To Save A Cow

[Catmando]

Sounds like she will make it.

I grew up on a dairy farm. Our cows were all as much pets as they would allow. They really do have their own personality. We too had some that would come up to us. Most of them would have their calves in the woods, and when they were up and around would bring them to the barn. We didn't have to go and get them at chore time either. They would come when they were called.

If they were sick we would do what we could for them. But never enjoyed finding them in trouble all by themselves. Had a couple of them that wandered off and died, they were old for cows, but we still missed them.

You mentioned losing $800 or $1000, but it wasn't your first thought either. And, ya know, the animals do better with that kind of caring. They can sense it!

 

[txdon]

Soundguy, she had already passed the calf and was not bleeding. She was trying to get up when we found her but her front legs would not work. After she struggled a while she just laid her head down in despair. After seeing that we had to do everything to save her.

 

[jinman]

Colonel Sanders invented chicken in a bucket, but TXDon invented cow in a bucket. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sorry, /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif . . . just couldn't pass up making an attempt at a little humor. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[TBone]

Great job TXDON. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[txdon]

Jim, LOL, Will that be a #3 with extra gravy? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( After seeing that we had to do everything to save her )</font>

Good deeds always come back to ya. Doesn't matter if you are helping your fellw man, or having mercy on some poor animal.

Like I said before.

" Good job" guys.

Soundguy

 

[cowboydoc]

First of all great job saving the cow. Secondly where are most of you getting the information that any rancher wouldn't have done the same thing? We have spent nights in the snow, mud, heat etc. half frozen pulling calves, drying calves, treating cows, every imaginable nightmare you can think of we've done it treating and caring for cattle. And not just us but every rancher I know will go to the nth degree to save a cow or a calf. When cows are calving they are on 24 hour watch. We check them 3-6 times/day. As do most ranchers. I'm just really curious why people think that a ranchers cattle aren't going to be taken care of and that this incident was anything but the ordinary? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[EastTexFrank]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> I'm just really curious why people think that a ranchers cattle aren't going to be taken care of </font> )</font>

I think it comes from the idea that beef cattle are just turned out in the pasture and left to fend for themselves. Just like in the westerns where you only get them up twice a year, once for branding and once for going to market. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif I dare say that you can do it like that. In fact there are some around here that only visit their place on week-ends to check on the cows but those cows are just a "hobby" or people want some around because they like to look out the window and see them grazing there. If you want to make any money keeping cows, or rather not lose too much doing it, it takes a lot more management and is a lot more time consuming. Losing a cow or a calf is a major financial loss, no matter what the size of your operation.

We're not as vigilant as you, but my S-I-L, who lives at the farm, has all the cows "named" and checks them twice a day, more right now when they are calving. If one is missing or having problems, she knows right away and then, if she can't find it or needs help, my phone starts ringing if I'm not already over there. She does a good job of riding herd. No, beef cattle aren't as much work as dairy cattle but they're still work.

 

[Soundguy]

It's not you Cowboydoc...it's like everything else in the world. one or two bad examples makes it look bad for alot of good ranchers.

We've all seen the news shows where law enforcement has to show up and put down or rescue dozens of starving emaciated animals.

I don't get the feeling it is widespread.. its just the ones that get the newspaper and tv coverage.. and lots of word of mouth coverage.

Soundguy

 

[Glenn1]

I am not having problems with the cows, but I do have a two year old paint with a lump on her jaw. We had the vet out yesterday and was advised we needed an equine dentist. Even sounds expensive. I told my wife I don't mind the vet bills, but I was drawing the line at braces /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Anyone ever have this problem?

 

[riptides]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Anyone ever have this problem? )</font>

With the wife, vet or the horse?
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Never had a horse with a tooth problem, other than getting them floated. It can get bad enough, though. So go on thier advise.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Glenn1]

Do you think Delta Dental will cover the visit? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[txdon]

<font color="blue">"...that this incident was anything but the ordinary" - cowboydoc </font>

Cowboydoc you are exactly right, to all the ranchers around here this is just the thing to do. The ONLY difference is that I had a camera going when it happened and the reason for posting is to show the 102nd job a FEL can do. After I read your post I kind of laughed to myself. When I grabbed the camera, I specifically thought of you, and thought this would be nothing new for cowboydoc but it will make a good FEL post if it worked. I wish I could have called you, I didn't know If this move was possible without hurting the cow so we took it very slowly. We had tried several ways before we resorted to the FEL: pushing, pulling, rope, straps and come-along. Right before I picked her up I was wondering if I should get my Bobcat grapple bucket to hold her in. If this would not have worked I would have tried it. How do you get your down cows on to the trailer when they are in this condition, or do you just treat them in the field?

 

[cowboydoc]

Don we have a harness that we use for them. We put the harness around the cow and put a chain on the ends where it pulls together. You can then attach this to your front end loader. On a cow that we can't get moved to get the harness on we have a platform that we use with the pallet forks. We use a come along and pull them up on platform by their feet.

When I was a kid we used to use boom poles to do the same job. Not very many front end loaders back then.