One skeered cow!

[Txwalt]

I'm guessing most of ya'll have cows like this. She always comes to the bag but if we do anything besides just feeding them she is gone. Last weekend we called them up and sprayed them for flies. She was content to let the other cows feed while she watched. She's always a minor problem. When we vaced and wormed them she was the only one that didn't go into the corals. When we moved them to another place she stayed right outside the gate to the corals and didnt go in for about 25 minutes (I dumped extra feed in there to keep the cows there content.) All the other cows were in there eating cubes and she stood there and watched (we stayed away from the corals about 20 yds away waiting. I think she recognized that the stock trailer wasn't in the normal equation). Finally she went in to get her meager share so we could close the gate. Earlier there was a post about smart cows. I think this cow is smart but scared wittless. Before anyone starts jumping to conclusions we are very very gentle with our cows. I carry a 2ft. survey stake with me when we work them and I only use it to gently poke them to let them know I'm close.

Walt

Oh! Just so ya'll know I'm not new to this I've been doing this for 7 months now. ;-)

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Those types of cows always get under my skin! I'm tend to scream at them (in my head)(is that normal?) ,"Just go through the gate!" With a few adult words. I won't wait 25 mins, you have the patience like no other, though. If they won't go I'll ride closer to urge them or call over Lilly, our best Blue Heeler. I'll tell her to "bark" or "easy". "Easy" means she'll walk towards them. That usually does the trick, if not, "Get em" comes next. That ALWAYS gets them moving! Do you need a cattle horse, sounds like you do, say I know this guy of a friend whose cousins brother had a sister once and her neighbor had some horses for sale. Ok I mean me, but I didn't want to be so straight forward. HAHAHA! Good luck with those "independent" thinkers.

 

[Beefy]

smart = troublemaker.

 

[cfpinz]

If she were mine the very next time she stepped in a pen she wouldn't step out til she got to the market.

cfpinz

 

[grannysoo]

smart = troublemaker.

Well stated.

 

[sidney411]

Yeah, she needs to go. She will start getting the others figuring out they can gt away with what ever thay want to also. Next time she goes in the pen I would ship her.

 

[mitch2]

I wouldn't necessarily ship her. We had one like that, only when we first got her she was WAY worse... if we came near, head up and she was gone to the back pasture. I bought her to fatten, and she ended up being preg. So we let her calve out. She turned out to be pretty decent, so I kept her. She has gradually mellowed. Now she is not afraid when we are around, she doesn't take off, she still keeps a larger distance than others. But she really came around. We don't have a large herd, so maybe that helps also.

I would just keep her on the short list, and if other prob's arise. Then consider the auction for her....IMHO.

Michele

 

[stocky]

A cow like that is very smart and will always be a problem and waste your time and will teach other cows the same thing. You can live with a cow like that, but why would you? I would sell her the next time she is in the pen.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'm guessing most of ya'll have cows like this. She always comes to the bag but if we do anything besides just feeding them she is gone. Last weekend we called them up and sprayed them for flies. She was content to let the other cows feed while she watched. She's always a minor problem. When we vaced and wormed them she was the only one that didn't go into the corals. When we moved them to another place she stayed right outside the gate to the corals and didnt go in for about 25 minutes (I dumped extra feed in there to keep the cows there content.) All the other cows were in there eating cubes and she stood there and watched (we stayed away from the corals about 20 yds away waiting. I think she recognized that the stock trailer wasn't in the normal equation). Finally she went in to get her meager share so we could close the gate. Earlier there was a post about smart cows. I think this cow is smart but scared wittless. Before anyone starts jumping to conclusions we are very very gentle with our cows. I carry a 2ft. survey stake with me when we work them and I only use it to gently poke them to let them know I'm close.

Walt

Oh! Just so ya'll know I'm not new to this I've been doing this for 7 months now. ;-)

She would buy a one way ticket here. I will not tolerate a cow that won't pen. When I pen they all get pened everytime. Time is money and I don't have time to be playing with a crazy cow.
It is cheaper to maintain a good cow than a nut. There has been some dang good looking cows over the years go to Wolf Brand over disposition. The cow you decribed are the kind that cause problems and get you hurt as they have a large flight zone.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Walt, Assuming you bought this gal, no telling what she has been through and why she is "smart". Some settle in, most don't. Ship her. Otherwise she'll teach her calves to be smart too.

I once had a wild cow that would stir up the whole bunch each time I worked them.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

I wouldn't necessarily ship her. We had one like that, only when we first got her she was WAY worse... if we came near, head up and she was gone to the back pasture. I bought her to fatten, and she ended up being preg. So we let her calve out. She turned out to be pretty decent, so I kept her. She has gradually mellowed. Now she is not afraid when we are around, she doesn't take off, she still keeps a larger distance than others. But she really came around. We don't have a large herd, so maybe that helps also.

I would just keep her on the short list, and if other prob's arise. Then consider the auction for her....IMHO.

Michele

I wouldn't necessarily ship her right off the bat either, unless this happens all of the time. How much is your time worth? If youre like me you don't have time to consistantly hodge podge this cow. However, if she's new to the herd she may calm down. We've had some that have and we've had some that slowly got worse until they were shipped.

TN Master Beef, don't you just love Australian Cattle Dogs! I would't have any other herding dog on the place. Mine are worth their weight in gold and with no formal training they do pretty well.

 

[Limomike]

I would say its all about how much time you are willing to waste with her. I have one that is like her also, and have considered selling her, but she raises a very fine calf everytime, breeds back, and does it all over again. She raised one of the best steers I have ever seen this year. He hit the ground and gained 2.6 lbs per day until her reached 650 lbs. Which at that point.. I sold him.

 

[Texas Gal]

I'm guessing most of ya'll have cows like this. She always comes to the bag but if we do anything besides just feeding them she is gone.

I've HAD cows like that. I require two things from the gals - raise a calve every year and come into the pens (and don't act a fool ) when I holler and rattle the bucket;otherwise, it's a one-way ticket to town. Live's too short to mess with a crazy cow.