Pairs next to a river

[bwranch]

Looking at some lease ground. It's river bottom with pretty good fences except no fence on the river side. River floods every couple of years so it's probably not practical to have a fence there. It's a good sized river (Merremac), not a creek. Any experiences or watch outs running pairs in a situation like this? Appreciate any information.

Lee

 

[CircleA]

you could try a temporary eclectic fence with a battery operated or solar powered power source.


Alex

 

[Muratic]

Just don't let them calve in that field. Dumb cows will calve on that river bank given the option. They could have 300 acres of prime river bottom pasture, and will calve right on that bank.
Once the calves get going good, move the pairs to that field.

 

[jerry27150]

why is that muratic? i have noticed some cows will get on the edge of river or gully. had some just the calf was down in there. one cow i found dead in bootom of gully with calf half out. figure those are for the cull list if they live

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

I sure don't mean to insult you by mentioning the obvious, but I know of folks that have too frequently lost cattle when there was a flash flood and they couldn't physically get the cattle rounded up and hauled out in time, coupled with the fact that there was virtually no high ground to get to. Of course, I'm in an area that is naturally flat as a pancake and is prone to getting 8 or more inches all at once, or even more in the event of tropical depressions, hurricanes, etc. I have 4 or 5 man-made high hills that cattle can get to (if they are smart enough) if and when the creek overflows in a major way. With more and more concrete being poured all over the countryside the potential for flooding gets worse each year.

 

[bwranch]

Absolutely no offense taken. It's a very real problem. Trying to round them up in time to beat fast rising water is not going to happen, and i've got some good horses, a dog, three kids and a real hand for a wife. Actually, now that I think about it, scratch the kids, they're teenage boys and they'll probably drown along with the cows. Anyway, your comment started me thinking. There's a high ground pasture at one end of the 80 ac but the shape of the parcel is a long rectangle. I can sure see them headed to the wrong end at the wrong time. I'll go walk it again with this thought in mind. Maybe I could put a gate at the far end if there is someplace there for them to go. Appreciate the input from both you and Muriatic.

Lee

 

[Muratic]

why is that muratic? i have noticed some cows will get on the edge of river or gully. had some just the calf was down in there. one cow i found dead in bootom of gully with calf half out. figure those are for the cull list if they live

Cause my stupid cows lay on that river bank to calve. then the calf falls in and ends up swept down river.
Seems if the calves are older, they will back away from the bank if it gets unsteady.

 

[momanto]

WE HAVE THAT PROBLEM TOO. LAST YEAR WE LEFT OUR COWS AT THE RIVER PARCEL FOR 6 MONTHS. LOST 5 OUT OF 26 COWS.

1. ONE FELL OFF THE RIVER BANK ONTO THE SMALL BEACH THE SECOND DAY SHE WAS THERE.

2. ONE DROWNED- SAW IT'S BODY DOWN RIVER.3.

3. ONE WAS KILLED BY THE LAST HURRICANE HIT FLA. IT WAS ON THE SHORE OF A SHALLOW -4FT DEEP - INLAND DITCH-DEAD. NO OBVIOUS REASON....EXCEPT IT WAS COVERED W/SEAWEED TYPE PLANT. MUST HAVE BEEN A WATER SURGE THRU THERE.

4. ONE DISAPPEARED - NO TRACE- PRESUMABLE DROWNED.

5. ONE DISAPPEARED - HAD BEEN SEEN 4 DAYS BEFORE - PRESUMED STOLEN.

90 % OF THE RIVER BANK IS 8 FEET UP. THERE IS A SMALL BEACH THE WHOLE LENGTH. THE 10 % IS THE VALLEY OF AN EMPTY OXBOW -ALL DRYLAND- WHERE THEY USED TO GO GET WATER AND STAND IN THE WATER. THIS IS JUST BELOW A LOCKS- SUSPECT THE ONE THAT DROWNED WAS STANDING THERE WHEN A FAST MOVING BIG BOAT WENT BY.

I DREAD SENDING THE COWS DOWN THERE. THERE ARE 28 ACRES THEN THE PARTLY DEAD OXBOW, THEN 14 ACRES ON THE RIVER. AM THINKING SOME CROSSFENCING ON THE BACK SIDE. MAYBE A COW WELL DUG ON ONE END. THE OTHER END HAS THAT DITCH. BUT THE OXBOW HAS SUCH RICH FORAGE HAD TO LOOSE THAT FROM THEIR DIET. THE RIVER FRONT HAS EXCELLENT GRASS, TOO. THEIR ARE MULTIPLE PLACES BESIDES THAT OXBOW WHERE THEY HAVE STOMPED A TRAIL TO THE WATER.