Cows out

[Bigfoot]

It's inevitable, if you have livestock, they are going to get out. A tree fell on my fence, I'm not sure when. It may have been down for a while. Back in the woods, where I wouldn't go unless I was checking fences. Cows had made a path from me, over to the neighbor. He has seen them ever day for 5 or 6 days. Never called, never a peep. Came at dark last night and said there was several this time (I'd say so, about 50). I have 5 rope horses and a decent stock dog. All useless in the middle of the night. I was out most of the night. Normal morning check, showed all were present. Besides this doofus knowing they were getting out, and not telling me, what is odd is............I count the cows every morning about 6:00, and every afternoon between 4:10 and 4:30. All cows and calves were present during those times the past 5 or 6 days. You think cows are smart enough to track your schedule, and get out when they know you won't be there? I had been intentionally over grazing the pasture they were on. I wanted it ate down before I plant sudan. I had been expecting them to be pushing on fences, so I was paying even more attention than normal.

 

[NEFarmwife]

I'd say it is possible that with your routine, they were in, in the AM and then returning for water when you did your afternoon.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Cows don't push on a hot fence. We had a bad tick in the home phone line and it ended up that a big oak tree fell on the fence. The fence was snapping and popping and the cows were eating the oak leaves but didn't want anything to do with crossing the hot wires.

 

[Bigfoot]

Cows don't push on a hot fence. We had a bad tick in the home phone line and it ended up that a big oak tree fell on the fence. The fence was snapping and popping and the cows were eating the oak leaves but didn't want anything to do with crossing the hot wires.

Personally, i hate a hot fence. I do use one for my bulls and open heifers. I use it, because it's the best for keeping something where it belongs.

 

[Nesikep]

I heard a commotion last night, bull got out of the pasture he was in and was looking at the cows in the yard.. hot wire kept them separated.. I'm glad he's a cooperative bull, he went into the corral without a fuss.. a year ago he got out and wandered a mile away, got a call from the neighbor he was looking at her ram.. Ram was all in a tissy about it, he was like.. yeah,.. whatever.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cows don't push on a hot fence. We had a bad tick in the home phone line and it ended up that a big oak tree fell on the fence. The fence was snapping and popping and the cows were eating the oak leaves but didn't want anything to do with crossing the hot wires.

Every fence on this place is hot!
All have a light that flashes if the electric is down. I check lights not fence every morning and evening.
I don’t like fixing fence and my cows respect a fence a Parmak 12 volt will get their mind right.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Yes

 

[herofan]

Cows had made a path from me, over to the neighbor. He has seen them ever day for 5 or 6 days. Never called, never a peep. Came at dark last night and said there was several this time (I'd say so, about 50). Besides this doofus knowing they were getting out, and not telling me, what is odd is..........

I haven’t had other people’s cows out on me in forever, but I remember when I was growing up, telling someone their cows were out was always a sore spot. It makes no sense, but it always seemed to agitate people when they were told their cows were out. For example, I remember once my grandfather was driving to town and noticed a guys cows were out. It wasn’t bothering him in the least, but he thought the guy would like too know. Apparently, the guy seemed so unappreciative and rude, my grandfather said he’d never tell him again. It’s like you were somehow insulting the person when you told them. Maybe your neighbor has had a bad experience telling someone their cows were out.

 

[greybeard]

Yes

My experience with my own cattle is that they see me and come where I am...without fail. When I do it on a schedule like in the winter and in dry summer when my bahia is brown but the roadside grass and the grass on the river side of my fence is still green, they're there waiting on me so yes, they're 'smart enough' to know.

 

[Dave]

There is about a dozen pairs been terrorizing the neighborhood. They are supposed to be up on the BLM but they prefer the shoulder of the road, an old widow lady's yard, my hay field, and the closest neighbors entire place. Just about every day they get run a mile back up into the BLM but it doesn't take long for them to come back. In about a week all the cows in that part of the allotment get pushed back to the next pasture. Hopefully they will stay behind that fence. Neighbor tried his method day before yesterday. Penned them up in his corral for 24 hours with no feed or water. Then pushed them at a good clip back up into the hill. He said sometimes it takes several passes at this to get them to realize they are not welcome down here.

 

[TCRanch]

Cows are very smart! Except when they're not. It's relatively easy to "train" them and they know their pastures - and who feeds them. We had a problem with the pumper (for the oil wells) leaving a gate open & the cows would wander across the road to graze on the neighbors wheat field - obvious tracks in the road & field. And every time we'd notice the gate open I'd do a complete inventory & every cow/calf was accounted for, they'd always make it back "home" by feeding time.

 

[pdfangus]

livestock absolutely are in tune with your routine...

right now on the place I have two horses, two mini donkeys, one eighteen month old bull, two nanny goats (one with babies) and one billy goat. one of these goats was as wild as a deer when I got her....

The billy goat is in with the horses and donkeys since Saturday and it took him one day to figure out the feeding and treat routine over there...now he is the biggest beggar over there...the horses nicker when they see me( they see me as the source of feed and treats) now the billy goat bleats every time I stick my nose out the door...

The eighteen month old bull is always at the barn at feeding time....I am still giving him a little fed just to make sure he grows out nicely....still pretty happy with him. he is on fairly good pasture now...got to bring my two remaining cows home this month....neighbor lost his pasture to a grain farmer who out bid him for the land...they will go in with the bull as they are bred for Sept calves. Have to figure out where to put my weanling heifer away from the bull. Will probably bring one of the neighbors heifers just for company and raise her for the neighbor...

they all know my car and van....when I come down the driveway in the afternoon the symphony is on as all are calling to me for a handout...my regular handout is designed that I can see them all in the winter evenings at the barn where I have lights...I don't see them in the mornings except weekends...

 

[Nesikep]

being told my cows are out aggravates me too, but it's not that I'm unappreciative of being told that, I'm pizzed with the cows!

 

[Bigfoot]

Stayed where they belong last night.

 

[Nesikep]

good!

About them knowing schedules,... yes, I do believe they know! My friend had some longhorns and they'd jump the fence, cross a shallow river and go graze in the neighbors field and be back early morning... He'd get a call saying his cows were out, look out his window and they were all at home chewing cud.. Nope, if there's cows in your field now they ain't mine.

 

[cowgirl8]

We had someones whole herd in front of our house. So glad we saw them before they came into our soggy wet yard. I ran out on my 4wheeler and followed them south. I noticed at the gate no tracks to the north, so I was pretty sure they were going the right direction. But, got a call from my husband that the cows weren't the cows we thought they were so, I hurriedly got in front of them to keep them off the FM road over mile down. There are some neighbors at that FM intersection that just built a house and a really nice pipe fence/entrance. Well, wasn't able to get in front of all the cows and by the time I got to their gate, half had gone into their pasture. I stopped and called them. Asked if the cows could be theirs. She said, no way. I then said, "Well, you now have another herd, the lose cows turned into your gate." She sounded kind of mad and asked why I opened their gate. I did not open their gate, the gate was wide open. Its a huge gate too, probably a 18 footer or bigger. Anywho, she screamed at someone in the background asking if they shut the gate, then said, Well, they might be our cows..lol… All I can say is, good thing they didn't go to the FM road because they had traveled over a mile our way and were moving pretty fast. She texted me a little later asking if I was sure I got them all..... WTH...… Told her I got all the ones on the road and I have no idea how many she has, but if she'll go outside and listen, if there are any left out she might hear them and then she could go round them up.

 

[cowrancher75]

We had someones whole herd in front of our house. So glad we saw them before they came into our soggy wet yard. I ran out on my 4wheeler and followed them south. I noticed at the gate no tracks to the north, so I was pretty sure they were going the right direction. But, got a call from my husband that the cows weren't the cows we thought they were so, I hurriedly got in front of them to keep them off the FM road over mile down. There are some neighbors at that FM intersection that just built a house and a really nice pipe fence/entrance. Well, wasn't able to get in front of all the cows and by the time I got to their gate, half had gone into their pasture. I stopped and called them. Asked if the cows could be theirs. She said, no way. I then said, "Well, you now have another herd, the lose cows turned into your gate." She sounded kind of mad and asked why I opened their gate. I did not open their gate, the gate was wide open. Its a huge gate too, probably a 18 footer or bigger. Anywho, she screamed at someone in the background asking if they shut the gate, then said, Well, they might be our cows..lol… All I can say is, good thing they didn't go to the FM road because they had traveled over a mile our way and were moving pretty fast. She texted me a little later asking if I was sure I got them all..... WTH...… Told her I got all the ones on the road and I have no idea how many she has, but if she'll go outside and listen, if there are any left out she might hear them and then she could go round them up.

always nice to have such good neighbors around. :deadhorse: