Moving cattle with young calves

[SmokinM]

Just getting the farm set up to rotate some pastures and in moving the cattle the calves are proving an issue. Always one or two of the youngsters that don't make it thru the gate or are hiding in the woods. They are like herding cats so that doesn't work. The fencing I have and the way the farm lays just letting them sneak thru the fence on their own doesn't work well or isn't an option depending on the rotation. Always try moving them when they are up feeding and in a group close as posssible to the gate. Anybody got any other ideas for these little buggers. Not an issue once they get some size on them but these couple week old ones will make a preacher cuss. Gonna have to brush up on my roping and get a faster horse at this rate.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Gonna have to brush up on my roping and get a faster horse at this rate.

U answered your own question! Lol
Or a good trained doggo.
Animal has no concept of time.
Animal always has more time than man....

 

[JMJ Farms]

I have the same issues sometimes. Don't real have a good answer besides having a helper. One man at gate and another (usually in truck) pushing them towards the group at the gate. Then open and usually they will go on through together. Not foolproof but it helps. Like you said after they are a few weeks old it isn't usually a problem.

 

[1982vett]

I leave the gate open between the two pastures a day or two for just that reason. Gives mama a chance to go back and get her calf. The rest generally stay on the better pasture.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I leave the gate open between the two pastures a day or two for just that reason. Gives mama a chance to go back and get her calf. The rest generally stay on the better pasture.

Older cows will usually go back and get the calf once they think you are not watching, but sometimes it takes several days. I have seen heifers that would not go back for their calves. They became terminal.

The issue is when one goes back thru the open gate and then calves in the old paddock. If a cow is standing by a recently closed gate you will need to be the doorman.

 

[callmefence]

Like vett I leave the gate open for a few days until I'm sure I've got a full count. Close the gate in the morning and check again at dark it'll almost always be obvious if a cow doesn't have her calf.

 

[bird dog]

I do like the others leaving the back gate open but mine have to move across the road three time to make the circuit. One thing to do is move them right after daylight. At that time the calves are usually up and feeding with mama. Even then I will miss one occasionally so I check them every three hours or so to see who wants to go back across. Its a pain sometimes.

 

[SmokinM]

Glad I am not the only one! My pasture don't all touch, some have a good sized buffer area between and those are the hard ones otherwise I do the same leaving a gate open. Most all of my mommas do very good at going back and getting them think the ones that don't will become terminal like Steve says. Not used to this whole having grass and rotating, been on overgrazed one piece rented land for years. Thanks for the tips!

 

[kenny thomas]

Stir up the small calves while the cows are in the original pasture. When they run to the cow let the herd into the next paddock.

 

[Brute 23]

Just getting the farm set up to rotate some pastures and in moving the cattle the calves are proving an issue. Always one or two of the youngsters that don't make it thru the gate or are hiding in the woods. They are like herding cats so that doesn't work. The fencing I have and the way the farm lays just letting them sneak thru the fence on their own doesn't work well or isn't an option depending on the rotation. Always try moving them when they are up feeding and in a group close as posssible to the gate. Anybody got any other ideas for these little buggers. Not an issue once they get some size on them but these couple week old ones will make a preacher cuss. Gonna have to brush up on my roping and get a faster horse at this rate.

Are you horseback trying to push them from pasture to pasture or do you lead them with feed?

We have a lot of brush and decent size pastures. I really try not to move cattle when they are calving daily. Our cattle will hide calves for weeks some times.

We feed a lot of cubes (cake). I can go thru the pasture and honk, holler, what every and they will trail in behind me. I like to ball them up close to the gate of the pasture we are about to go in to and get a good count on every thing. I do not like to move them in pieces. Once I see I got them I'll open the gate. Usually it doesnt take long for cows to get with that program. Some times I dont have to even use feed. Just the thought of that new grass on the other side and they will go.

If I am unsure that I got them all I will definitely leave the gates open between the two pasture.

I usually always go back for the next couple days to check unless I'm just 100% sure I got them all.

Your gates definitely have to be able to flip in to where you want the cattle to go. If they have to flip in to the cattle tie them up tight against the fence so no calves can get in behind them.

Usually balling them up and letting them all go in one shot prevents a lot of the hang ups.

I'll even cube right on the other side of the gate where they can see me so they are balling at the gate wanting in. The usually hit the cubes and go to town. The stragglers can see them right there and go to them.

 

[Brute 23]

The absolute last thing I would do is chase the calf with a horse or try to rope it on any of that. I'd sell the ****ing cow that left her calf behind before I did that.

 

[76 Bar]

To elaborate on what Brute just posted...scaring calves and especially when they scream bloody murder when roped is guaranteed to cause a major wreck and violate mommas trust.

 

[SmokinM]

My whole place is 90 acres so no I am not roping calves on horseback unless really necessary I said that jokingly but I know that doesn't come across a keyboard. I would love to do most of my work on horseback but there is nowhere on my place I that if I holler the cattle wouldn't be there before I can saddle a horse. A cow will be in the trees before you can get your rope up.

My old cows are easy and I think I will try Kenny's trick and stir the calves up first. Good chance that will solve my issue. That's why they pay him the big bucks. You can't beat experience. Thanks for the tips.

 

[wbvs58]

Some good ideas from these posts. I do similar, only shift them first thing in the morning just after they have had breakfast and most are still on their feet. I will look out for the lazy mongrels that have laid down again and will go around and get them on their feet before moving them. I usually lead them but will occaisionally drive them to an open gate, they know where they are going.

Ken

 

[timwil94]

I also thought about this question. When there are calves and there will be a large livestock, you will have to hire assistants for a while so that no one is lost.

 

[Dave]

Go as slow as possible which is much slower than people normally go and keep them bunched up.

 

[Dusty Britches]

Fast is slow and slow is fast when it comes to cattle. A little patience goes a long way. Lots of good advice here.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Dusty Britches where have you been ?

 

[Dusty Britches]

Dusty Britches where have you been ?

I've been shooting professional archery for the last 10 years, working full time, running my small ranch full time, and I took over the lease for my neighbor. My husband has a disability that has worsened his mobility so we also built a new house that is more more friendly for him. I've been riding by this forum and reading things every few months but not logging in. The lockdowns forced me to drop many of my travels and extracurricular activities but now I work full time from home.

My life has been blessed beyond measure and without reason. We are still running Brangus cows and last fall bought a super nice polled Hereford bull. His first calves should be arriving soon.

I started getting daily emails from the forum about what's going on here and new posts. I really enjoy those and one finally pulled me back to log back in. Funny, over the years I've thought a lot about several key players on here like you, CB, Brute, and too many to name. I figured all of y'all were tough, tenacious, and creative enough to still be posting here.

 

[anewcomer]

Bud Williams would say mother them up before you start to move them. Look him up if you want to learn how to handle livestock.