Calves left alone on pasture

[Dawkins20]

I have been calving on pasture for the first time this year and have been struggling with my cows leaving their calves. They mother up no problem but then when the calf wants to sleep, it just lays in the grass and momma goes grazing with the herd. The calves sleep most of the day for the first week of their life so they are constantly being left alone at random spots while the herd goes grazing. My grass is taller than the calves and sometimes the herd gets hundreds of yards away. It just seems like these moms are really taking their chances with losing a calf. Or maybe im just used to them being in a lot for the first month of their life, and paranoid.

 

[NolanCountyAG]

That is perfectly fine. The cows know where they left the calves. Just leave them alone.

 

[Son of Butch]

That is perfectly fine. The cows know where they left the calves. Just leave them alone.

No, no, no... call county extension agent and report them for calf endangerment... this new generation of cows
are just a bunch of meth smokin' welfare cases... ya gotta nip it in the bud... nip it, nip it I say.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Some cows and some breeds watch their calves closer. Consider this during bull selection.
- I usually have one or two simi x calves each year where I can't ID the mother for weeks. Occasionally you will even get a cow that will not go back for her calf after a pasture shift...
- I have some herf or limi x cows that go off for most of a week, and stand over the calf. If the calf moves, they chase it like a bird dog.

 

[Rafter S]

That's not unusual behavior. As Nolan said, the cows know where the calves are. The worst thing you can do is make the calf get up. They'll often panic and run blindly, maybe through several fences.

 

[MRRherefords]

Those cows know where their calf is. Most of the time they feel safer when they lay their calf somewhere secluded.

 

[M-5]

I would venture to say at least one cow would hang back a little and was babysitting the whole bunch .

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

You boys are being punked. This thread is a yank.

 

[Cross-7]

I have several that are taking a ride to town for that very reason.
I saw one baby when I left for work one morning.
I came back that evening and it was not to be found, but figured it was laid down somewhere close.
Next morning the cow had a full bag and grazing with other cows and no calf in sight.
I found it on the other side of the pasture from momma bawling at the cows across the fence.
I have others that hang close.
if I get close to the calf they come running and ready to fight.
They will get to stay.
I started calving in a small trap so I can keep an eye on them.
Several are just poor mothers and will be leaving this fall.
I don't have the time to babysit or the budget to lose calves.

 

[Brute 23]

I agree Cross. Our Brahman cows keep the calves at their side. The crosses will group the calves and there will be one or two cows baby sitting. I better not find a cow too far from her calf and the calf be alone. That a recipe for disaster.

 

[boondocks]

That's not unusual behavior. As Nolan said, the cows know where the calves are. The worst thing you can do is make the calf get up. They'll often panic and run blindly, maybe through several fences.

Now rafter, why'd ya have to go tell him/her that, and now they get to avoid the "fun" we've all had of learnin that the hard way?

 

[Rafter S]

That's not unusual behavior. As Nolan said, the cows know where the calves are. The worst thing you can do is make the calf get up. They'll often panic and run blindly, maybe through several fences.

Now rafter, why'd ya have to go tell him/her that, and now they get to avoid the "fun" we've all had of learnin that the hard way?

Just a moment of weakness I guess. I'll try to control it in the future.

 

[morris_vu]

I tried to do the same to my kids. They would not let me alone.

 

[bird dog]

In general, if the cows are having problems with dogs are varmints they will usually stay pretty close or have a sitter. If they are not, they will bed down the calf and go to grazing much further than I would like. Probably the biggest risk is a human worrying about them and then running over the calf with his truck/4 wheeler looking for the little one. The older cows know what they are doing with some exceptions. Now heifers are another subject.

 

[Son of Butch]

You boys are being punked. This thread is a yank.

Yup... 2 weeks and original poster never heard from again. :cry2: