Cattle Babysitting....

[K2011]

Has anyone else seen one or two cows literally babysit the calves all day? Seems like everyday there is a new babysitter and the calves know who to follow...they stick with that same cow or cows all day untill mama comes to "pick them up" for the night...may sound kinda crazy to some but I think they really do kinda babysit in a way...they really don't sit much after the calves are about 2 months old :kid:

 

[novatech]

Has anyone else seen one or two cows literally babysit the calves all day? Seems like everyday there is a new babysitter and the calves know who to follow...they stick with that same cow or cows all day untill mama comes to "pick them up" for the night...may sound kinda crazy to some but I think they really do kinda babysit in a way...they really don't sit much after the calves are about 2 months old :kid:

Not crazy at all. It is pretty normal. If there is trouble she will bellow and the rest will come running.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Cows been doing that as long as i have been around them.

 

[jkwilson]

I used to have a black baldy who was always with the calves.

 

[dun]

Ours have alwasy done it to some degree. The ones that got me where the gert influenced cows. Each day it was different couple of cows and they would feed all the calves for the day, then the next day it would be others doing the same thing. When the calves go bigger and spent all of their time with the cows if a calf tried to nurse from a cow not it's mother she would push it away. At one time in the canyons (300 acres per pair required) we quit keeping gert sired calves becasue they would steal calves from the other cows. We would end up with a bunch of stunted little calves, an open cow that was skin and bones and a bunch of over conditioned dry cows.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Cows been doing that as long as i have been around them.

:nod: My Jersey and #26 always seem to be the designated 'nannies'.

Katherine

 

[K2011]

I know it's normal...well ours do it anyway...just wanted to see if ya'lls cows did the same...and turns out they do

 

[TexasBred]

I know it's normal...well ours do it anyway...just wanted to see if ya'lls cows did the same...and turns out they do

Do your herd bulls "babysit" all the ladies? Keep them rounded up close like he's afraid someone is going to steal one even tho he's the only bull in the pasture"?? Have seen it often.

 

[CKC1586]

I know it's normal...well ours do it anyway...just wanted to see if ya'lls cows did the same...and turns out they do

Do your herd bulls "babysit" all the ladies? Keep them rounded up close like he's afraid someone is going to steal one even tho he's the only bull in the pasture"?? Have seen it often.

Yup, my brothers herd bull rounds up his ladies like a blue heeler... :lol:

 

[K2011]

Yes, one of our bulls in one area really likes to keep 'um together...

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

Yes, one of our bulls in one area really likes to keep 'um together...

Our Jersey bull was like that each time we brought the cows in for milking... That was until he realised he hit the mother load one morning when he got pushed into the bails can't keep him out now :lol:

I know it's normal...well ours do it anyway...just wanted to see if ya'lls cows did the same...and turns out they do

I have seen that it is usually the heifers that get put on babysitting duties I guess its getting them practice for when they have their own calf

 

[grannysoo]

Yup, it's true. There is always someone to babysit.

I had a bumper crop of bulls this year. You should see all of them hanging around their dad this year. The whole bunch of them are acting just like bulls.... pushing, pushing, pushing around. Dad is gently training all of the youngsters on how to be a man.

Even though he is a bull and dangerous, you should see how gentle and loving he is with the little ones.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Our girls take turns babysitting...and sometimes they make the donkey do it!! The donkey doesn't seem to particularly like the cows and calves, but I've seen him protect them fiercely. Its a riot to see all those calves following him around!