How long do moma cows remember their babies?

[Red Bull Breeder]

A feller has got to cut a few costs these days. Besides the neighbor don't got any cows and my cows are the only ones close enough to use his free grass.

 

[Wewild]

They can also tell me if they are out of hay this usually only occurs if it is raining and cold.

Good post.

Do yours maintain condition in the winter or do they drop some?

I was just wondering as I seem to be a minority. I do try to keep them in feed when it's raining as they need a bit more to maintain body heat.

 

[Wewild]

Double post. srry

 

[Caustic Burno]

They can also tell me if they are out of hay this usually only occurs if it is raining and cold.

Good post.

Do yours maintain condition in the winter or do they drop some?

I was just wondering as I seem to be a minority. I do try to keep them in feed when it's raining as they need a bit more to maintain body heat.

Mine are maintaing well and they better at 800 dollar a ton fertilizer for hay, if they don't I am changing the cow.

 

[Wewild]

Mine are maintaing well and they better at 800 dollar a ton fertilizer for hay, if they don't I am changing the cow.

Dang. I could have swore you said yours had to work. Didn't mind a little drop off in the working time. They always spring back.

Anyway it ain't about this post anyway.

Our cows ususaly quite day in a day or 2.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Mine are maintaing well and they better at 800 dollar a ton fertilizer for hay, if they don't I am changing the cow.

Dang. I could have swore you said yours had to work. Didn't mind a little drop off in the working time. They always spring back.

Anyway it ain't about this post anyway.

Our cows ususaly quite day in a day or 2.

I do make them work but when is raining everyday and cold they go through a lot of hay to maintain body heat.
If we could get just a few days of sunshine would be nice I would make them hussle a lot harder. We have had the wettest winter on record here with cold, snowned Dec 10 and two ice storms the rest of the time rain.

 

[Wewild]

I do make them work but when is raining everyday and cold they go through a lot of hay to maintain body heat.
If we could get just a few days of sunshine would be nice I would make them hussle a lot harder. We have had the wettest winter on record here with cold, snowed Dec 10 and two ice storms the rest of the time rain.

I'd say that what I've been taught. 61 degrees and raining is a break even point on food required to maintain body heat. 32 degrees and dry would be another.

Sorry about the cold and snow. We have had mild and rain right now. Mild is still below 61 at all but the high but is better than normal right now. We actually have green showing in the pastures like it was spring. This to will pass and we will be back in winter.

 

[Nesikep]

of the cows we have kept daughters from, once they've been weaned for a few months, it doesn't really seem like they, care that much for each other anymore.. though they might be a little nicer to their offspring than to someone elses... I've watched them quite closely..


Our cows can warn you of an upcoming food shortage before there even is one.. On, and they can tell you there's *something* in the bushes over there long before you'd ever know it...

has anyone ever seen a cow really look up? (for reasons other than trying to reach the apple in your hand) I've only seen it once...

What about sitting? we had one cow once that would sit like a dog, for quite a while.. looked pretty funny

 

[Caustic Burno]

I do make them work but when is raining everyday and cold they go through a lot of hay to maintain body heat.
If we could get just a few days of sunshine would be nice I would make them hussle a lot harder. We have had the wettest winter on record here with cold, snowed Dec 10 and two ice storms the rest of the time rain.

I'd say that what I've been taught. 61 degrees and raining is a break even point on food required to maintain body heat. 32 degrees and dry would be another.

Sorry about the cold and snow. We have had mild and rain right now. Mild is still below 61 at all but the high but is better than normal right now. We actually have green showing in the pastures like it was spring. This to will pass and we will be back in winter.

We have had an unusal cold and wet Dec for here, more like the end on Jan weather for us. I believe it was Dun who posted a chart one time on the effects of temp and rain, heck cows were better off at 25 degrees than they were at 45 and rain . It has rained here 18 days this month thats not counting the snow and ice days about 4. I am ready for some 100 deg weather this boy is wired for heat not this wet cold.

 

[Nesikep]

for us, everyone is happier whenit's at least 5 degrees below freezing and dry... I wouldn't mind 3 months of that an cancel early spring out altogether... then warm up nicely to what late spring should be like, no mud, slush, rain and all that gross stuff

I'm wired for hot dry weather too... I've mixed concrete in the sun when it was 109 (42c) in the shade.. my type of weather too

 

[cypressfarms]

I'm with you on the weather Caustic. Last Friday and Saturday were just teasers at 80 degrees and sunshine. Then Sunday hit with the cold front. I've been going through hay like crazy as well. Should be finished soon with the back fences where the ryegrass is - then we all can be happy. Me, the cows, and their daughters.

 

[Wewild]

I believe it was Dun who posted a chart one time on the effects of temp and rain, heck cows were better off at 25 degrees than they were at 45 and rain . It has rained here 18 days this month thats not counting the snow and ice days about 4. I am ready for some 100 deg weather this boy is wired for heat not this wet cold.

That is probably where I learned the numbers from. It is easy to see the hay consumption go up when it start in to raining here in the winter. Dun is a wealth of information.

I prefer it warmer myself.

 

[Alberta farmer]

I've got to agree with mmmtranching about how do people who are around cattle haven't seen this? Or maybe just me and him have cows who love their babies! LOL
Also note that weaned calves soon pick out their "bunk buddies"? They basically all eat at the same place everyday? If you are observent you will notice years later that they still hang with their pals in the pasture.

 

[TexasBred]

I've got to agree with mmmtranching about how do people who are around cattle haven't seen this? Or maybe just me and him have cows who love their babies! LOL
Also note that weaned calves soon pick out their "bunk buddies"? They basically all eat at the same place everyday? If you are observent you will notice years later that they still hang with their pals in the pasture.

Cattle develop "pecking orders" just like most other animals. When I was dairying I could almost tell you which cows would be in the first group coming into the barn to be milked as well as who would be last. As for memories....cattle have good memories especially about "first time experiences". A bad experience early can determine the for life the way a cow will react in certain situation. They also develop mental images which will stay with them.

 

[mobgrazer]

I just took my cows for a 3/4 mile walk (we were changing pastures). I ended up in the back kicking the pies they left me on my gravel road. I did see a lot of groups of 10 and under. There were a bunch of groups once they were in the new pastures but got caught up getting the stubborn cows out of the ally and didn't have time to look at who there were.

The largest group I saw was 18 and got there ID numbers. The only link I found was a few sisters that there mom died during calving a few years back. They did split up before they got to the new pasture but was to busy to see who took off.


I do see the pecking order every now. It mostly happens when I put out yard clippings or a rotten bail of hay and they don't all have room to get to it.

I do agree with the dairy cows and pecking order. I remember some cows would stand there at there station to milk until the cow that was there moved and would not milk in a different station. Some cows would push other cows out of the head gates and to get into there head gates and didn't care if they were still getting milked.

 

[mnmtranching]

Cows also remember gates from 1 year to the next, like gates to change pastures or a gate that was left open once. They check on gates often. I feed silage daily, it's interesting how many of the cows will return to their spot on the fence line day after day and year after year. I'm tellen ya if you don't know that cows have family groups you are on the inside looking out. Something real cattle people pick up on early.

 

[dun]

I do agree with the dairy cows and pecking order. I remember some cows would stand there at there station to milk until the cow that was there moved and would not milk in a different station. Some cows would push other cows out of the head gates and to get into there head gates and didn't care if they were still getting milked.

I've told this before I think but I'm getting senile so bear with me.
One of the local dairys calls the cows in by tag number so they can milk them in the order they want. He'll step to the door and call out a number and that cow will come in thaparlor. Every once in while there will be a cow that doesn;t want to come in. He'll call her number and she will just stand there, call it again and she'll try to filter to the back of the bunch waiting to come in. The he'll call her number and say "Number whatever, don;t make me come out there and get you". Sure enough she'll work her way out of the bunch and come into the parlor. I find it hilarious.

 

[mobgrazer]

Ok I need to teach my cows some more stuff. Only 15 of mine know there name. Some will not come to me when called but they will come to my daughters, but they will look at me if I call to them.

One of the local dairys calls the cows in by tag number so they can milk them in the order they want.

I would love to see this.


I might be able to get a tax break for hiring retarded cows to eat my grass. Dose any one who to contact? I might be able to get the government to cut the cow tax on my farm. :nod:

 

[dun]

Ok I need to teach my cows some more stuff. Only 15 of mine know there name. Some will not come to me when called but they will come to my daughters, but they will look at me if I call to them.

One of the local dairys calls the cows in by tag number so they can milk them in the order they want.

I would love to see this.


I might be able to get a tax break for hiring retarded cows to eat my grass. Dose any one who to contact? I might be able to get the government to cut the cow tax on my farm. :nod:

Call them in twice a day for months on end and year after year and they catch on who they are.

 

[mobgrazer]

Call them in twice a day for months on end and year after year and they catch on who they are.

That's why most of them think there name is "comeonyoull".