Question> Once a cow has been knocked down a few pegs....

[CowgirlUpNY]

by another cow, could he get very complacent? Depressed?

Here's the scenario: 16 month old brown swiss is in pasture with 11 month old polled hereford bull and 11 month old black baldy steer.

BS towers over both of them in height, length and width and is always rough housing with the bull/ Yesterday Husband saw them really getting it on and today BS stays back during feeding until the other two are done. So much so that he didn't get any grain at all. I'm not really understanding the dynamics that are going on right now. BS I laughingly call my lap cow, he's for the most part very docile and comes when I call and lives for food, especially the occasional slice of bread.

If he's not back to himself by tomorrow, will take his temp to see if anythings going on. But I'm really trying to stay out of the pastures seeing as I'm 8 plus months pregnant. Husband already got mad at me today for trying to catch one of our new yearling heifers to blue kote her and she kicked out. (Hey animals kick, just try to stay out of the way.)

So was just wondering if he got knocked out of the 'top dog' spot, would that change his demeanor/personality?

 

[AngusLimoX]

As they get older beef will kick crap out of dairy. Lower C of G and higher mass.

 

[rockridgecattle]

For our bulls it does. The first time it happened we though the bull was real sick. Tracked him in the pasture and found him with his head hanging and the fartherest from all the animals. We tried to get him out of the bush but he would not go for nothing. We took him water and eventually he came out of hiding. Week maybe two. Now it's just to funny, epsecially when it happens to our bull MR. Poo Poo head. We always track them and make sure they are okay but we have a good laugh at their expense. Sad I know but too funny.
For us it seems the Angus bulls are real sensitive.

 

[msscamp]

So was just wondering if he got knocked out of the 'top dog' spot, would that change his demeanor/personality?

Yes, it generally does. They tend to become less cocky, more unobtrusive, and a lot less challenging of the other animals.

 

[CowgirlUpNY]

Thank you. I will be tracking him, and temp him if necessary. It was just so totally NOT like him at all today. He's always the first to the trough for grain and hay and he really just held back, head droopy and all depressed like. I couldn't even tempt him with bread, and again, not like him at all. It just seems so funny that he could be knocked down already. Figure I stand 5'3' and his back is just about as high as I am tall, and well that black baldy I can still man handle if I need to. Although not in my condition. Shhhhhhhh, I did just that last week giving shots. Despite what Hubby says, I do know my limits. Hubby says I'm not invincible.......doesn't he know who he married??? :lol: :lol: :lol: Wait til I'm not pregnant!

 

[CowgirlUpNY]

Well, this morning, he was still glum. No temp, no nasal discharge, no coughing, no anything as far as obvious signs of illness. So I just stood there and watched the interaction. He very slowly mosey'd over to the trough after almost everything was gone and I watched the bull push him out. So I think that getting knocked off his perch is precisely what happened. I hope it's not too awful long before he bounces back.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

you can bet it will. any time you get one down you hurt their pride,get their attention. it well humble any of em. thats why alot of ol' timers would lay horses down when they came up they had a different attitude. it to them pretty much means defeat. he'll be alright he's just tote'in a ass wippin now ;-)