Mule on guard

[charter capt]

I know that I have a limited knowledge about about cows so I am going to ask a question that may seem stupid but here goes. Does a mule realy guard the herd?

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

A decent Jenny is the best to have.But I have seen them bite, kick and attack calfs also. I wouldn't have one with my cattle.

 

[Waymoore]

I know they will kill a coyote but as stated already they will also kill a calf or foal as well. I wont run them anymore.Does anyone know why that is?

 

[aplusmnt]

We have Mules and I keep them separate when calves are on the ground or due. If it is cows only they have not caused any problems and coexist just fine.

But one Mule we have in particular freaks out and will run up and down the fence for hours when a new calf hits the ground. She calms down after a few days, but when it is new she is crazy acting. The boys do not do anything just her.

One time a 400 lb steer got in with the mules and she chased it across the field at a full run snapping at the calves butt. She took a big bite out of his butt and ran him through a fence.

 

[llcupit]

My granddad always said they would kill anything strange in the field. So if a cow calves the calf is strange to it, same with a mare foaling.

 

[aplusmnt]

My granddad always said they would kill anything strange in the field. So if a cow calves the calf is strange to it, same with a mare foaling.

Yea you will find coons dead, and have seen them go after strange dogs with evil in their eye. But then they will run from our dog. Funny animals.

Here is some pics of a Mule going crazy on a Mountain Lion, it did not kill it but after the Mules owner shot him he went crazy attacking it. Kind of shows how a mule can get aggressive with other animals.

 

[aplusmnt]

Thanks for the posts! I was thinking about getting one for our place (coyotes a present) but if they are apt to hurt calves, I don't want one. Thanks again!

A llama might work, do not know much about them but thought that was what they do.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I would not give you a plug nickel for any Mule kept in the same Pasture as Cattle. We had one for years,let her run with the Cows for a few days and she'd try and steal Calves, she was good for trespassers, O' Kate kicked a fellers tail lights out one day.Get you a Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. Lot less worries.

 

[aplusmnt]

I would not give you a plug nickel for any Mule kept in the same Pasture as Cattle. We had one for years,let her run with the Cows for a few days and she'd try and steal Calves, she was good for trespassers, O' Kate kicked a fellers tail lights out one day.Get you a Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. Lot less worries.

They can give a good kicking, we were camping years ago and some camp site over brought their dog with them. The dog kept barking, chaising at the horses and mules. One day as we were walking them back from getting a drink in the creek the dog came barking and snapping at a friends mule, he had enough so he stopped and just let the mule stand there til finally that dog got behind in the right spot. The mule kicked that dog and sent if flying like a football. Never bothered us again either :lol:

 

[KANSAS]

It may sound strange, but get a longhorn steer. The ones we had when we were kids protected that herd like it was their own. The only problem we had was they would kick the shi$ out of the bulls when we put em in. Eventually got to the point that we had to pull the steers out of the pasture during breeding season. They work well with any heifers you are retaining as well.

 

[KMacGinley]

I am interested in what you are protecting your herd from? There is not a coyote alive that is going to take a calf from a cow.
I watched a pack try to get a calf one day in the back 40. The calf bawled and the whole herd came running. The coyotes departed for new territory that was a little safer. I hear people talk about coyotes killing calves, but I think that is more from them finding a calf already dead and eating it.

 

[dun]

I am interested in what you are protecting your herd from? There is not a coyote alive that is going to take a calf from a cow.
I watched a pack try to get a calf one day in the back 40. The calf bawled and the whole herd came running. The coyotes departed for new territory that was a little safer. I hear people talk about coyotes killing calves, but I think that is more from them finding a calf already dead and eating it.

I think that the protection deal is more oriented towards packs of dogs then coyotes. Our cows, even yearling heifers, act the same way about anything other then a cow in the pasture. They go into attack mode and it doean;t matter if it's a dog, skunk or llama. The only thing I ever saw them run away from was an emu.

dun

 

[arkcowman]

Not certain about mules. I have two donkeys (jennys) in my pasture. My donkeys grew up with cows and they interact just fine. I've seen my donkeys run dogs out of the property so for me they are an asset. (Have to feed them seperate from the cows - these animals aren't good at sharing !)

 

[scott wilson]

A few guys around here have small donkeys in with cattle and goats and swear by them. We have some pretty nice saddle mules and the ones out walking horse mares don't pay the cattle any attention. The ones out of Quarter horse mares will run the weight off a cow trying to herd them all the time.

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