Trying to understand cattle

[Suzie Q]

Yes that is what I am talking about. Another thing that must be different over there, and probably for people who use push mowers not ride on mowers in Aus.

 

[Halfy]

Cows start crying as soon as the lawn mower starts up.

Aww bless them ... When we start our lawn mower the cows in the next field line up against the fence and watch his nibs at work :lol2:

When he gets the strimmer out they wander off again - that can't be as interesting to watch :roll:

 

[Halfy]

We had a bit of a commotion yesterday when two of the farmers brought in three new cows - two are bulls and are a gorgeous colour - mink. I know you all have names for each brand of cow so I'll have to learn them too to help me understand.

One of the bulls looked to be crying with tears rolling down it's face - is this normal? Why would it be crying? Don't know their age as I didn't want to interfere while the farmer was busy but they look to be about the same size as those already in the fields, ie: 13 - 19 months now.

Is it June time when they usually like to mate ready for a spring delivery?

 

[Suzie Q]

LOL You will learn the breeds of cattle and the brand is what we put on them with a heated metal shape so that if the cattle are ever stolen you can prove which cattle are yours.

Bulls will fight if they have not been in together before. Take one out and take it to a show for a couple of days and bring it back and put it in with his same mates and they will fight again.

Usually the bigger one wins. Moisture comes from their nose, so maybe their eyes as well. Either that or just got some dust in his eyes and they were weeping.

Gestation is approximately 9 months. So when you want to have your calves so they don't freeze to death in your part of the World you need to count back to see when you want the bull in with the cows. With no snow here, our bull is out with the cows 24/7 and we have calves all year around.

 

[Halfy]

Not been around much recently, but thanks to all your advice I was able to help one of the cows which looked poorly a couple of weeks ago. He'd been limping around for a while - then seemed to get better. Then one morning I heard "mooing" at 5:30am so I looked outside and they were just getting up - they'd spent the night in their field immediately outside our back garden. I noticed a small brown one unable to walk, with his front right leg hanging limply, and whenever he tried to walk using the front left leg that one buckled under him, and he fell! I watched this for half an hour and it was worrying me terribly, but my partner wouldn't let me call the farmer at such an early hour - blimey doesn't he realise they work long hours! Anyway, when I came home from work the cows came back into this field again and one was missing - yes, it was the little brown one. So I rang the farmer, apologised and hoped he didn't think I was interfering - thinking if he'd been and seen his cow limping he may have taken it away. He told me he'd noticed this cow's shoulder kept dislocating, but we were worried where this cow may be. He and his father (also a farmer) came straight up and found the little cow in the next field, checked it out, then left it. But the following afternoon when I returned home, there were four farmer's in the field trying to catch this little cow, then they took it away.

So thank you to everyone who suggested I inform the farmer if anything appears to be wrong with any of his cows. He told me I wasn't interfering and thanked me for calling him.

I still love those cows to bits - even Bull Man (as I've now called him because his neck is huge) as he's as soft as a brush. Mind you I don't think he'll have fathered any little ones as he's sooooo laid back and docile, and never seems to be at all interested in the three girlies in his field! Time will tell ...

 

[Ryder]

Until you have had a lot of experience with cattle, do NOT trust Bull man. He may be laid back and docile now, but a bull's disposition can change at any time.
This is how people get killed by bulls. They are lulled into trusting them, let their guard down,and then...

These animals are not pets. No matter how they act, they do not feel the same toward you as you do toward them.
Experienced cattlemen know to exercise detachment and do not forge "friendships" with their cattle.

If you want a pet, get a nice dog. I am not beig facetious-just trying to offer a little wisdom.

 

[Suzie Q]

Halfy, good job! and if you find one of my cows, calves or bull with what might be a broken leg, you can call me at 2 oclock in the morning. Actually you would have the RSPCA after you if you see an animal in pain and not attend.

Cows do not usually call out in pain, they suffer in silence.

The only thing you might see from Bull Man is that he is standing with one of the cows off the side a bit for a day. After he has bred them he will show no interest until after the calf has been born and the cow is back in heat again.

 

[Halfy]

Last week it was sad. One of the little black cows wasn't gaining weight and for three days I noticed it was always the first to sit/lay down and last to get up again. One day it was left behind in the field nearest my house and I noticed when it got up it slowly walked to the bushes/hedge and slowly walked along it to the top of the field, then along the next boundary until it eventually arrived into the next field and rejoined it's friends. The following morning it was all alone in the field, dead. I was distraught and rang the farmer at 7am. He was so lovely and talked to me about his cows telling me that August is the worst month for them as the grass doesn't grow fast enough so he'd be taking a few of the bigger ones out. I felt terrible and blamed myself for not calling him earlier about the little black cow, but he told me that he visits them every morning to check they're all there and had noticed how thin that cow was, so he already had his concerns about it. Later that day I had the fright of my life when the vehicle arrived to remove the dead cow from the field - when the doors opened there were other dead cows already inside. Well ... I ran down to the farmer and asked if they were all his, and he explained not, but that the chap who was collecting them did it for a living. I came home and the farmer came knocking on my door to ask if I was alright, and he wanted to thank me for looking out for his cows and showing concern. He is such a lovely man.

Now this morning, just as he had told me, they came and have taken five cows away. I watched them carefully round them up with a tractor and the cows were so happy skipping around the trailor looking for whatever they could find. Then five were separated out and all I wanted to do was run down to them, give them a big hug and say goodbye - but I restrained myself as the farmers would have thought I was a mad woman interferring with their cows. But I'm sitting here with tears rolling down my cheeks. I really did love to have those cows around, and I will miss the one who used to walk up to my fence and moo when he wanted me to go out. I may sound sad/daft, but I enjoyed having them around - there are 12 left now.

Does this empty feeling get any better, as I know that as the years go by there will be new cows being brought into the fields which I will enjoy watching, but it's horrible now they're gone. Does anyone understand how I feel?

 

[Suzie Q]

Of course we understand and with time you will watch with joy when they are there and not feel that amount of sadness when they go.

A healthy calf will easily canter around and they have calf races dawn and dusk. They sleep curled up.

A sick calf will not want to canter and will stay in walk. A sick calf will sleep flying flat out. If they have clear moisture running from their nose or mouth that is not good and they do go downhill quickly.

Here is a little video I made that I think you will like about the signs of a healthy calf.

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/S ... hycalf.mp4

 

[Calman]

Suzie Q I like your video.I've watched hundreds of little calves scampering around like that and it still never fails to bring a big smile to my face. :lol: :lol:

Cal

 

[Suzie Q]

lol me too and I liked the way he jumped the bag.

In this one just imagine that you are holding the camera and that is your hand you see.

I took this video for the healthy video. I expected him to come out of the gate and act like he did in that video, but he surprised me.

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/S ... ut1107.mp4

 

[Halfy]

Thanks Suzie - that help me. Your little bull is gorgeous. It must be so rewarding to watch them grow - like having an extended family.

I can't wait until I visit the farm, especially when Ellie and Erika have their newborns. :banana: