Attention Livestock Owner's

[WhyNot]

Attention Livestock Owner\'s

With the on set of Spring I just wanted to give you all a reminder to watch your back's when out in your pasture's so your animal's don't remind you. Here's the story went to the farm this morning and the dog's were barking like they alway's do but this time they didn't stop and they were looking out in to the rye field. Sure enough there stood about 75 happy and full dairy cow's. No big deal just go and get them don't have to worry about road's and such since the barn's sit' in the middle of 500 acre's. Slip on my boot's and head out on foot in the dark to round them up. I knew where the bull's were since they have bell's so enjoying the early morning stroll through the rye field I got this sense I was being followed. Turned around and there SHE was. I guess she was not full yet and was not a happy camper. So I walk backward's toward's a high tension tower at a steady pace she decides play time is over well I think I could have set a world record out in that field. And had to be "rescued" from the tower with the 4-wheeler. Every one had a good laugh no one got hurt but easily could have. It seems as though every few year's I need to be reminded to not trust them that is why I told my story so you don't need to be rescued. Also as a side note I have been chased by more cow's then bull's but I think that is because the bull's stay away were as the cow's are used to being handled and I seem to trust them more

 

[Bird]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

When I was a kid, my Dad would not let me be afraid of or, run from, any cow. He said to stay away from the bulls because they'll run right through you and kill you, but a cow won't. He said she'll always come at you with her head down and when she's close enough, you can kick her right on the nose and she'll stop and bring that head up. I don't believe that anymore, but it did always work with the cows on our place. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[WhyNot]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

Bird that may be true but this guy aint sticking around to find out. I have already spent one summer of my life all busted up, not from an animal but, a tree and a dirt bike and don't plan on doing it again /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Jstpssng]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( have already spent one summer of my life all busted up, not from an animal but, a tree and a dirt bike and don't plan on doing it again )</font>

OUCH!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Now THAT's a story that's begging to be told!

 

[Egon]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

I can rember falling asleep while lying down shooting gophers. Woke up surrounded by cows all looking at me. They can be quite curious at times.

Now Bulls be a different story.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

Egon, I had 9 pecan trees in my pasture and I let the neighbor behind me run his cattle in there. These were range cattle that were never handled except to brand and vaccinate, so they were so wild you normally couldn't get close to any of them, but I soon learned to pick up pecans while they were in another part of his pasture instead of being in mine because the whole herd would converge on me when they heard pecans rattling in a bucket. To them, the pecans sounded just like the range cubes he rattled in a bucket when he wanted them to follow him anywhere. It was almost impossible to "herd" or drive those cows anywhere, but you could rattle a bucket of range cubes, then set it on the tailgate of the pickup or the Kawasaki Mule and they'd follow you anywhere 'cause they knew when you stopped you were going to dump those range cubes for them. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MotorSeven]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

Egon,

Bet your glad you didn't wake up surrounded by........angry gophers(Caddyshack theme playing in background) /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifRD

 

[ToadHill]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

When I was in my teens I worked summers on a dairy farm. We had one old cow who kicked me every time I tried to put the milking machine on her. One time she caught me hard in the neck and knocked be over. The farmer told me she was a nasty one and next time she tried to kick me to ball up my fist and let her have it right behind the right sholder. Well I tried it , I hit her with everything I had, her eyes rolled back, she fell to her knees, and let out with a bellow like I'd never heard before.

It worked, she always watched me when I was in the barn, and she never tried to kick me again.
I asked the farmer why He didn't get rid of her due to her nasty disposition. He said he'd thought of it many times but she was the best milker in his herd.

 

[Bird]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

Sounds like that dairyman was much like my Dad. If a cow kicked, he did, too. I think he could almost lift a cow off the ground when he kicked her with those clodhoppers he wore. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[texasjohn]

Re: Attention Livestock Owner\'s

The Beefmaster breed has these selection criteria:

Disposition
Hardiness
Fertility
Conformation
Weight Gain
Milking Ability

I've thought about it a lot and believe the most important is Disposition... if they are wild, you can't round them up to sell and getting run over by a cow is once too many.

That's why my cows crawl gently into my pocket in the pasture and follow me into the pen. If they don't, they are gone.

The only exception is a mamma cow with calf under a week old. If she is protective but not a crazy fighter, that's a plus as it keeps the coyotes and dogs away too. I watch mamma cows in the spring.