Cows fighting

[BILL CLAYLAND]

Caught a couple of my cows fighting and circling head to tail yesterday.
(Hereford)

I was weaning a heifer off her momma in the barn pasture and had my oldest cow in with her to keep her company.
Well yesterday i brought my two other cows and the heifers momma back into the barn pasture and set out a large square bale.
Half an hour later my oldest cow that was in with the heifer and another one (#13)were fighting and circling head to tail. #13 Registered Hereford was a bit wild when i got her and we call her crazy! But this time my oldest cow looked to be the BOSS.

We had a bull in with the cows from April to October and #13 was put in with the bull in June.
The bull had sired calves the year before.
Does this sound like #13 is in HEAT??

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like someones in heat but 13 may just be showing her dominance Hard to say. Id blood test both just to be sure

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

Am I understanding correctly that these cows had been seperated from each other and were then put back together?

If that is the case then I would guess that they were establishing who's in charge here. I would still watch to see if you notice any other signs of heat in either of them. Or as hook suggested get them tested if you want to know for sure.

 

[snickers]

herefords seem to do that more than any other breed we have had and only when they were separated and put back together and you have a hard time getting them to quit.

 

[TexasBred]

Sounds like they're jus re-establishing the pecking order.

 

[dun]

Sounds like they're jus re-establishing the pecking order.

We had (notice past tense) that would fight anytime someone new came in the pasture or when she was moved to another group. She even went head to head with the bull when he went in. She fought everyone for a day or 2, but she never so much as looked at Granny. When she was included she was and still is always boss cow.

 

[Gale Seddon]

Cow fighting freaks me out. In spite of my complaining about the busy-body bull who has to rearrange the furniture in the pasture (hay ring, mineral feeder, whatever), I'd so much rather put a bull in with cows than put another cow in with cows. Bull just walks around sniffing. Cows have to establish pecking order, as TB said.

Put a cow who's somewhat at the top of the dung heap in with a few others at the same level of the dung heap and watch the fireworks. Some of them clash for 20 minutes or so. It's easier to put a younger heifer in with established cows cause the heifer knows to get out of the way. Some of the older cows just have to exhale audibly to let everyone know who's in charge.

 

[A.J.]

I really hate it when they get to fighting like that, especially this time of year. I always worry extra if it's an older cow or one that's got a young calf. They can be really rough on each other. I worry about em getting down in the mud or slipping and spraining or breaking something. One of my older cows had a hoof problem a couple weeks ago and I had to keep her up in the lot around the barn for a few days. When I turned her back out they had to reestablish the pecking order all over again like she was a new cow. Once they got it out of their system everything was back to normal and they were eating next to each other like they always have.

 

[Angus2131]

Just like anything else they have to work it out. It sounds like now that they have it out of their system. Hopefully things will remain peaceful for you. I'm like you when the cattle get to fighting, I'm afraid one is going to get hurt. Can't afford for that too happen especially that they are carrying calves. Just keep an eye on them, which I know you will!

 

[BILL CLAYLAND]

Thanks for the insight.
Yes they seem to be all hunky dory now,, good thing is that it looks like the young, kinda wild one got knocked down a peg or too and no one seems the worse for wear.

Ill have to tell You when it happened it was intense, they did knock each other down on the concrete behind my barn, and when they got in the pasture they could have easily taken the locust fence down had it not been for the 2 HOT wires that backed them up.

Bill

 

[Angus2131]

Glad to hear it's out of there system! Hopefully the peace will last for you!