Aggression toward Cow after being reintroduced

[Pops]

We had a momma cow that struggled with low calcium after giving birth. We brought her up to the barn for a couple of days. My husband reintroduced her and her baby back to herd today and the cows mature daughter (who aborted her baby 2 months ago) ran her mom around and was extremely aggressive towards her. Not sure if the daughter is in heat or just being a bully. We currently have them separated again and in adjoining fences and will attempt again this weekend. Any suggestions?

 

[bird dog]

Was the daughter still wanting to nurse?

 

[Brute 23]

Put them back together and leave them be. They have to establish pecking order.

I bought a bull one time that was a bad sucker. He was fighting us thru the trailer, sticking his horns in between the pipes trying to bend them, and just generally raising hell. When I kicked him out the trailer he bailed out and strutted around all swole up for about 30 seconds. A big Brangus cow swole up to him eye to eye and then a pile of cows proceeded to woop his butt and chased him out of sight.

 

[Dsth]

seems like any time you separate one out of the herd for any length of time and then reintroduce them back in, they have to reestablish themselves in the pecking order. Perhaps the mature daughter was lower on the order and was taking advantage of her mom's health problems to rise up on the order. She could also have been in heat like you suggested. I would try again after a day or so if cow with new calf are feeling well again. I would just turn the cow out at first to see what happens just so the calf doesn't get caught in the middle of a scuffle and get hurt.

 

[TCRanch]

Agree, always pecking order. Happens every time I move my bred heifers back to the herd, any time a cow has an injury/sick and has been in the "infirmary", any time a head or dominant cow is either sold or dies. And raging hormones immediately before & after calving bring out the worst in them.

Dsth is spot on, initially turning out mama without her calf.

 

[76 Bar]

Agree with Dsth and would emphasize if the other females are determined to harass, a newborn can easily get trampled in the melee and suffer severe injury or killed. Been there, done that. :frowns:

 

[regolith]

You don't mention how long she's been out for. They're going to challenge anyone who seems "new" and leaving the herd for more than a few days is enough. It's best to graze alongside each other with a fence between for a day or two if possible.

If your older cow is still feeling weak, they'll bully her for that reason. And can cause significant setbacks to the recovering animal particularly if she's still not steady on her feet.