Stocker Steve
Well-known member
I have a high headed heifer, out of a group I purchased, that settled down significantly after she calved. Seems to have been a positive experience for her. Have you seen this kind of change before?
Disposition after Calving?
- Thread starter Stocker Steve
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Yes! I had one I swore I was going to sell as a cow/calf pair just to get rid of her (retained her in a weak moment because of lineage). Little mama did a complete 180. I also had a bottle calf I retained that was beyond obnoxious. She just had her 4th calf and has turned out to be one of my absolute best cows. Heifers are the equivalent of teenage girls; sometimes it just takes them a little longer to mature.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Mine is on the cull list, but that may change.
Some is just age and settling in. I have a lot that are kind of wiley at a young age. Seems like when they get with a big herd a year or so they really settle down.
5S Cattle
Well-known member
I have a heifer that's already caught me not paying attention in the pen and straightened my back out for me. She calved last night and is already worse. Was chasing the kubota today when I pulled up and checked her calf. She's gone when this calf is big enough to go to the sale
Nesikep
Well-known member
Yeah, I just had that happen with one of my heifers.. she was kinda tame for a while, then I had to chase the bejesus out of her to get her up to the corrals.. she calved a couple days later (the reason I wanted her up) and she's been in my pocket ever since.. She's a great momma, super attentive to her calf, not the prettiest but might last a while anyhow
wbvs58
Well-known member
Usually the progesterone during pregnancy settles them down once they are in calf. I used to use depo-progesterone injections for a lot of behavioural conditions in small animals even after it became medically unfashionable.
Females of all species are a lot easier to get on with when pregnant or lactating or both although in humans lactation will stop them from breeding back, might have to cull a few to improve that trait. You know what they say about keeping them barefoot and pregnant.
Ken
Females of all species are a lot easier to get on with when pregnant or lactating or both although in humans lactation will stop them from breeding back, might have to cull a few to improve that trait. You know what they say about keeping them barefoot and pregnant.
Ken
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Had a group of heifers, 11 if remember well, a couple years ago. Only three were human friendly, others would run away from you. Had them escaped from pasture one day and they wouldn't let you closer than a couple hundred metres... Lost them out of sight at around 11.30pm. Next morning they were in the back yard... Now almost all, except one, are cows, having their 5th calf. They have changed drastically once they got bred, so were AI'ed for the first calf. Now all let human be close and touch them, can work with newborn calves easily.
Have noticed that almost all heifers tend to settle down once they are pregnant or at least after the first calving. From the group of 10 we were calving in fall, two aren't human friendly. Not aggressive, just don't want me to touch them. Others became very calm.
Have noticed that almost all heifers tend to settle down once they are pregnant or at least after the first calving. From the group of 10 we were calving in fall, two aren't human friendly. Not aggressive, just don't want me to touch them. Others became very calm.
collegeboundgal
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We have one that is going this Saturday. She was always a little high headed and flighty (red flag 1) but after she calved made the mistake of charging the husband as he was feeding, checking the herd over and looking at the new calf. Made him have to take a few steps back before she stopped (red flag 2). Then a week or so later I was with hubbs and walking through the herd taking some pic's as he was rolling out the hay and this same witch lost sight of her calf (that was with the other 4 or 5 calves whose mamas were chilling out filling their gut) and took a few quick steps toward me like she was thinking of a charge. (Last red flag) I am the head Witch around here so she is GONE. Calf to. I don't need that attitude in our herd. We MIG so are on foot around our herd a lot moving fencing with small kids sometimes and am not interested in increasing our chance of injury or death.
A.J.
Well-known member
collegeboundgal":1uld0pkp said:
Wise decision sending her down the road. I like my mommas being protective with predators, but not acting like that with me or family checking on them. I won't have one around that I have to worry about mowing me or anyone else down. Not worth the risk.
bird dog
Well-known member
I like to put my open heifers with some older cows that are calving before I breed them. I usually do it with a group that they will stay with. They get used to me being around a lot and they see from the old cows that the dog and I are not a threat.
It seems like the old cows also show them how its done. I have noticed that they latch on to one that doesn't bully them around and will help watch the calf while the cow grazes. If one old or young shows any aggression (besides the normal head shake) at any time towards me or the wife, she will not get a second chance.
It seems like the old cows also show them how its done. I have noticed that they latch on to one that doesn't bully them around and will help watch the calf while the cow grazes. If one old or young shows any aggression (besides the normal head shake) at any time towards me or the wife, she will not get a second chance.
bird dog":dpw483r2 said:
Monkey see... monkey do. Works with dogs, kids, etc for both the positive and negative.
I calve out my heifers in the barn and make darn sure they watch me tag/work their calves, just so they know what to expect going forward. Doesn't mean subsequent tagging/working always goes smoothly in the pasture, primarily because there's always a few calves that are skittish/psycho/bawlers/runners. I don't care how calm the mama's usually are, when their newborn calves are pitching a fit, all bets are off.
Angus Rocks
Well-known member
I had a cow that after she calved she went crazy if you come around here calf till the calf was about 2 months old and I liked the cow otherwise so I kept daughters out of here the first daughter was a little crazy and then she lost her calf last year so 2 marks against her out she goes and then the next daughter calves yesterday and won't let her calf suck so get her in chute and calf eats fine and then go last night to do it again and Mom is nuts pacing fence and ran at me once so I don't need her around got her sister in the replacement group but I don't think she going to stay either. So much for hoping on hope that daughters wouldn't be like Mom
Bright Raven
Well-known member
Yes. Pregnancy seems to come with a "glow".
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Yeah, I was also going to say that I see a difference in personalities after they are pregnant.
I calve everything in pens. I don't mind if they are a little nervous in the pen with their newborn, but once I open that gate & they are outside, they best not even look at me cross-eyed. And I do not sell them as breeders, they go to the sale barn.
Out of my herd of about 50, I have 3 that I have to be careful with in their pen. they don't come after me, but won't leave their calf for us to doctor. We calve them in the pens with headlocks. Little grain goes a long way.
I calve everything in pens. I don't mind if they are a little nervous in the pen with their newborn, but once I open that gate & they are outside, they best not even look at me cross-eyed. And I do not sell them as breeders, they go to the sale barn.
Out of my herd of about 50, I have 3 that I have to be careful with in their pen. they don't come after me, but won't leave their calf for us to doctor. We calve them in the pens with headlocks. Little grain goes a long way.
