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<blockquote data-quote="Katpau" data-source="post: 1753006" data-attributes="member: 9933"><p>We have had that happen more than once. We try to avoid going anywhere close to a lone calf, during that brief time between when they are newly born and still catch-able and when they join with the other calves in what I call the "calf nursery". Startling a calf who is hiding all alone without his mother can end up with a panicked calf exiting the scene. Usually they are fine as long as mama is right there, and if they do freak out, most cows will go with them, but not always. </p><p></p><p>We had one cow who herself was a laid back sweet heart, but she had some high strung calves. They were fine once they had joined the herd, but easily freaked out for the first week or so. On two different occasions her calves headed for the hills in a panic, just because we looked at them wrong. Meanwhile mama stood there chewing her cud and watching them go. The second time this happened was especially frustrating. We had just got out of the side by side and were checking cows when her calf freaked and headed for what was a pretty tight fence about 100 yards away. I wasn't concerned and figured she would stop there. A different herd of our cows was watching us from the other side. She went right through the fence and kept on going right through the second herd. As she went up the hill a good distance away, she came to another fence separating us from the neighboring ranch. I was sure she couldn't squeeze through, since the perimeter fence was really tight.... I was wrong! After a brief struggle, she squeezed through and continued up the hill, disappearing into the woods. I figured she would come back, so we left things as they were. It was about 8 in the morning and I figured we would check towards evening, assuming she would be back. That evening we found the cow calling with a hoarse voice and walking the fence, but no calf. We split up and headed onto the neighbors to look. This was before we both had cell phones, but we were in a dead zone anyway. We were not smart enough to carry two way radios in those days, so there was no communication between us. Paul took the west miles of fence-line on foot and I headed East with the RTV. </p><p></p><p>After an hour or so I returned empty handed and found Paul carrying that 80-90 pound calf back towards the cow. He had no way of contacting me so I could come with the RTV and help. We now always carry a radio. He was exhausted and in a pretty nasty mood. He had found her hiding in a valley a good distance away with a hill that blocked the sound of mama's calls. He had managed to grab her before she realized what was going on, but there was a pretty good struggle after that. I am amazed he was able to get her and carry her that far, but he is pretty stubborn when he decides he is going to do something. I discovered long ago that if I want something difficult done, just tell Paul "There is no way anyone could do that. Don't even try." Somehow he will manage to do it, just to prove me wrong.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Katpau, post: 1753006, member: 9933"] We have had that happen more than once. We try to avoid going anywhere close to a lone calf, during that brief time between when they are newly born and still catch-able and when they join with the other calves in what I call the "calf nursery". Startling a calf who is hiding all alone without his mother can end up with a panicked calf exiting the scene. Usually they are fine as long as mama is right there, and if they do freak out, most cows will go with them, but not always. We had one cow who herself was a laid back sweet heart, but she had some high strung calves. They were fine once they had joined the herd, but easily freaked out for the first week or so. On two different occasions her calves headed for the hills in a panic, just because we looked at them wrong. Meanwhile mama stood there chewing her cud and watching them go. The second time this happened was especially frustrating. We had just got out of the side by side and were checking cows when her calf freaked and headed for what was a pretty tight fence about 100 yards away. I wasn't concerned and figured she would stop there. A different herd of our cows was watching us from the other side. She went right through the fence and kept on going right through the second herd. As she went up the hill a good distance away, she came to another fence separating us from the neighboring ranch. I was sure she couldn't squeeze through, since the perimeter fence was really tight.... I was wrong! After a brief struggle, she squeezed through and continued up the hill, disappearing into the woods. I figured she would come back, so we left things as they were. It was about 8 in the morning and I figured we would check towards evening, assuming she would be back. That evening we found the cow calling with a hoarse voice and walking the fence, but no calf. We split up and headed onto the neighbors to look. This was before we both had cell phones, but we were in a dead zone anyway. We were not smart enough to carry two way radios in those days, so there was no communication between us. Paul took the west miles of fence-line on foot and I headed East with the RTV. After an hour or so I returned empty handed and found Paul carrying that 80-90 pound calf back towards the cow. He had no way of contacting me so I could come with the RTV and help. We now always carry a radio. He was exhausted and in a pretty nasty mood. He had found her hiding in a valley a good distance away with a hill that blocked the sound of mama's calls. He had managed to grab her before she realized what was going on, but there was a pretty good struggle after that. I am amazed he was able to get her and carry her that far, but he is pretty stubborn when he decides he is going to do something. I discovered long ago that if I want something difficult done, just tell Paul "There is no way anyone could do that. Don't even try." Somehow he will manage to do it, just to prove me wrong. [/QUOTE]
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