 1/2 of a mile over the hill behind me. During a dry spell the two bulls broke out and came calling. I have photos of them drinking out of a birdbath. I did not know the prople but knowing where they lived drove over to let them know. A daughter knew that the bulls were out and had called her dad whom was on his way home. I told her where i was. Dad shows up and having never had to round them up, was not sure. But with a bucket of grain managed to coax them home. My two stallions spent the next few days watching out for them.

 

[taem]

Happens all the time. My neighbor across the road has questionable fences and over stocks his cows. Naturally they are out as much as in. For a number of years, most cars stop at my place to let me know my cows are out, I think because my barn looks like one, and his looks like, well---sh*t. 99% of the time his are out and mine aren't . Sometimes I find them in my hay loft up the high drive. Wouldn't be such a problem, except that he works off the place and is seldom around, and his wife and son won't respond when I knock on the door to help round up his cattle. My son and I generally will collect his strays, because they are unsafe in the road, but it sure has gotten old. I often just ask "do the cattle have horns and no ear tags?" and if so, I direct them across the road.

 

[scootr]

Good fences make good neighbors

 

[tacticalturnip]

I recall when, when a child, our cows getting out a number of times. We appreciated it when people let us know; it's not like they let the cows out, and it's not like we can monitor every line of fence.

Of course most of the farms are long gone, but it was a fun memory. It seemed they always got out in the morning, or that is when folks noticed lol.

 

[dodge man]

I had a neighbor that is gone now that was always having his cows and pigs getting out, often in my backyard. I’m talking 3 or 4 times every year. I’ve had the police knocking on my door at night asking if they were mine. The problem is they are often on or near the rode, hitting a deer is bad, I imagine a cow could hurt or kill people more often.

 

[lman]

 

[Jstpssng]

Somebody had 7 highland cattle get out this past spring. For months there was a sign on the interstate warning to watch for cattle in the road... not a good thing with a 75mph speed zone. They also had a pen on the side of the interstate. One was recovered, one was hit by a car, I never heard what happened to the other 5. For some reason this summer there were people looking for their cattle in 3 different locations, and I don't believe they had much success.

 

[riptides]

There was a farm up the road where the cows got out. People ended up complaining to the county supervisor who said there was nothing the county could do. The same supervisor that was "dismissive" of the complaints then ran into a loose cow with his car a few weeks later. Different farm. The end result was more cow signs, lower speed limits and I guess a few visits from Animal control.

Karma!

 

[RSKY]

Speaking from experience, hitting a steer weighing 800+ pounds is not fun. Bent everything on the right side of a six month old 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass except the front door. Rounded a corner on a back road on a dark moonless night and the car jumped sideways. Didn't know what I had hit until I got out of the car. Angus steer and I never saw it until after the wreck.

High school friend of mine hit a large horse doing about 80 in a hotrod 1957 Chevy. The top was smashed down level with the hood and trunk on the passenger side over to a couple feet from the driver's door where his head was. He was unhurt. Engine was knocked loose. Wife (girlfriend at the time) and I walked a couple hundred feet down the road from where the car came to a stop and found one of the horse's large leg bones completely stripped of meat laying in the middle of the road. The next day his brother, who came to the wreck scene, realized that one of his horses was missing. It was around five miles from the home farm when hit.

If I see cattle or horses or anything else out I ALWAYS stop and tell or call if I know who they belong to. Could save a life or lives.

Dad and I spent two summers fencing the entire farm and we never had cattle get out. Don't know if it is true but back then I was told that if you hit a cow or pig and your vehicle was damaged it was the farmer's fault for letting it get out. If you hit a dog and your vehicle was damaged it was tough luck. At least in Kentucky.

RSKY

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

We see animals out...no big deal. Across the road a dairy farmer had fences made of bailing twine!
About 20 years ago another neighbor had beef Angus cattle and his bull got out. I had all garage doors open and it went in. I thought about all the cars and things getting torn up...but he was fine, didn't hurt a thing. I roped his neck then quickly wound it around a big maple tree. It was like me holding onto a 100 hp tractor! The owner had his trailer on the road and he went right in.

We had a big bull a while back. He didn't get out, but he'd load in a trailer just like a good horse. We'd loan him out and go back to get him, he'd get right in the trailer. He was no pet at all. He did have good transportation skills.