Wow...Thanks! Input your Cattle's Extraordinary Awareness Here

[TexasRancher]

Today while I was just starting to dole-out cattle treats across the protective barrier...one of the cows started to come the wrong direction towards me...I stopped her by doing the "extended hand out" and told her "No!" and one of the more aware black baldy cows immediately came around to get the misdirected cow and pushed her back to the other side. I was like Wow-Thanks! very impressive....talk about some good help and awareness from a cow helping me to do my job safely. I made sure she got some extra treats. They say cattle are like an age 3 child...what I saw today was more like an 8 to 12 year old's awareness.
Has anyone else encountered cows or bulls that have done extraordinary things around your farm?

 

[coachg]

Not familiar with a protective barrier ? Fence , hot wire ??

 

[Travlr]

Today while I was just starting to dole-out cattle treats across the protective barrier...one of the cows started to come the wrong direction towards me...I stopped her by doing the "extended hand out" and told her "No!" and one of the more aware black baldy cows immediately came around to get the misdirected cow and pushed her back to the other side. I was like Wow-Thanks! very impressive....talk about some good help and awareness from a cow helping me to do my job safely. I made sure she got some extra treats. They say cattle are like an age 3 child...what I saw today was more like an 8 to 12 year old's awareness.
Has anyone else encountered cows or bulls that have done extraordinary things around your farm?

Does it happen consistently over time? If not... it's a coincidence. Not really alien activity.

 

[Lucky]

What's a protective barrier and what are cattle treats? Are you training cattle like dogs by extending your arm and saying no?

 

[Hpacres440p]

Have a cow that saw her new calf walking toward the hotwire and jogged to get between the Hotwire and the calf…

 

[Son of Butch]

They say cattle are like an age 3 child...what I saw today was more like an 8 to 12 year old's awareness.

Maybe I am overestimating the intelligence of Texan children over 6 or you are underestimating the intelligence of 3 yr olds.
But even a dog knows the difference between being stumbled over and being kicked.

 

[sstterry]

What's a protective barrier and what are cattle treats? Are you training cattle like dogs by extending your arm and saying no?

It is a Force Field, have you not watched "Lost in Space" or "Star Wars"?

 

[MurraysMutts]

I was out 2 seasons ago checking new babies. Baby got up and headed for the 4 foot drop off into the creek. Mama put herself right between baby and the creek Pronto!

Was feeding at the same place one time and u went down the alley with a sack of feed. Dern new girl came a running in and almost got me had it not been for Sally. She rammed that cow from the side and abruptly put a stop to that. I was sure to thank her!

 

[Brute 23]

I have no doubt I had a cow kind of protected me one time. I was feeding and was on foot pulling slrings. I accidentally ended up in the space of a pretty sketchy cow. We both caught each other's attention right about the same time. She was definitely in fight or flight mode and I couldn't tell which it was going to be. I stood still but was planning my quick escape. A cow that I had raised as a heifer who had kind of become a boss cow head butted that other cow right in the side and took her attention from me. She hit her again towards the back in the udder area and the sketchy cow ran off a bit and got back on the hay further down the line.

The cow I raised looked at me and went back to eating. It was pretty hard to justify as any thing else.

 

[wbvs58]

I have mentioned it before but my bulls ability to recognise my vehicle from about 100 vehicles that go past their paddock every day is unreal. Many look similar to mine, white utility trucks but when mine goes past they all lift their heads. Each new lot when I wean them only take a week of me turning up with feed to have it sorted.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

When I am weaning calves or feeding steers, I have noticed the exact same thing. When they see my truck go past they immediately start heading to the feedway.

 

[Ky hills]

Same here, when we have the bulls pulled out and at the farm across the road, when the side x side gets down to the edge of the driveway to turn on the road, the oldest bull starts heading to the barn over there and the rest follow him until they learn.

 

[Ebenezer]

I had a smart dog one time. I taught him to go and get the newspaper. What a mistake. He'd get halfway to the house and stop to read the funnies and then I was getting the paper later than ever.

 

[EasTex]

I had a smart dog one time. I taught him to go and get the newspaper. What a mistake. He'd get halfway to the house and stop to read the funnies and then I was getting the paper later than ever.

Probably reading Marmaduke!

 

[Lucky]

Cows can easily pick out the truck that feeds them from 100 others just like it, I think this is because it feeds them. They also protect their babies just like every other animal does. Another thing they know is the sound of a cattle trailer coming, mine run for the hills. Will they protect a human

 

[acefire]

I had a smart dog one time. I taught him to go and get the newspaper. What a mistake. He'd get halfway to the house and stop to read the funnies and then I was getting the paper later than ever.

Better than my dog. He thought if I wanted one paper while not bring all on the block.
Sometimes had 6-10 papers. Hard to break learned trick.

 

[50/50Farms]

Maybe I am overestimating the intelligence of Texan children over 6 or you are underestimating the intelligence of 3 yr olds.
But even a dog knows the difference between being stumbled over and being kicked.

He's not a Texan or southerner by birth or blood, only by placement, you have to account for this in the equation.

 

[1982vett]

With cows…who knows!

Penned mine Wednesday to pick up a couple calves. Hadn't messed with them for about 6 weeks. Zero shortage of belly deep grass. They acted like they've been licking dirt and starving to death. Definitely not respecting my space!

Usually this time of year it's hard to lure them anywhere.

 

[Mat Man]

I have noticed a few times on a road and someone's cows are running the fence beside me.
They got the wrong truck!

 

[wbvs58]

Cows can easily pick out the truck that feeds them from 100 others just like it, I think this is because it feeds them. They also protect their babies just like every other animal does. Another thing they know is the sound of a cattle trailer coming, mine run for the hills. Will they protect a human

I will never bring my cattle truck around before I have them in the yards. I go around with the feed truck first. It is worth it to save the hassle. The older bulls won't be too bad, they'll be lined up waiting to go on, it only takes a couple of trips for them to know that there are girls at the end of the trip. They are going to be very disappointed when one day they end up at the other Knock Shop for processing.

Ken