My Cows are Docile

[inyati13]

Thanks for the response on the Lactation Udder. I got suggestions from that thread to "go fishing." Folks I have tried that. It is boring. I like my cows. I spend hours with my cows and it is rewarding. I want to get someone, to stand back and produce a youtube type clip of me with my cows. I think you would be amazed. I am sure somewhere out there someone has a similair relationship with their cattle. But my cows crowd around me to be combed, petted, scratched, etc. They push each other around in competition to get to me. I wear hard toes with the arch guard because I worry they might step on my feet. Many of them come up to me and position the part of their body that they want scratched. Star and Blaze are my favorites. They are as close to acting like dogs as any cow could be. This is what I enjoy. In the last 3 years, I have been with my cows every day except maybe 10. One of my thoughts: When the time comes that I decide that I will quit this business, I wonder what I will do with my cows. I think I would send them all to slaughter because, they would never get the attention from anyone I know like they get from me. It would break their great big sweet hearts. Better that they not have to bear that.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Inyati,

Please exercise great caution with your gentle cows. Your are well aware of the power and strength they can put forth in an instant. Accidents do happen and the more time I spend with our cattle the more I have come to appreciate that fact.

 

[dun]

In stead of going fishing, why not get another 100 head of cows. That will fill your time.

 

[inyati13]

Inyati,

Please exercise great caution with your gentle cows. Your are well aware of the power and strength they can put forth in an instant. Accidents do happen and the more time I spend with our cattle the more I have come to appreciate that fact.

Oh my, they are powerful creatures. I like strength, it attracts me to them. I have been pushed around a bit. They can move quickly too. The guy I got my angus bull from keeps about 12 herd bulls. When I was there breeding was over and he had them all together. We walked right out with them. He said his mother was walking with them when she was in her 90s. He told me the only scare he had was when a couple started pushing when he was right in the middle. Nothing like 2000 pounds of bull coming at you sideways. :lol2:

 

[chippie]

There is always a first time.
All you need is to have one accidentally knock you down and the others get excited and stomp on you milling about.

I have my bubble and I make all of our livestock (horses and cattle) respect it. They only come into it when I go to them or allow them. I never allow them to all gather around me or my children at once. I've been in the middle when one decides that it doesn't want another next to it or close to me. It was a scary situation.

You really need to remember that cattle do not have the reasoning powers of a human being and will act on impulse without thinking about consequences.

I really like you inyati and would hate for you to get hurt. Don't let them crowd up around you please.

 

[M5farm]

Inyati,

Please exercise great caution with your gentle cows. Your are well aware of the power and strength they can put forth in an instant. Accidents do happen and the more time I spend with our cattle the more I have come to appreciate that fact.

Oh my, they are powerful creatures. I like strength, it attracts me to them. I have been pushed around a bit. They can move quickly too. The guy I got my angus bull from keeps about 12 herd bulls. When I was there breeding was over and he had them all together. We walked right out with them. He said his mother was walking with them when she was in her 90s. He told me the only scare he had was when a couple started pushing when he was right in the middle. Nothing like 2000 pounds of bull coming at you sideways. :lol2:

I just bought some cows because the neighbor that spent every day with his cows is still in the hospital and rehab (estimated recovery 2 years) because his docile bull mauled him!!!!!!

 

[fitz]

M5: Read on your other thread about the possible buy.
Sorry the gentleman got hurt, but livestock can be dangerous without meaning to be. Glad the purchase worked out for you. Sounded like a reasonable deal.
inyati13: Glad your cows are docile. From what I've read, they would have to be a calm group.

fitz

 

[Bigfoot]

I loaded a bull up here last week. I had only had it 6 or 7 months. His job was done. I never really thought about him one way or the other. He seemed gentle enough out in the field. I had been waiting to see him in my catch pen eating mineral on a sale day. Cought him and 2 or 3 calves close to 500 pounds. He flipped out. Butted/tossed one of those calves all the way over the side of the catch pen. I made my children get in the bed of the truck while I loaded him. He was mooey malo. Never gave any indication prior to getting him in the pen.

 

[inyati13]

There is always a first time.
All you need is to have one accidentally knock you down and the others get excited and stomp on you milling about.

I have my bubble and I make all of our livestock (horses and cattle) respect it. They only come into it when I go to them or allow them. I never allow them to all gather around me or my children at once. I've been in the middle when one decides that it doesn't want another next to it or close to me. It was a scary situation.

You really need to remember that cattle do not have the reasoning powers of a human being and will act on impulse without thinking about consequences.

I really like you inyati and would hate for you to get hurt. Don't let them crowd up around you please.

Thanks. I know I am at risk and I would be a PITA if I got hurt. Wouldn't make me happy. I think I would blow-up if I did not have my health and couldn't do things. I will avoid those crowds. :tiphat:

 

[inyati13]

I loaded a bull up here last week. I had only had it 6 or 7 months. His job was done. I never really thought about him one way or the other. He seemed gentle enough out in the field. I had been waiting to see him in my catch pen eating mineral on a sale day. Cought him and 2 or 3 calves close to 500 pounds. He flipped out. Butted/tossed one of those calves all the way over the side of the catch pen. I made my children get in the bed of the truck while I loaded him. He was mooey malo. Never gave any indication prior to getting him in the pen.

I have had my Angus bull (will be three in October) in the facility a dozen times or more. I did some blood samples on him for genetic tests. Have given him shots, treated a cut about the crown of his hoof, etc. He is the easiest animal I have ever handled. My chute will not close on his neck even at the widest setting. So the last time I had him in, I put the syringe in with his head loose. I swear, he did not even bat an eyelid. When I open the headgate of the chute, he walks out like he has all the time in the world.

Bigfoot, I have no real frame of reference as to why my cattle never act up. On occasion, I have a cow that is shy and stands back. But I can go up to every animal on my farm and put a hand on their body. Most of them, I walk around and never even think about being kicked. I know it is a risk. I was out among them about a month ago and was distracted with something I was doing. One of them came up and gently put their head against my back. I turned around and it was the bull. I acknowledge that they are animals that do not process information on a moral level. But I do believe, they do not see me as any sort of threat because I never hit them, yell at them, or crowd them. They are very laid back around me. They know good things are associated with me. I even try to make vaccinations a pleasant experience.

As I responded to chippie, I need to make a dedicated effort to be more careful.

 

[chippie]

Just please remember, Don't Trust Them Ever.

 

[AllForage]

In stead of going fishing, why not get another 100 head of cows. That will fill your time.

That was going to be my second suggestion. When they become work it changes ones perspective.

 

[Howdyjabo]

the most dangerous animal is a pet cow/bull. You really are risking your life for no good reason. Get out of cattle and get you some sheep/goats to pet. At least when things go wrong with them you will probably live thru it.

 

[slick4591]

I used to sit on the side of the feeder so they would eat around me. Figured that way they would get used to me and tame down some. They did, but when the dominant girl pushed one of the others out of her way and I ended up in the trough flat of my back on top of the cubes, I changed my ways.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Maybe I'm odd but I have no desire to pet my cattle. Cattle just aren't pets in my opinion. They are unpredictable and will hurt you if you are not very careful. You'll still get hurt being careful if you play the game long enough. Little Char steer sent me through the air out the back of a trailer into the headgate once. Turned my back for a split second. I can still see the little SOB, #5.

 

[TexasBred]

the most dangerous animal is a pet cow/bull. You really are risking your life for no good reason. Get out of cattle and get you some sheep/goats to pet. At least when things go wrong with them you will probably live thru it.

:nod: :nod: And most times noone has a clue what made them change just for that brief moment.

 

[greybeard]

Inyati, one of these days, maybe not this week, maybe not this year or next but you're going to change your username to:
statistic--and it won't be because you went xx number of years without a mishap.

 

[inyati13]

Inyati, one of these days, maybe not this week, maybe not this year or next but you're going to change your username to:
statistic--and it won't be because you went xx number of years without a mishap.

Acknowledged. I am almost like an alcoholic. I tell myself to cut out certain behavior that is too risky. But then when you are out there, you pick up the bottle again. I am making an effort and I am going to heed what chippie said, just hope I don't start nipping. :nod:

 

[pdfangus]

several years ago I was walking two 18 month old bulls down the lane to the barn....these boys were quiet and tame. but they were young boys....
and they decided to tussle with one another just in playfulness....
in an instant one of them had pushed the other one into me knocking me down and they both went over the top of me as I was scrambling to get out of the way.....
thankfully I just got bumped and knocked around a bit and did not get stepped on.....

also one night checking for calves ......
one of my pet cows did not know it was me and went into protection mode in the dark....I was not even near her calf or any calf but she was an emerging herd leader and made a pass at a threat to the herd....I managed to avoid her but am not nearly as nimlbe today....once she recognized me by voice or smell she visibly calmed down but had she hit me it would have been all over but the singing....one thing I learned.....a light used so you can see...hides you from the stock....I saw that cow coming and that is how I knew who she was....but behind a bright light she had no idea what I was.....

in calm cows the anger is not the cow near you...the danger is the cows on the perimeter who want to be in the middle....she will push her way in and push others over you....

my cows are quiet and easy to handle but I always try to keep them in front of me....and always have a route of evasion in mind. I have seen too many folks injured or killed....just last week was at a field day and a young livestock specialist was talking about bull selection and evaluation when the bull decided he was done with this game and jumped at him....fortunately the bull made a bluff charge and stopped short or we would be at a heartfelt service today because the guy stumbled and would have been crushed in the corner.....the bull weighed well over a ton....

 

[Dave]

I know a gal who happened to be standing close to a tame cow. The cow swung her head around to swat some flies. She hit the gal purely by accident. The gal flew about 10 feet into a fence post where she broke 4 ribs.

Four weeks ago I had a 3 year old angus bull. I had this bull since he was a yearling. A nice gentle easy to handle guy. One day about 4 weeks ago someone turned the switch. Now I rode rodeos and worked at times for rodeo contractors. I have handles some pretty nasty bulls. Bulls people kept around because they were nasty. This angus bull who had been a dream to handle a week earlier was scarier than those rodeo bulls. Tame bulls don't always stay tame.