Why cow hates calf?

[S.R.R.]

Had a calf born the other night. When I want down to see it another cow came bye put her head down and ran it over. Its mom put up a fuss over it so it got back up and the same cow ran it over agian. I had to put the cow and calf apart from the others but do not know why that one cow hated that calf so much she has one of her own. The calf was born the same night some wolves came around do you think that the cow was worked up over that and thinks the new born is a wolf?

 

[ga. prime]

You have a strange situation there SRR. Never had that problem before, or didn't know about it if I did. I think your guess is as good as any. In my experience , a cow-calf pair will give space to another pair. Cows or heifers without calves like to get close to young calves, but not in any sinister or diabolical sort of way. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. Just adding to the conversation, hopefully.

 

[bigbull338]

i would pen that pair off.right now it sounds like that go would kill that calf.id keep my eye on her and see if she does that to any other calves.i really dont think the wolves coming round caused her to do that.she would of killed that calf.i think id ship her fast.you dont need a cow that would kill calves.scott

 

[jcarkie]

if the cow is low on the pecking order they tend to really push anything younger or weaker and the further down the rougher they are on them.

 

[Scotty]

if the cow is low on the pecking order they tend to really push anything younger or weaker and the further down the rougher they are on them.

Good one here. Pen'em off. When the calf is old enough it will learn to dodge.


Scotty

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

I had a 4 week old calf killed a month ago by a cow.
She ran him down and broke his back.

Ann B

 

[S.R.R.]

Something else interesting is that the mother of the calf is the boss of the herd until now no other cow would mess with her. I really thought that she would have let that other cow have it! She did try to stand over her calf bawling like crazy but as soon as the calf walked 3 feet away she just watch the other cow charge her calf. I had to jump the fence break a branch of a tree and really give it to that b!$ch of a cow before she would back off.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Something else interesting is that the mother of the calf is the boss of the herd until now no other cow would mess with her. I really thought that she would have let that other cow have it! She did try to stand over her calf bawling like crazy but as soon as the calf walked 3 feet away she just watch the other cow charge her calf. I had to jump the fence break a branch of a tree and really give it to that b!$ch of a cow before she would back off.

Sounds like a payback hit on the boss cow's family.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

The fact is - for whatever reason - the cow attacked another cow's calf. Solution: ship the attacking cow. You don't need that kind of attitude in your herd, genetically or environmentally, and neither does anyone else! Also, you might take heed as to what the "Boss" cow is doing to all the rest of the herd. SHE may be the problem. Just a thought. You may have to ship HER instead of the attacker. Has the attacker ever demonstrated that kind of behavior in the past? Is she difficult to manage in the chutes? You might have to be a detective!

DOC HARRIS

 

[tapeworm]

Why?? Cows will be cows is why. Not that much differnt than peopel if you really get to thinking about it

 

[S.R.R.]

I don,t know about the cows and people I never heard of a lady attacking anothers new born baby.

 

[Anonymous]

Had a calf born the other night. When I want down to see it another cow came bye put her head down and ran it over. Its mom put up a fuss over it so it got back up and the same cow ran it over agian. I had to put the cow and calf apart from the others but do not know why that one cow hated that calf so much she has one of her own. The calf was born the same night some wolves came around do you think that the cow was worked up over that and thinks the new born is a wolf?

I have seen this happen - it's a herd thing. The calf will learn to stay out of the way.

Bez'

 

[madbeancounter1]

Had the same thing happen in our herd. One of the other cows kept running the foster calves off the nurse cow. They learned to nurse whatever side the attacker wasn't on.

From the moment the attacker arrived she more or less latched on to the nurse cow as a companion. She never tried to run the nurse cows natural calf off and she was pretty calm up until she calved. Then she really started gunning for foster calves.

They are all large enough now that she doesn't mess with them.

Someone told me that cows with horns are meaner to other cows and calves than those without or those that had been polled. :?:

 

[Susie David]

Haven't noticed this behavior before but we keep the new pair penned for a couple of weeks anyway. Not sure about the horned thing...we have a horned Hereford heifer that is the low cow on the pecking order and takes it from all the polled cows.
DMc

 

[cowpunk'd]

Was the nasty cow young? One cow of mine was aggressive to other cows' calves after she calved the first time, I watched her this year and she had mellowed out, wouldn't go out of her way to get a calf anymore. Would still give it a wack if it was handy, though.

 

[madbeancounter1]

Cowpuink'd,

Was that for me or S.R.R.?

 

[dj]

SRR
Just curious how big an area are your animals on?
Even my first calvers try to get away by themselves.
And generally stay on the fringe area for 2-3 days.

 

[Beefy]

maybe its postnatal stress or postpartum depression.