Leading Cattle vs. Driving Cattle

[FlyingLSimmentals]

One of my twin calves got out of the pasture that we were keeping them in and went to the herd across the fence. Found him on the opposite side of the fence bawling for momma when I went to feed them the other morning. Fed the cow and the black twin and went to get the red one out of the field away from the herd. Well, I thought I could easily drive or push him up the fence line to the gate where he could go back in to momma, but he didn't have the same thought refusing to go. He just wanted to stand there and bawl. Thought, well I'm not carrying you, your to big. I then decided I would see if he would follow and I just walked away and left him on my way back to the gate, well he followed me back better than my dog and back to his mamma. I find it very often that it is easier to lead cattle than it is to drive them somewhere. I've lead some of our cows to places where my uncles couldn't force them to go with hot sticks. Cattle pay more attention than what some people give them credit for. There is a place and time for both leading and driving but it sure is nice and easier when they follow. Even our border collies have fun leading them places instead of actually working.

 

[kenny thomas]

All my cattle would go crazy if i tried to drive them. They will follow me anywhere though. They even act different if someone else goes with me to look at them. I handle them by myself and work them by myself and we get along fine.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

When leading the cattle, are you walking, or in a vehicle of some kind (ATV, pickup, or horseback)? I could understand leading one or two, but a herd of ten or twenty could cause you some trouble. Eighty or a hundred - BIG TROUBLE! With a larger bunch one could have a couple of riders on point, and two or three riders on drag, with a few good border collies. But move SLOWLY and QUIETLY - back and forth behind them!

DOC HARRIS

 

[Nesikep]

My cows follow fairly well... especially me.. We have our routine... they come up from the fields, around the hen pen, and up to the top of the corrals, where the gate is open and they enter.. most of them know it, some chose to be idiots, but for the most part it works fairly well. The biggest problem is when there's a couple lagging behind an everyone gets confused.

Depending on how complicated the route is to where I'm leading them, I'll lead them while riding my bike... makes it quick to go round up the stragglers.

Kenny, My cows know exactly who's around.. Some are very sociable and love other people, others hate strangers and even my parents

 

[regolith]

Hi Doc.
My whole herd follows me. Onehundredthirty cows this year but it's been a lot bigger than that too.

There's a time for leading and there's a time for driving and there's days when it's best just to stand and call.

With daily shifts on rotational grazing most of the time the cows simply wait by the fence reel looking at the long grass. When they know it's moving time but they can't see long grass, driving them is too hard. Usually I walk a little way into the herd, some of the leaders see me and when they move towards me the whole herd follows, no stragglers, I just walk out the gate with them following behind (and if they're a bit exciteable, staying pretty alert and using my arms to make them keep their distance from me).
As long as they're motivated to move and the whole herd is in sight of each other, no problems...
mind you I called them down to cross the road one time and the whole herd came and left one cow lying down fast asleep on the hill. About the last five cows were crossing when she woke up and realised she was being left behind and came running.

There's a lot in the industry - vets, truckies, anyone who has to handle cattle strange to them - have told me the world would be a much better place if every cattle man moved slowly and quietly.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I too have better luck with calling mine in or leading. You start pushing Brangus anywhere they don't want to go and you got a rodeo! Once that starts, it ain't gonna happen, you might as well quit for the day!

 

[inyati13]

One of my twin calves got out of the pasture that we were keeping them in and went to the herd across the fence. Found him on the opposite side of the fence bawling for momma when I went to feed them the other morning. Fed the cow and the black twin and went to get the red one out of the field away from the herd. Well, I thought I could easily drive or push him up the fence line to the gate where he could go back in to momma, but he didn't have the same thought refusing to go. He just wanted to stand there and bawl. Thought, well I'm not carrying you, your to big. I then decided I would see if he would follow and I just walked away and left him on my way back to the gate, well he followed me back better than my dog and back to his mamma. I find it very often that it is easier to lead cattle than it is to drive them somewhere. I've lead some of our cows to places where my uncles couldn't force them to go with hot sticks. Cattle pay more attention than what some people give them credit for. There is a place and time for both leading and driving but it sure is nice and easier when they follow. Even our border collies have fun leading them places instead of actually working.

Same experience here. I cannot drive my cows. Not at all. I think if I had other help and we were using horses but that is a different game.

BTW: I got the vet coming Monday to trim two of my cow's feet. They are on the back of the farm (about 3/4 of a mile back there from the handling facility). They have shade, forage, water and a nice cool landscape. I am wondering how I will get them up front to cut out the two cows I need. They are so content, it is not worth their time to come in for feed. You cannot entice them with water; they got a clear running creek to stand in and drink (don't tell anyone they stand in the creek ).

 

[M.Magis]

I'm terrible at pushing my cows, though they come to a bucket eagerly. But from what I've seen, it's not because they can't be pushed, it's because I don't know how to do it properly. I think nearly any cow can be "driven" by someone that knows how, though I'm sure having two people makes it easier.

 

[dun]

We do a combination of both. I yell and wave my arms and they start coming up but there are alwasy a few that either dawdle or just don;t care to come up. Wife gets behind them and just walks slowly bejind and the laggers come up with the others.

 

[bmoore87]

]I think nearly any cow can be "driven" by someone that knows how

I thought this to until last summer when helping a guy who would only move his cows by calling them. We had to drive them threw a pasture several times to get them out of the way andit was a terrible time moving them compared to our cows that were used to it. They just balled up kinda like sheep.

I do try to call whenever possible since it is much easier.

 

[slick4591]

If I lower my tailgate and set the white or gray 5 gallon bucket on it they will follow me to town and back. Never ever have I tried to push them anywhere.

 

[Jake]

Either works for us. All the cows are bucket and four wheeler broke. You could lead them to the kill for or drive them down the road. 100+ cows in a group is easier to lead or drive than 10 cows

 

[branguscowgirl]

Inyati, I start chumming mine with some grain in the pen, a few days ahead of time. You may want to pen up the ones that you are doing the day before, just to be safe.

 

[Deepsouth]

Inyati, I start chumming mine with some grain in the pen, a few days ahead of time. You may want to pen up the ones that you are doing the day before, just to be safe.

I agree. A few bags of range cubes goes a long way in making things a lot easier on working day. I'm working mine this Saturday so I've been feeding them range cubes in the catch Owen every afternoon this week. Should be easy Saturday morning. But they are cows so they'll probably go over the fence of the back 40 trying to get away from me. :bang:

 

[Caustic Burno]

You don't drive Brimmer girls here.
I can call everyone into the pen by myself, let a stranger show up to help it is
not happening. They can smell a rat from a mile off.
I can lead mine anywhere on the mule.

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

I'll lead from a single to around 50 head give or take, several more I guess counting calves sometimes. I'm usually on foot, but sometimes we'll use the atv's and the border collies when moving a good distance or the large group. We do have a particular call for the cattle and some do know their names and will answer and come to them. Have had a bull and a cow or two that would do their best to keep the herd from coming until he felt it was time to go and he would then lead them showing that he or they were boss. Have had them get excited and decide to go quickly that's when the trees here come in handy. I've been caught ducking behind them and letting the cattle pass by. Usually one person will call on ahead and 1 of us will lead and 1 or 2 will try and follow to make sure all of them will come and not have any slackers or sleeping babies. Depending on how many of us is there that day. Half the farm is on one side of the road, the other half is on the other side therefore we get to move them several times rotating the fields. Again there are those other times when they have to be driven sometimes by force, like out of the hay field that they find a way into sometimes. Therefore both methods are used here when needed, also like others who have mentioned it first skill is part of it. Flight Zones can be really different from 1 animal to the next one. It really pays to know your cattle's personality and behavior. Also to spend a bit of time with them as much as possible, where they'll feel comfortable with you. I know several who either don't have the time or the willingness to do so. I'll try to average walking through the herd at least once a day.

 

[Nesikep]

It depends on where you start with your cattle too... If you start with tame cattle, they can not see a soul for a month and be fine (actually, they'll be *really* happy), while if you have wild cattle to start with, I find you need to spend an hour a day to make any progress with them, and some it doesn't matter how much time you spend with them they'll never calm down.

 

[inyati13]

Inyati, I start chumming mine with some grain in the pen, a few days ahead of time. You may want to pen up the ones that you are doing the day before, just to be safe.

Opportunist: That describes how I often manage my cows. Yesterday, I took the utility vehicle back to where the cows have been for the last week. I noticed they were moving more than usual. When I left them one of them got up and started walking in the direction I was leaving. I got back to the front of the farm and I had a feeling they were going to come in. I decided to go back to the farm that evening. There they were. Standing in the shade of the hay barn. I put out some feed out and they came into the holding pen of the facility. I cut out the two cows that are scheduled for foot trimming. Mission accomplished.

 

[highgrit]

We have a little trailer we pull behind the Kubota with feed or cubes in it. They will follow you anywhere.
I would rather lead than follow.

 

[midtncattle]

My gerts come quick if it is just me. Slower if I have company. You pull a cattle trailer in the field before you got them penned and they scatter!