Feed dilema

[onthehoof]

Well, as most of you know I have five cows out there - four of which are mine. A pregnant Jersey, and three younger calves. My friend has one here temporarily, hers is a BIG cow. Her cow is hogging all the feed; I've tried putting the feed in seperate areas all over the pasture, in different feed bins, etc. but she gulps it all down and chases everyone away. I told her the other night maybe she should just butcher her instead of waiting and trying to find someone who has a bull......grrrrr.....I was out this morning in the rain, babysitting so everyone was able to eat....

 

[toby]

You might try something with a higher salt content so thet she'll head to the water trough and allow the others to eat while she is gone. Or isolate her from the rest of the cows when feeding. Have no idea of how to break them of the habit other wise.

 

[onthehoof]

Yeah, she is real pushy about it; even when I babysit she tries dominating me, I throw the bucket at her...chase her....grrr

 

[cgraves]

got one just like her. She knows by the tone of my voice she better calm down. Doesn't mean she does it every time but I feed her with the bull and he doesn't let her push him around. I'm like you, I feed them each in different places so everybody gets their share. Can't stand for one to be a "bully".

 

[Cowdirt]

Well, as most of you know I have five cows out there - four of which are mine. A pregnant Jersey, and three younger calves. My friend has one here temporarily, hers is a BIG cow. Her cow is hogging all the feed; I've tried putting the feed in seperate areas all over the pasture, in different feed bins, etc. but she gulps it all down and chases everyone away. I told her the other night maybe she should just butcher her instead of waiting and trying to find someone who has a bull......grrrrr.....I was out this morning in the rain, babysitting so everyone was able to eat....

Onthehoof,
With her being that much of a pig, I would lead her with feed in an enclosure of some sort. Put out her feed and lock her up. Then feed the other animals outside her enclosure. This would be easier than fighting with her.

 

[backhoeboogie]

If you get another 100 cows, the pecking order becomes 100 times as worse. That is just the way it is.

What most of us don't want is the cows that wind up and the bottom of the pecking order. These are generally friendly old cows that don't fend for themselves and their calves against the others. Their calves wind up with the same trait and the weaker just get weaker. I'd rather have the agressive ones any day.

 

[coolpop]

I've got 12 cows/heifers/bull/steers/bottle babies, so I know what you mean about the "hog" in the bunch. I've got a group of little girls, they know when I show up in the field to just go to a gate enclosure and wait for me to get there with the feed. The few mature cows get fed in feed bunkers, of course the "hog" of the bunch gets her own.

It's just best to seperate your friends cow from the rest - maybe you can get her used to following you to an enclosed area, shut the gate while she is eating, then feed the rest. Once yours realize to wait and they'll get theirs, they won't try to follow you.

My girls and boys understand the words "NO" and "backup", believer or not they listen.

Cattle are pretty smart when it comes to their feed. They soon understand what works to their benefit and what doesn't.

 

[MrGale]

carry an old axe handle with you when you feed, and then guard em while they eat. we have a few that try to do that....they will never stop it no matter what you do.... just turn your back and see....

 

[Jogeephus]

She doesn't have a bull. She doesn't have any land to keep her cow. She is wanting to breed it so she can have more to put on - your land I assume. Her cow is eating all the feed. Sounds like she is going to make some money at your expense. I think I would rearrange things somehow.

 

[ilfarmer92]

I agree with the two posts above me. I got a Hot Shot stick that works pretty good when I need to teach someone a lesson. But any kind of board would work. If that doesnt work, I'd just as well send her to town.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I agree with the two posts above me. I got a Hot Shot stick that works pretty good when I need to teach someone a lesson. But any kind of board would work. If that doesnt work, I'd just as well send her to town.

Send her to me. I'd rather have her than have the ones who don't eat agressively. I've got a couple of alpha cows that would put her in her place. The other cows that don't do battle will never work out on a large operation.

I DON'T agree with the other posters. Forget the sticks and axe handles. Just put that gal out in the pasture with a group of cows and you won't have to worry about her. She'll earn a turn at one of the feed bunkers and do just fine.

 

[msscamp]

Well, as most of you know I have five cows out there - four of which are mine. A pregnant Jersey, and three younger calves. My friend has one here temporarily, hers is a BIG cow. Her cow is hogging all the feed; I've tried putting the feed in seperate areas all over the pasture, in different feed bins, etc. but she gulps it all down and chases everyone away. I told her the other night maybe she should just butcher her instead of waiting and trying to find someone who has a bull......grrrrr.....I was out this morning in the rain, babysitting so everyone was able to eat....

Do you have corrals or pens available? Assuming you do, I would stop feeding them in the pasture and bring them in the corral to feed, and seperate her. You really should be seperating the calves from your Jersey, too, since she has the advantage simply by being bigger and one size does not fit all when it comes to feeding growing calves and pregnant cows. To much feed (depending on what it is) can cause calving problems, not enough feed in the proper formulation can cause your calves to not grow out properly. If that is not feasible, pen the calves, leave the two cows in the pasture and feed hay. If that doesn't work, tell your friend he/she needs to find other accomodations for the animal.

 

[ENNOT]

Seperate her from the rest or get rid of her. Cows are supposed to provide food and money, not waste your time.

 

[Rustler9]

Anyone who has cattle has this-there's always one or two that are hogs. Put her in another pasture or at least away from the others. We all have those that are very agressive and those who are very timid. They both are aggravating. You worry about the aggressive ones getting all of the feed and the really timid ones not getting enough. That's the way it is in cattle and everything else. Even people. This particular cow is probably a keeper, just don't keep her with the others while trying to feed them.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Anyone who has cattle has this-there's always one or two that are hogs. Put her in another pasture or at least away from the others. We all have those that are very agressive and those who are very timid. They both are aggravating. You worry about the aggressive ones getting all of the feed and the really timid ones not getting enough. That's the way it is in cattle and everything else. Even people. This particular cow is probably a keeper, just don't keep her with the others while trying to feed them.

Funny thing is, if you take all the timid ones and put them together in a separate pasture, one of them will become the alpha eventually. Rustler you are absolutely correct. I'd try to ship the ones on the bottom of the chain. They are going to wind up the weakest and least productive.

 

[donnaIL]

how much feed are you putting out? It is normal for there to be some pushy/fighting but if your putting enought out there the others should be able to get some...got the same behavior here..unless everyone is on full feed, then they relax.

 

[aplusmnt]

Could you spend that feed money on some Really Good Quality Hay and offer it free choice?

 

[onthehoof]

Anyone who has cattle has this-there's always one or two that are hogs. Put her in another pasture or at least away from the others. We all have those that are very agressive and those who are very timid. They both are aggravating. You worry about the aggressive ones getting all of the feed and the really timid ones not getting enough. That's the way it is in cattle and everything else. Even people. This particular cow is probably a keeper, just don't keep her with the others while trying to feed them.

Funny thing is, if you take all the timid ones and put them together in a separate pasture, one of them will become the alpha eventually. Rustler you are absolutely correct. I'd try to ship the ones on the bottom of the chain. They are going to wind up the weakest and least productive.

lol, that means all of mine would go and I would just have my friends cow . She's lucky she didn't get the .308 this morning