dragging dead cow

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denoginnizer":23lxd572 said:
Why do cows always chase after a cow when its dead and you drag it out of the field?
I believe it's like a chain of command being broken, and whatever seniority that particular head had,is gone.
 
nah i htink its more of an "OMG, they are dragging a dead cow" reaction b/c they do it with calves too. i guess its kind of like people and a car accident... you want to knwo wahts going on even if its kind of gruesome.

cows freaking out over fresh dirt is weird and annoying tho.
 
denoginnizer":2ubamqj9 said:
Why do cows always chase after a cow when its dead and you drag it out of the field?

I think because they know the smell of death, but they can't understand what it means. It's the same reason that bulls go wacky at the smell of blood - they know the smell, but they can only react on a primitive level. Not phrased very well, but hopefully it makes sense.
 
Maybe they wonder why that one gets to ride and they have to walk
 
Curosity and confusion.....just like they will come over and sniff ones that were just killed. Some will just watch without any signs of panic or fear...O'l Boss Cow heads to the back pens when she sees the slaughter truck. Just like the grandkids, they are curious and have no ruepusion at a slaughter while their mother will get grossed out.
Dmc
 
thinking more about this, they tend to get excited whenever i drag anything. it like at first htey are spooked because it is something new and different and then they smell that its their friend and they are like "where are you going with Belle, and what did you do to her?"
 
Sorta the same but really different. On the old farm someone turn lose an Emu that was running all over the pasture. The cows were totaly in a panic. I went back and shot it and dragged it out of the pasture through a back gate and into the woods. Granny had alwasy been very aloof and didn;t particularly like me in the pastures. At calving time she would lead the cows and calves at a slow walk to the furthest point from where I was. After I disposed of the emu she went bakc ot where I had shot it and scent trailed it (nose to the ground like a hound) all the way to the back gate. A little while later I went out to fix the fences that had been broken down by the cows plowing through them (5 strand barned) and Granny brought the whole herd down to where I was working and just laid down. From then on she was a different cow. It was as if she figured I had finally proved some worth to them.
 
dun":2b4pvxj9 said:
Sorta the same but really different. On the old farm someone turn lose an Emu that was running all over the pasture. The cows were totaly in a panic. I went back and shot it and dragged it out of the pasture through a back gate and into the woods. Granny had alwasy been very aloof and didn;t particularly like me in the pastures. At calving time she would lead the cows and calves at a slow walk to the furthest point from where I was. After I disposed of the emu she went bakc ot where I had shot it and scent trailed it (nose to the ground like a hound) all the way to the back gate. A little while later I went out to fix the fences that had been broken down by the cows plowing through them (5 strand barned) and Granny brought the whole herd down to where I was working and just laid down. From then on she was a different cow. It was as if she figured I had finally proved some worth to them.

They can sure get worked up over something new, neighbor a few years back bought some barbado sheep, they got in the south end of the pasture. All the cows went out the north end.
 
Caustic Burno":3fe9pbyu said:
dun":3fe9pbyu said:
Sorta the same but really different. On the old farm someone turn lose an Emu that was running all over the pasture. The cows were totaly in a panic. I went back and shot it and dragged it out of the pasture through a back gate and into the woods. Granny had alwasy been very aloof and didn;t particularly like me in the pastures. At calving time she would lead the cows and calves at a slow walk to the furthest point from where I was. After I disposed of the emu she went bakc ot where I had shot it and scent trailed it (nose to the ground like a hound) all the way to the back gate. A little while later I went out to fix the fences that had been broken down by the cows plowing through them (5 strand barned) and Granny brought the whole herd down to where I was working and just laid down. From then on she was a different cow. It was as if she figured I had finally proved some worth to them.

They can sure get worked up over something new, neighbor a few years back bought some barbado sheep, they got in the south end of the pasture. All the cows went out the north end.

We had a llama get in with them once and all they did was stay away, not the panic that the stupid bird caused. They must have thought it was the biggest wild turkey in the world.
 
Cows are smarter than we give them credit for. They are very curious and want to know what is going on. The smell of blood does freak them out. Mine have learned the sound of the gate being latched vs unlatched and if I don't get them locked they will come and give it a push. They have taught me many lessons....
 
could it be that they are following the sound of "feed"? ours follow anything that sounds like a tractor, even if it involves death.
 
cows know when one of the herd dies.an they morn the death an pay respect in their own way.as to the following of the dragging.they want to see where you put the dead cows or calves.
 
Quote -

"Danged, I've never seen old Betsy push that truck with a rope, especially while laying down !!!!! Let's catch up to her so we can see how she's doing it......"


:lol:
 
SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE":2695xckp said:
bigbull338":2695xckp said:
cows know when one of the herd dies.an they morn the death an pay respect in their own way.as to the following of the dragging.they want to see where you put the dead cows or calves.


Agreed,I have seen this happen.


We have always just called it the funeral procession. Kind of touching.
 
I think that cows are just naturally protective of a member of their herd. Being herd animals that they are. Any time I'm handling one cow for some reason I have the whole heard breathing down my neck. Just try downing a calf to give it a shot and see how many other moma cows are blowing snot on ya.Also cows are one of the most curious animals around.

Cal
 
denoginnizer":3hb4x6gm said:
Why do cows always chase after a cow when its dead and you drag it out of the field?

They are trying to catch the spirits leaving the dead bovine. The old heifers are trying to catch the youthful ones the old bull is trying to find the fertility ones. The young calves sees the cat in the field let have fun and chase the cat.

This is what my flower child neighbor believes.
 

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