Snorty Heifer

[Pnw Farmer]

Hello all, been lurking and learning what I can for awhile now. First off, I'm a farmer that can toss hay, that's about the extent of my ranching knowledge. My wife comes from ranching on both sides of her family but they're on a commercial scale, we're gathering a few pasture pets to put together a small 4-H herd for our kids so up close with animals that like attention isn't their bread and butter. My question to the knowledgeable folks on here is this, we have a bred heifer here at home who occasionally lowers her head and acts snorty when I walk out to the corrals she's in. As soon as I start talking to her though she comes right over to get her chin scratched. She doesn't back away or swing her head around or bellow, her head just goes to about a foot off the ground and starts snorting. We got her about a month ago and she's never acted aggressive or made me feel nervous being in with her. We've got a Jersey steer in with her that we're feeding out along with a couple weaned calves, she's made herself boss cow with them but acts very mellow with myself and the family when they're near her. My curiosity with her snorting is what I wanted to pick your brains on. Defensive? Her way of greeting me? Pregnancy hormones? (3 kids and married so I know all about pickles and peanut butter cravings) Lol. Thanks in advance and I hope to keep learning more from here.

Farmer

 

[TCRanch]

Welcome to CT.

Commercial vs. registered doesn't define docility. My herd is commercial and they're dog gentle. Lowering her head & snorting is a sign of aggression. Possibly because she's fairly new to your place, possibly because you're initially in her blind spot when you enter the corral, possibly because of hormones. Take your pick. But I wouldn't let the kids around her and suggest you & your wife stay on guard, have an escape route &/or carry a hefty stick until you've established that behavior is unacceptable. If she lowers her head & snorts now, it will probably get worse after she calves.

If it sounds like I'm bashing on your heifer, I'm not. She may end up being the best family pet/first calf heifer/4-H show cow ever. But her actions suggest keeping an eye on her. Good luck!

 

[Son of Butch]

Hello all, we're gathering a few pasture pets for our kids. My question is this, we have a bred heifer here at home who occasionally lowers her head and acts snorty when I walk out to the corral she's in. Her head goes to about a foot off the ground and starts snorting. As I talk to her she comes over to get her chin scratched, she's never acted aggressive or made me nervous being in with her. She acts very mellow with myself and the family when they're near her. My curiosity with her snorting is what I wanted to pick your brains on.

Defensive posturing, behavior sounds similar as if a dog was approaching.
Triggering her fight or flight response, she's assessing the situation.
The good news is she isn't high headed and sounds like she mellows out and becomes curious after quickly realizing there's no danger present.

As TC said, do be careful when she calves, as she may become overly protective of her calf for several days and view anyone as an approaching danger. At that time her hormones will often interfere with her ability to mellow out. Allow her and the calf an escape route. Don't corner them, so that she doesn't instinctively feel that standing her ground and fighting is her only option.

p.s.
Welcome to cattle forum.

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

Keeo

Hello all, been lurking and learning what I can for awhile now. First off, I'm a farmer that can toss hay, that's about the extent of my ranching knowledge. My wife comes from ranching on both sides of her family but they're on a commercial scale, we're gathering a few pasture pets to put together a small 4-H herd for our kids so up close with animals that like attention isn't their bread and butter. My question to the knowledgeable folks on here is this, we have a bred heifer here at home who occasionally lowers her head and acts snorty when I walk out to the corrals she's in. As soon as I start talking to her though she comes right over to get her chin scratched. She doesn't back away or swing her head around or bellow, her head just goes to about a foot off the ground and starts snorting. We got her about a month ago and she's never acted aggressive or made me feel nervous being in with her. We've got a Jersey steer in with her that we're feeding out along with a couple weaned calves, she's made herself boss cow with them but acts very mellow with myself and the family when they're near her. My curiosity with her snorting is what I wanted to pick your brains on. Defensive? Her way of greeting me? Pregnancy hormones? (3 kids and married so I know all about pickles and peanut butter cravings) Lol. Thanks in advance and I hope to keep learning more from here.

Farmer

The others hit it pretty good, just keep an eye on her. How much space do they have?

 

[farmerjan]

One other thing... are you certain she can see clearly? If she immediately changes her tune when you talk to her I would suspect a possibility that she does not see well. We have 2 cows that are blind on one side. They are good cows... but the thing is we make sure that they know by our voices that we are in their "flight zone" so they don't get panicky. Have another that her sight is not great and she is fine as soon as she hears someone talking to her....
Add in that she is fairly new to you.... as everyone else says, just be careful around her and watch her more carefully.

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

I don't really like the whole equation, be honest with you.

Tossing a pregnant heifer in with that assortment of new cattle at different ages and kind of forcing her to fulfill her biological function as boss cow, all in a short period of time and ostensibly by the talk of it a confined area.

If you've got the space, give them some space. That they'll benefit from the breathing room is a lot more likely than them going "pasture wild"

 

[Pnw Farmer]

Thanks for the replies. TC, I should of clarified she's not registered, I meant by commercial that they can't walk through their herds and get close enough for most of their animals to sniff their hands and enjoy a chin scratch. We're going for mellow, well handled animals since we aren't working with the best facilities just starting out. She doesn't do it every time I go out there, I've just noticed it 3 or 4 times since getting her home. Would you still be heavy handed with her if she snaps out of it as soon as she recognizes me? Honestly I haven't noticed if the dogs were right behind me when I get to her. She's on about a 1/4 of an acre, once she calves she'll go out with the other girls on about 8 acres. We kept her back because she's not bangs vaccinated, we figured calve her out, then take her by the vet on the way to the other pasture. She's a nice looking heifer so I didn't want to pass on her just because of the bangs.

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

Sounds like you got it figured out pretty well, keep us updated on those show cattle.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Thanks for the replies. TC, I should of clarified she's not registered, I meant by commercial that they can't walk through their herds and get close enough for most of their animals to sniff their hands and enjoy a chin scratch. We're going for mellow, well handled animals since we aren't working with the best facilities just starting out. She doesn't do it every time I go out there, I've just noticed it 3 or 4 times since getting her home. Would you still be heavy handed with her if she snaps out of it as soon as she recognizes me? Honestly I haven't noticed if the dogs were right behind me when I get to her. She's on about a 1/4 of an acre, once she calves she'll go out with the other girls on about 8 acres. We kept her back because she's not bangs vaccinated, we figured calve her out, then take her by the vet on the way to the other pasture. She's a nice looking heifer so I didn't want to pass on her just because of the bangs.

She is not your wife, your life or your first born child. That her attitude and possible consquences thereof came up is in my opinion reason
enough to consider sending her down the road. As Brett Pharo would say, "Love your wife, forgive your children, do neither with a cow".
Hope it turns out well whatver you decide.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Oy Vey ! I meant Kit Pharo . Brett is a brother. I should know better than to walk and chew gum at the same time!

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

Oy Vey !

 

[farmerjan]

One thing, if she is not Bangs vacc now, you will not be able to bang vacc her. It has to be done between 4 and 13 months of age.

 

[farmerjan]

Most beef cattle are not bangs vacc in this area. We do the replacement heifers most years because I just think it should be done. Plus I like the tattoos for ID. Many of the dairies in the area also do not bangs vacc anymore. It might be required for showing, I don't know. I think it is a good practice but our vet doesn't bangs vacc his heifers even.
I would be aware if she is a little snorty, if there are the dogs behind you for starters. She may have had a very bad experience with dogs. You also have her pretty "close" penned and she may not feel comfortable in it.

 

[Pnw Farmer]

Thanks Jan, my understanding was that they could be vaccinated after a year but it can only be done after a blood panel has been done. I believe Washington and Idaho require it for an animal to be sold as breeding stock, not as a slaughter animal. (Hopefully somebody who knows this topic could pitch in) Our vet has never shown much concern for having that vaccination either, he doesn't administer it to his heifers. His animals always get buried on the place though from old age. Can checking her eyesight be done with just a simple hand by the eyes blinking reaction? I know it wouldn't gauge poor sight but it'd definitely rule out blindness correct?

Lee, I'm not afraid to cull an animal out if given a reason, I didn't know if a couple snorts for a split second was considered reason enough. The animals don't have line of sight to where we approach them at, It's an old farm with several pieces of dead machinery that we come around to the animals. Its always happened on first approach and as soon as she hears me talk she relaxes. When we looked at her before buying her she was in the middle of a 5-6 acre pasture and we walked within a couple feet of her. She didn't mind us at all. I just want to be sure I'm not causing her to react that way by surprise or something, not just blame the heifer. As I mentioned originally, I'm a farmer, not a rancher so this is new to me. I move slow, speak calmly and try to make sure I'm aware of the animal's behavior.

Thanks again everyone.
Farmer

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

Thanks Jan, my understanding was that they could be vaccinated after a year but it can only be done after a blood panel has been done. I believe Washington and Idaho require it for an animal to be sold as breeding stock, not as a slaughter animal. (Hopefully somebody who knows this topic could pitch in) Our vet has never shown much concern for having that vaccination either, he doesn't administer it to his heifers. His animals always get buried on the place though from old age. Can checking her eyesight be done with just a simple hand by the eyes blinking reaction? I know it wouldn't gauge poor sight but it'd definitely rule out blindness correct?

Lee, I'm not afraid to cull an animal out if given a reason, I didn't know if a couple snorts for a split second was considered reason enough. The animals don't have line of sight to where we approach them at, It's an old farm with several pieces of dead machinery that we come around to the animals. Its always happened on first approach and as soon as she hears me talk she relaxes. When we looked at her before buying her she was in the middle of a 5-6 acre pasture and we walked within a couple feet of her. She didn't mind us at all. I just want to be sure I'm not causing her to react that way by surprise or something, not just blame the heifer. As I mentioned originally, I'm a farmer, not a rancher so this is new to me. I move slow, speak calmly and try to make sure I'm aware of the animal's behavior.

Thanks again everyone.
Farmer

Well, you already listed all the factors and you previous and current experience with the same critter. You're fine and in all likelihood so is she.

 

[hurleyjd]

Thanks Jan, my understanding was that they could be vaccinated after a year but it can only be done after a blood panel has been done. I believe Washington and Idaho require it for an animal to be sold as breeding stock, not as a slaughter animal. (Hopefully somebody who knows this topic could pitch in) Our vet has never shown much concern for having that vaccination either, he doesn't administer it to his heifers. His animals always get buried on the place though from old age. Can checking her eyesight be done with just a simple hand by the eyes blinking reaction? I know it wouldn't gauge poor sight but it'd definitely rule out blindness correct?

Lee, I'm not afraid to cull an animal out if given a reason, I didn't know if a couple snorts for a split second was considered reason enough. The animals don't have line of sight to where we approach them at, It's an old farm with several pieces of dead machinery that we come around to the animals. Its always happened on first approach and as soon as she hears me talk she relaxes. When we looked at her before buying her she was in the middle of a 5-6 acre pasture and we walked within a couple feet of her. She didn't mind us at all. I just want to be sure I'm not causing her to react that way by surprise or something, not just blame the heifer. As I mentioned originally, I'm a farmer, not a rancher so this is new to me. I move slow, speak calmly and try to make sure I'm aware of the animal's behavior.

Thanks again everyone.
Farmer

Show up each time with a feed bucket and let her eat as you tame her down by talking and petting if she will let you. Also four animals in 1/4 acre is pretty crowded. Do they even have a clean place to lie down.

 

[Nkline]

Cows have a general dislike for dogs, it's very similar to horses and cats. You shouldn't really have the dog out around the cattle. Be ready for her to be mean when she calves, keep your kids away.

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

I've never had a problem with horses and cats, I did have a big American saddlebred that would start a riot over any dog under 30 lbs.

 

[Nkline]

I had a mustang that was a cat killing machine. He would chase and stomp them.

 

[Gobbler'sKnob]

Interesting. We had a mustang cross gelding sporting a poorly done brand and some pretty mean marks, somebody had put the boots to him. Wouldn't let any male touch him, only women. Not aggressive, just spooky. With time he got better with me messing with him, but he'd have needed a lot of work to make for a good saddle horse again. Some folks need a visit.