Hand raised heifer behavior

[Katfur555]

Hello - I've just discovered this site, and was hoping you could help answer a few questions for me!
My girl is a 7 month old, hand raised from day one (orphan) Simmental X Charolais calf - she's just used for cross grazing paddocks for my horses, not for beef.
She hasn't had exposure to other cattle one on one; just sees them over a fence. She spends time with my horses and dogs, and follows me like a puppy all over the farm. She runs up to me when she sees me and stays by my side all over the farm - can do pretty much anything with her (halter on or not).
My questions are!
Is this going to cause issues when she's older from a respect point of view? I'm not really in a position to have another calf/cow on the land we have.
Will putting her in calf change Her behavior? What age would this be a consideration if I were to go down that path?
What weight range should she be in for her age and having been bottle fed? I measured her with a horse weight tape and she's showing 263kg; however this seems low from other forums and I thought she was a BIG girl?

Hope you can help! Thank you!

 

[regolith]

How accurate would a horse weight tape be? 263 seems kind of 'in the ball park' for where she should be, I don't really know if it's worryingly low or not (my biggest calves are that at about nine months but are smaller breeds).

If she's not respecting your personal space she needs to learn now, before she gets much bigger. That done, putting her in calf won't cause any behaviour concerns (she'll feel pregnant, which might slow her down a bit) but expect her behaviour to change when the calf hits the ground.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I have raised several like that. Put them in the pasture with the rest of the herd and leave them be. She'll be fine. When you move cows to another pasture and call them up, she'll lead the pack. Good types to have. You'll likely be able to walk up to her any time for the rest of her life. Just don't makie it a habit. Leave her be.

I've got three 12 year olds out in the pasture now. One is a nurse cow. I bring her in to a closed lot and graft calves to her. Handle her a lot. She's never been a problem. None of them have. The graft calves are a little more friendly than normal calves but not as bad as bottle babies.

 

[branguscowgirl]

:welcome: to the forum!
BHB I don't think she has "a herd" to put her with. Sounds like she only has/wants one cow.

As Regolith said, just make her respect your space. Don't let her rub on you or try to butt and play with you. She will get too big for that and hurt someone. Make her keep her head to herself. Pet her on the should or else where.

 

[Kell-inKY]

I have 1 really friendly one that butted me on my backside as I bent over around the hay ring a while back. I reacted and punched her without thinking. Now I am wondering what the preferred method for correction is? There is another one that acts a little nutty when she thinks I have a bucket of feed, does that excited head twisting thing. I am thinking rap her on the nose with a stick? Otherwise they have been great, just don't want them to get pushy. Any thoughts?

 

[branguscowgirl]

I have 1 really friendly one that butted me on my backside as I bent over around the hay ring a while back. I reacted and punched her without thinking. Now I am wondering what the preferred method for correction is? There is another one that acts a little nutty when she thinks I have a bucket of feed, does that excited head twisting thing. I am thinking rap her on the nose with a stick? Otherwise they have been great, just don't want them to get pushy. Any thoughts?

What you did was correct. Do not tolerate butting at all! React swiftly and whack them on the nose with a stick or whatever. If you hesitate, they will already have forgotten what they did that they are getting hit for. I don't recommend using your hand on a bigger animal. It can end up hurting you more than it hurts them. :lol:
It is a very good idea to carry a stick at feeding time and make them stay back out of your space. I don't hit them for acting like a cow ("excited head twisting") just don't let them do it near you. If they do, whack the in them nose and make them get back.

 

[wacocowboy]

I don't let my cows get to close to me I have zero interest in petting them and seen to many people get hurt like that. I like to use the back of my hand on the nose if I am working with an animal and they do wrong, and yes BCG I have hurt my hand. My bull who is a lil over two approached me yesterday, I let him know that don't fly didn't hit him just yelled at him and waved my hand he backed off and kept his distance. My Angus bull ran up one time when I was putting out cubes and got real close shaking his head he caught a boot in the nose I let them know fast what is not tolerated around here.

 

[cowgirl8]

We put my daughters bottle calf(now grown) on our bulls. She thinks she's a horse. The other cows did not like her. We do know the bull liked her at least once..lol She calved, did great, bred back and when home with her horse brothers. SHe's much happier in her horse pasture. She's due to calve soon, so i'm guessing she'll come back to visit for a while. Its a longhorn cow and i think she was bred this season to a bull with skurs, so daughter is hoping to get a bull calf with horns. Her last calf was out of a angus so she had no horns and she was a she. Daughter just wants a pasture pet and would rather have a steer with horns. We shall see.