range cubes

[J]

I know this has probably been discussed a time or two on these boards but here goes...
I just bought a bred cow and I want to feed her something just to settle her down and get her used to coming to the water trough. She is drinking but is a little standoffish. She is calm and seems to be pretty gentle but like I said she tends to stay back in the woods till morning or evening then she comes out to graze.

Is range cubes a good idea for this or is there something better? I don't want this to be a long term thing. I just want to do it till she looks to be more comfortable with her surroundings.(SP?)

 

[dun]

Cubes can;t hurt. I wouldn;t make them a significant part of her diet though. They also tranfer to hand feeding her at a later date if you choose to.

dun

 

[bullred]

Just bought 25 cows that were pretty skiddish after being trailered for 3 hours. After about 4 days of feeding them in the pen with range cubes they calmed down a lot. Now they're usually up by the pens waiting for the range cubes in the evening. We're still planning on feeding a bag every couple of days or so. And then will cut back to a half a bag every couple of days. This may still be over doing it, but with only 25 head it's not a major financial issue, and we love seeing them come running to get the cubes.

CJ

 

[docgraybull]

Getting her a companion might help. After all they are herd animals. Take some cubes out in a plastic bucket and shake it on the way to the trough. Pour the cubes in the trough, turn the bucket over and sit on it. Sit there quietly by the trough until she has eaten all of them and quietly walked away on her own. Within 4 or 5 days you all will be good buds.

 

[Rod]

I usually use sweet feed when feeding for the purpose of getting them in the lot or use to a new place. The 10% is a little cheaper than cubes and they love it.

 

[J]

I usually use sweet feed when feeding for the purpose of getting them in the lot or use to a new place. The 10% is a little cheaper than cubes and they love it.

Sweet feed as in horse feed?

 

[dj]

J
Yes it's marketed for horses and cows.

 

[J]

I guess I've always heard of Horse and Mule, never thought about useing it for cows too.

 

[Lynn]

I agree that cubes are the way to go in your case. If she is like my cows, she'll beg you for more but ... I would be careful not to over feed her. I bring 'em up out of the bottom to the truck with cubes and pour them out from the sack. They run to get it. I would say each cow gets about 3-4 lbs maybe. Most of my cows would follow me anywhere as long as I have that sack in my hand. I buy the Bluebonnet 20% stuff at Tractor Supply for about $4.95, not too bad. Sweet feed would do the trick too and they sure love it. My problem with sweet feed is ants if you have an open sack in the feedroom, or even some spilled out on the floor. At least in my part of the country that's the case. Only other point, it's not real clear if you have just 1 cow or not. It's just my opinion, but I only had 1 cow in my pasture, I would go ahead and get 1 more. Being the only cow in the pasture would seem to be a miserable existence since they are herd animals.

 

[jersey lilly]

We can get ours penned with cubes. On the cubes verses sweet feed, if your tryin to get em to come to ya at first....it's easier to "make racket" with cubes in a bucket, than it is sweet feed. But my advice.....ever time you feed, holler for her....dont really matter what....yoooo hoooo....here cow.....C'mone Girls!!!(that's mine) usually followed by a "Whoooooooooop" they'll associate that with food and come runnin, even if you dont have anything. I try not to do that too often tho since calling them in and not givin them anything will make them not wanna come to ya.

Heck there's been times I've gone out to the pasture to sit and match baby tags up with mama's...take me a bag of chips or somethin out there....if they hear it rattle...they'll come to me.