Two newbies who bought two 6 mo Herford Heifers from

[I luv herfrds]

No laughing here Dun.
I'm sure my cows are sick of hearing me do poems and complain about the oldest who won't do his chores.

 

[dressageophobia]

Thank you very much for all the great advice. The two heifers are getting tamer. When they are eating their grain I am now rubbing them on the neck and back with a cloth. I plan to put some fly wipe on it tonight and give the flys something to complain about. One of them is somewhat tamer than the other but still lets me rub some. I have started rubbing their front legs.

They have ear tags on right now (# 37 and 38).
Should I get the insecticidal ones to replace them. How hard is it to take them off? I see there is special tools at the farm store? I guess I could learn to do that. ;-)

I think I could get a cow halter on the tame. It is a sisal halter with a rope lead attached. I plan on putting it on and letting her drag it a bit so she gets used to the give and take of it. Don't worry I will not try to hold her. I am not Billy Crystal in City Slickers!!!! :shock:

I have not had a chance to get pics of them from behind, but I have studied them and they have nice straight back legs from the rear (not cow hocked). They might be a bit straight behind as one poster commented, but after looking at the herefords on the board the breed does not seem to be real angulated in the hock area, I have yet to see a sickle hocked cow.

One of them has a little growth on her neck and it feels like a hard cyst about the size of the last joint (tip) of my little finger. Looks like it needs to come off. Suggestions?

 

[I luv herfrds]

I would not try to replace the ear tags unless you have a squeeze chute with a head catch to hold them.
If they are letting you scratch them and rub them all over I would just use a cloth, old cloth diaper or soft rag, use rubber gloves and treat the rag and rub it on their faces avoiding their eyes and nose.
Our cows hate being retagged and will toss their heads around. I cut up a cows ear as she fought me. I couldn't get the ear tag button through the hole in her ear. I don't think they like the click. (The button has the sharp metal point that goes through the ear into the tag.)

Have a vet take a look at the bump and then make the decision.

I broke my milk cow to lead the same way, letting her run around with a long rope on a cow halter. She would always let me mess with it, but the second my husband showed up it was a rodeo. She does not like him.
All cows have a different personality. They are a blast to watch.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

The "growth" may be a wart. They are lumpy with no hair on them. If so, just leave it alone, it will eventually fall off.
Warts and ringworm are kinda like a "child's" disease. Once they have gone thru it, they build up a resistance to it.
If it is a lump under the skin, it may be from an injection. Also, just leave it alone.

 

[backhoeboogie]

1) I have been working on taming them with food. They will come within a few feet of me when eating. I could lock them in a small pen. What do I do to tame them. I am a horse person, these are our first cattle.

They sound pretty tame as is. You are not going to saddle these heifers are you? When they get tame enough to allow you to scratch them all over, you are about to get hurt, seriously. Cows don't make good pets.

When you take a cow and put it in a higher protein forage environment, they all get dirty rears. If your grass is different than what they have been grazing, this gal is normal.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I think it is GOOD to get them so you can handle them. The only time "tame" cows are more dangerous than wild cows, is that you let your guard down around them.
Halter breaking will help you "control" them when needed.

 

[cattleluvr18]

having them halter broke helps. but its not gonna solve your control problem. my herf is a very calm and gentle calf, but when you tie her up to give her a shot she'll go crazy. im not sayin yours will, but i would recomend to make sure you have a sturdy place to tie them up.

 

[Susie David]

Yeah...I'm one of the folks that talk to the cows too.
Sometimes it is the best conservation around.
Probably will always keep a Herf or two on the place..never have net a mean one.
Been interesting reading the thread....
Dmc