Who's the Boss?

[swampbillies]

I am sure this is a silly question, but I have to ask. I have two heifers that just had calves and have started fighting. I have seen them play push and shove before, but not like this. They are serious! I also had a steer running with the group that was butchered yesterday. I am wondering if they are trying to decide who is going to be boss because of the new calves, or the butchering of the steer. Would a steer hold the position of "Boss Cow"? Or does the introduction of first calves upset the order?

 

[dun]

Any or all of the above

 

[swampbillies]

Thanks Dun. At least with making all the changes at once then, I can avoid having them do this multiple times. I hope they get it worked out soon. I am always so afraid one of the calves will get in the way.

 

[dun]

At least with making all the changes at once then, I can avoid having them do this multiple times. I hope they get it worked out soon. I am always so afraid one of the calves will get in the way.

I have the same concern when they really get going at it. With any luck they'll get it worked out fairly quickly. I've seen them go at it everytime they would look at each other.

 

[Frankie]

We've separated one old cow overnight to have her available to breed in the morning. With just that length of time, she went back into the pasture with the other cows that she'd spent her whole life with looking for a fight. And the other cows lined up to take her on.

There's a definite status between calves, weaned heifers, bred heifers and cows. But cows (and heifers) in those groups seem to have to work it out as to who's in charge. I've never had any calves get hurt with the pushing around.

If you can make it work, put them into a new pasture when you mix groups. Then neither group will have an established claim to protect. It might help keep the shoving down.

 

[dun]

A couople of years ago, for not apparant reason all of the cows started beating the snot out of one cow that was due to calve. When one would get tired another one would kick in and sometimes one would be going head to head with her an others would be taking cheap shots from the sides and rear. Turned her in with the yearling heifers and she calved that night with twins. I kind of wondered if it wasn;t the wacky twinning juices that may have had everyone stirred up. The day after she calved I turned her back in with the others and everything was as itr had been beofre. She was alwasy the low one on the totem pole and had no desire to get any higher. Just that one day everything was nuts.

 

[redfornow]

A couople of years ago, for not apparant reason all of the cows started beating the snot out of one cow that was due to calve. When one would get tired another one would kick in and sometimes one would be going head to head with her an others would be taking cheap shots from the sides and rear. Turned her in with the yearling heifers and she calved that night with twins. I kind of wondered if it wasn;t the wacky twinning juices that may have had everyone stirred up. The day after she calved I turned her back in with the others and everything was as itr had been beofre. She was alwasy the low one on the totem pole and had no desire to get any higher. Just that one day everything was nuts.

I have that one day at least once a week???

MD

 

[Frankie]

A couople of years ago, for not apparant reason all of the cows started beating the snot out of one cow that was due to calve. When one would get tired another one would kick in and sometimes one would be going head to head with her an others would be taking cheap shots from the sides and rear. Turned her in with the yearling heifers and she calved that night with twins. I kind of wondered if it wasn;t the wacky twinning juices that may have had everyone stirred up. The day after she calved I turned her back in with the others and everything was as itr had been beofre. She was alwasy the low one on the totem pole and had no desire to get any higher. Just that one day everything was nuts.

I was heat detecting one evening. A bred heifer was walking along the fenceline like she had somewhere specific to go. The first animal she met was a calf. She put down her head and knocked him out of the way. The next animal was a bred hefier from her contemporary group. That one put her head down, but changed her mind and stepped out of the way. The next animal was a cow giving her calf a bath. She didn't even look up, but the heifer walking the fenceline made a wide loop around her and kept on going down the fence. Their status is interesting to me. We sold our boss cow year before last and it took several months for another one to step up. It was hard to move them until she took charge. They'd just stand around and look at you when you called. We're probably going to sell the boss again this spring, but I'm more prepared this time.

When we had commercial cows, I'd see several of them picking on specific cows. There never seemed to be any reason, they'd just be knocking her around and taking turns following her and butting her. They're just cows, I guess.

 

[dun]

They're just cows, I guess.

Truer words were never spoken!

dun

 

[Susie David]

Still haven't figured out herd dymmamics. have one cow that is superior to a cow that has 300# on her and subordinate to one that is her size and this cow is subordinate to the one that is 300# bigger than the other. Wow...that is as easy to understand as the pecking order.
The new bred herf heifer is low cow replacing another herf cow, even a 10 month steer pushes her away from the feed bunk...put alfalfa out so she can eat by herself and even then she gets pushed away.
Boss cow's calf from two years ago (will calve in April) is starting to make the move on the rest of the herd but Boss still pushes her around.
The cows know their position and that is what matters, I guess.
And thats my two bits worth....DMc