Cattle Behavior

[inyati13]

Only place I could find for this topic. I am asking specifically if anyone else has seen this posture in their cattle. I see it in the upper end of the pecking order. These are docile cows but their natural Bovine instincts are still expressed. Here is the posture I am talking about. If you have seen it you will know clearly what I am talking about. It a type of body language where they are expressing their dominance. I see it when new cows are introduced into the herd. Also, if you put a cow up in a pen to treat her and she is then released back into the pasture with the herd, you may see the dominant cow signal to the released cow that she is still the queen.

Here is how I see it: A position or posture that the dominant cow assumes where she lowers her head and arches her neck. She positions her whole body sideways to the other cow/cows. Her eyes become wide and she arches her back some and projects a threatening attitude. Sometimes she breathes hard and you can see her flare her nostrils. I have seen it when a high ranking cow is released back into the herd. It is a cool sight. I have seen it displayed to me. I just walked up and waved my arm and she came right back to normal.

 

[3waycross]

Only place I could find for this topic. I am asking specifically if anyone else has seen this posture in their cattle. I see it in the upper end of the pecking order. These are docile cows but their natural Bovine instincts are still expressed. Here is the posture I am talking about. If you have seen it you will know clearly what I am talking about. It a type of body language where they are expressing their dominance. I see it when new cows are introduced into the herd. Also, if you put a cow up in a pen to treat her and she is then released back into the pasture with the herd, you may see the dominant cow signal to the released cow that she is still the queen.

Here is how I see it: A position or posture that the dominant cow assumes where she lowers her head and arches her neck. She positions her whole body sideways to the other cow/cows. Her eyes become wide and she arches her back some and projects a threatening attitude. Sometimes she breathes hard and you can see her flare her nostrils. I have seen it when a high ranking cow is released back into the herd. It is a cool sight. I have seen it displayed to me. I just walked up and waved my arm and she came right back to normal.

Wait till you see the 10yr Queen cow released back into the herd after being separated for 2 months and they all attack her and try to kill her. It's not a pretty sight. She was sure enuf a whipped pup after that until she went to work for McDonalds

 

[chippie]

Yes I've seen it in both cows and bulls. In fact it happens in all animals in one form or another.
We had a young Belgian Blue bull that we bought to become a show steer. He would walk around all bowed up as if he were saying "I'm the bull".

ETA: the time to become concerned is when an animal does that to you. One reason why it is a good idea not to allow your cattle to become too familiar, like the attitude of the lame one when you touched her head. Even though she is in pain, it is not a good thing.

 

[inyati13]

Yes I've seen it in both cows and bulls. In fact it happens in all animals in one form or another.
We had a young Belgian Blue bull that we bought to become a show steer. He would walk around all bowed up as if he were saying "I'm the bull".

ETA: the time to become concerned is when an animal does that to you. One reason why it is a good idea not to allow your cattle to become too familiar, like the attitude of the lame one when you touched her head. Even though she is in pain, it is not a good thing.

chippie, I am around my cows every day for a couple hours are more. I comb burs and debris from their coats. We have big cockle burs here. They sometimes get in their leg pit for want of a better word. I comb them out. Not all my cows allow this. I do pet them and walk around them while they eat. This time of year when I feed the square bales of hay that I throw out behind the barn where there is a waste gravel area that does not get muddy, I stand among them and watch them eat. It is a joy to me and I like to study their behavior. I have been curbing my more dangerous interactions with them. But I still expose myself to a certain level of risk. Getting hit by one of them throwing their head is what I think is the biggest potential for getting injuried. I know I should stop but it is much like my experience with venomous snakes. I once was an avid handler of copperheads and rattlesnakes not for religious reasons but for the thrill. Instead of AA I need to go to some program to curtail my risks with animals. I even like to put on gloves and fight hand to jaw with my Blue Heeler.

 

[Chris H]

If you watch two bulls in adjacent pastures, that's what they do. It's like they're trying to appear as large as possible and intimidate their opponent.

I think the most dangerous time to be in the cattle pasture is when you've just mixed two groups. They end up shoving each other to re-establish the pecking order and if they're being shoved towards you there is no stopping them. And, you don't always know which way they'll end up going, so you can go the other way.

 

[fitz]

I truly enjoy my cattle also. You may consider not letting them get too cozy with the head rubbing. They like it and may become agressive wanting more. One may be better served giving them a rub on the tailhead. I'll even give the Bull a rub on on his tail end once in awhile but alls avoid his head. Once he loses any fear of you all bets are off.
Sometimes I think they are gauging distance when they hold their head as you described and yes, it is more noticeable when introducing new ones to the existing herd.
Enjoy them with good luck.

fitz

 

[inyati13]

I truly enjoy my cattle also. You may consider not letting them get too cozy with the head rubbing. They like it and may become agressive wanting more. One may be better served giving them a rub on the tailhead. I'll even give the Bull a rub on on his tail end once in awhile but alls avoid his head. Once he loses any fear of you all bets are off.
Sometimes I think they are gauging distance when they hold their head as you described and yes, it is more noticeable when introducing new ones to the existing herd.
Enjoy them with good luck.

fitz

Thanks. Cattle hold a special place in human culture. The egyptians loved cattle. Africans place them on a level above their wives. Unlike money which is paper and getting to be more worthless every day, I find a comfort in owning my cows. Just today, it was raining, cold and dreary but I was able to stand out in it and enjoy watching my cows. Watching the herd eat the hay I had placed for them behind the barn provided me with a truth that I never got in my years of civil service where I did not always see the worth of what I was spending my precious time doing.

 

[Bigfoot]

Inyati, my dad enjoys watching his cows to. He never makes pets out of them, but he can sit in his truck for some pretty extended periods of time just to watch them. When I have checked mine for the morning or afternoon I am on my way.

 

[colleen]

I have seen our bull do it several times. He is extremely gentle. He has done it when a stranger walks up to the fence, also after we have worked on him a little too much and he is worried he is gonna get stuck in the neck once more! He never has acted on it. We have a couple of cows that are constantly fighting and they do it every time one walks by while they are eating cubes. I take it as a warning! And I appreciate the warning!

 

[inyati13]

I have seen our bull do it several times. He is extremely gentle. He has done it when a stranger walks up to the fence, also after we have worked on him a little too much and he is worried he is gonna get stuck in the neck once more! He never has acted on it. We have a couple of cows that are constantly fighting and they do it every time one walks by while they are eating cubes. I take it as a warning! And I appreciate the warning!

You make a point or at least spark a thought on my part. I believe this posture is meant primarily as a warning. I have rarely seen them act on it.