Bully Cows

[MudHog]

How does one handle with bully cows? I have two that are always pushing the rest out of the way. I have one heifer that I feed in a pen and I have to close her in as one of the two cows will come into the pen and push the other out. Around the hay feeder its a circus with all of them constantly moving. The bullys are my grandfather's and not mine and are dependable good cows. If it was up to me I would sell them, but they aren't mine.

 

[J&D Cattle]

I just always let the cows sort it out. Generally once the pecking order is established all is well.

 

[Tim/South]

We have 4 cows that we feed in a pen. It is not a problem as they know where they are fed and wait at the gate. These are all good cows. They are just timid. We have 65 cows here at the home place. Just easier to bring them home over the winter to hay and feed. Bringing these together causes a hierarchy adjustment. The 4 would probably survive on the left overs. I have the time to let them in the pen to eat, so I do it.
Every one has to do what they feel comfortable with.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Doesn't matter is there are 5, 50, or 500. Alpha cows and bulls will be known.

Spread the hay. But if you have 10 hay cradles over 10 acres, there will be an alpha cow established at each cradle.

 

[thendrix]

How long have the bullys been in your herd? If they are new, they may still be trying to sort out their place and thus pushing. Like previously stated, alphas are alphas and they're will always be alphas.

BTW, welcome to the forum

 

[MudHog]

Been in the herd many years. Can see part of her behind the black bull calf. The red heifer on the left is mine and the black heifer in the back on the right side is mine. The black bull calf will be sold to my cousin for breeding, and the two other bull calves are going to the sale barn when it opens back up. All three calves are from May/June last year. I started using range cubes and that seems to help alot. I close the gate to the pen on my red heifer as she walks straight to the pen when she sees me walking to the barn. Once she eats almost all the feed I open the gate and walk away. Soon as I turn my back the alpha goes into the pen. All while the gate is closed she is circling the barn in the background. Pen is behind the barn in the picture where the two trees are.

Total herd:
1 bull
4 cows
3 heifers
3 bull calves to be sold

 

[Black and Good]

It always make me mad when a cow is so rough. But, its just they way they are. I've got a few cows that are harder to get into the corral because they don't want to get hit by those mean mommas! B&G :bang: