M5farm
Well-known member
normal behavior. They like nice weather too.
Cattle behavior...
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crimsoncrazy
Well-known member
Something may have been chasing them recently.
Taurus
Well-known member
Doubtful, sounds like it was playful behavior when they are in a new area where they have never been before. Happens often with my cattle when we move them to home or summer pastures.crimsoncrazy":3juq8uwp said:
Backbone Ranch
Well-known member
Sometimes before a storm, or after the first cold snap they will run like that.
Sounds like rabies.
HDRider
Well-known member
It was kinda funnyDogs and Cows":2j5wc5yv said:
Dogs and Cows":gi8xz49c said:
Sorry Tim but in light of all the rabies drama lately it seemed like a lighthearted enough comment.
I'll refrain in the future.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
It was funny...
That being said, they could just be feeling good OR it could be that they smelled something they didn't/did like. About once a month for no real reason that I can sense I'll see entire pens of dairy cows with between 100-400 cattle per pen flip out and stampede for no aparent reason. Sometimes you'll see literally thousands of cattle stop what they're doing and stare in the same direction... I'm always there before dawn so I assume that one to be a coyote in the distance.
The one that makes me shiver is when, about once every six months, I'll be in the middle of my first pen of four hundred with about three thousand more locked up waiting for me and more coming out of the barn and you hear the constant chatter of stanchions and happy cows eating and then all of a sudden it goes DEAD SILENT... Everything stops for about thirty seconds, and one of two things will happen. Either, all of the cows will flip their tail switch in unison and then come back to life OR they will get upset starting on one end of the dairy and it goes in a wave as if someone was walking in front of them but it's in well lit pens that face each other and they're in the middle of the dairy so there's no way not to see something that would stir them up.
That being said, they could just be feeling good OR it could be that they smelled something they didn't/did like. About once a month for no real reason that I can sense I'll see entire pens of dairy cows with between 100-400 cattle per pen flip out and stampede for no aparent reason. Sometimes you'll see literally thousands of cattle stop what they're doing and stare in the same direction... I'm always there before dawn so I assume that one to be a coyote in the distance.
The one that makes me shiver is when, about once every six months, I'll be in the middle of my first pen of four hundred with about three thousand more locked up waiting for me and more coming out of the barn and you hear the constant chatter of stanchions and happy cows eating and then all of a sudden it goes DEAD SILENT... Everything stops for about thirty seconds, and one of two things will happen. Either, all of the cows will flip their tail switch in unison and then come back to life OR they will get upset starting on one end of the dairy and it goes in a wave as if someone was walking in front of them but it's in well lit pens that face each other and they're in the middle of the dairy so there's no way not to see something that would stir them up.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
I have watched white tail deer run right through the middle of my herd. Coyotes in behind. Defense I suppose. The cows all bunched and were aggressive and bellering. Skittish and ready to take on the coyotes.
Anything can stir them up.
Anything can stir them up.
could have been the weather or a dog or coyotes stir em up. I have had mine act like that on occasion. ONe time when I was walking to my deer stand early in the morning, before daylight of course, I had to walk across one of my pastures where my cows were grazing, and they just all of em took off and ran all the way past me, and down to one end and back again before I could get to my stand.
Even when I got there, they did that one more time, before settling down.
Even when I got there, they did that one more time, before settling down.
The cool weather was probably responsible. I was putting out round bales a couple of days ago & the cows were jumping & running around ,several are 2-4 years old ,but even my 7 year old , who doesn't do that anymore was acting crazy. :tiphat
P.S. the rabies comment was funny, but what about EBOLA ?
P.S. the rabies comment was funny, but what about EBOLA ?
Dogs and Cows":2hbogwep said:
Normal behavior. Our's used to go nuts when we moved them to a new pasture or pen, too. If you really want to see frisky, wait until you move yearling heifers/steers to a new pasture/pen! That is truly a sight to behold, and you better have some good fences! ;-)
Nesikep
Well-known member
My cows will do it for either reason.. There seems to be more bellering when they see a predator though... They'll also be looking for their calf, while if they're just happy they seem to forget about them for a while
Once, in the middle of calving season, they saw a grizzly bear by the gate, and that got them going and good, a couple years later, it was 2 yearling cougars. My cows don't seem to get riled up much about black bears and coyotes, but grizzlies and cougars seem to really do it for them.
I always watch where the cows are looking, and some are far more alert than others... One was particularly alert, she'd see *anything*, and not necessarily raise a fuss about it, but just keep an eye on it. There was a black bear in an apple tree about 4-500 yards away, and she watched it for a long time while laying down and chewing cud, but never taking her eyes (and ears) off it.. the rest of the herd didn't see it. Another time I was rolling a cigarette and looking out of my window when I saw her looking up the mountain, I grabbed a rifle and went for a look, sure enough there was a bear in a saskatoon bush.
The same cow has also impressed me with her running... Once I didn't feed them where they were expecting to be fed, it was downhill a ways, and of course they were all wandering over to the usual spot.. She suddenly noticed I wasn't going to feed there, and came barreling down the field at full bore... I'm glad the brakes were good, because she was about a frame 7 and 1800 lbs and my truck would have needed a lot of bodywork if she hit it.
Once, in the middle of calving season, they saw a grizzly bear by the gate, and that got them going and good, a couple years later, it was 2 yearling cougars. My cows don't seem to get riled up much about black bears and coyotes, but grizzlies and cougars seem to really do it for them.
I always watch where the cows are looking, and some are far more alert than others... One was particularly alert, she'd see *anything*, and not necessarily raise a fuss about it, but just keep an eye on it. There was a black bear in an apple tree about 4-500 yards away, and she watched it for a long time while laying down and chewing cud, but never taking her eyes (and ears) off it.. the rest of the herd didn't see it. Another time I was rolling a cigarette and looking out of my window when I saw her looking up the mountain, I grabbed a rifle and went for a look, sure enough there was a bear in a saskatoon bush.
The same cow has also impressed me with her running... Once I didn't feed them where they were expecting to be fed, it was downhill a ways, and of course they were all wandering over to the usual spot.. She suddenly noticed I wasn't going to feed there, and came barreling down the field at full bore... I'm glad the brakes were good, because she was about a frame 7 and 1800 lbs and my truck would have needed a lot of bodywork if she hit it.
boondocks
Well-known member
This is a timely thread. Mine have been hepped up and crazy the past few days. Running around, getting a bit closer than I like, vocalizing...They are like this in the fall. It was exacerbated by having some friends of ours (that they weren't used to seeing) in the field. One friend was scared and I think they sensed that.
We run a joint herd with a (different) friend and I have also realized that, just as with parenting, the fact that we have different expectations for their behavior is somewhat problematic. He lets them get very close and, well, is a bit Inyati-like (no offense)--rubbing them, giving them cow noogies or whatever...Then I come in and want them a respectful bit away from me, and they probably wonder "what the heck!"
I also wonder whether, when the weather turns cool, they can't at first figure out that it's me under my fall hat, so I took it off and sang. Badly.
We run a joint herd with a (different) friend and I have also realized that, just as with parenting, the fact that we have different expectations for their behavior is somewhat problematic. He lets them get very close and, well, is a bit Inyati-like (no offense)--rubbing them, giving them cow noogies or whatever...Then I come in and want them a respectful bit away from me, and they probably wonder "what the heck!"
I also wonder whether, when the weather turns cool, they can't at first figure out that it's me under my fall hat, so I took it off and sang. Badly.
Nesikep
Well-known member
I've found there's no way to fool a cow about who you are... My mother tried everything to get Mega to like her.. wearing my clothes, smoking a cigarette, etc.. there was no fooling her for an instant. They have nothing better to do all day than watch you, they can tell who you are from your footsteps alone I think. As you probably know, my herd is a lot like Inyati's.. most of them love their pettings.
