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Safe to pet baby cows?

  • 06-05-2009 8:28pm
    #1
    puppywuppy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9 ✭


    A whole lot of little baby cows have just been let out in the field beside my house and they come up really close to the fence so I can pet them. However, my friend has told me that ii should be really careful about petting them as the boy cows can be dangerous and only to pet the girls. Because these little cows are so tiny and so cute they all look the same and i can't tell the boy cows apart from the girls. They can't be that bad, can they, esp if i'm petting them through the fence?


Comments

  • #2
    Wolfsberg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 233 ✭✭Wolfsberg


    It is safe to pet calves if they want to be petted. Never enter a field unless you are with the landowner or the livestock owner. If they are quite young you can hold out your two fingers and they will suckle them, it feels slobbery! :D


  • #3
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    Through the fence I don't see why not as long as they come over to you (obviuosly they'd have to or you couldn't reach them lol) try not to get too attached though coz they might not be there for long.


  • #4
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    It may seem obvious but mind the fence isn't electrified. Or at least a wire running along it.
    It's pretty standard to have this with cattle.

    If it isn't now then it might be some day.

    puppywuppy wrote: »
    Because these little cows are so tiny and so cute they all look the same and i can't tell the boy cows apart from the girls.

    Ya townie, it isn't difficult :p


  • #5
    itsallaboutheL
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,333 ✭✭✭✭itsallaboutheL


    mikemac wrote: »
    Bullock, heifer and calves are your terms OP.
    You'll get a :rolleyes: from the farmer when you enquire about his "baby cows"

    Hope that helps :)

    Bull most likely not bullock, if they're baby cows!!


  • #6
    Ruby Soho
    Closed Accounts Posts: 259 ✭✭Ruby Soho


    Baby cows are fine, not aggressive, and very curious just like puppies, they're not dangerous at all!!! They love to explore things, and investigate new objects, like your fingers, in their mouths, but they won't bite, they just tend to suck and slobber! I think that small calves beat puppies hands-down for the cuteness factor...
    When they start to reach sexual maturity at about 1 year old they can get pretty aggro, particularly the males if they haven't been castrated, but that's unlikely at that age. Like any adolescent animal, they start to test the boundaries, and unless they approach you to say hello in a friendly manner, its unwise to approach them unless you know what you're doing. Although the heifers are generally quieter than the bullocks, that is a massive generalisation. If you've ever had the need to get a semi-wild beef heifer from a field into a cattle crush, you'll know what I mean!!
    Oh yeah, make sure you wash your hands after petting them! Not meaning to scaremonger, but there are some pretty nasty bugs you can pick up from them, its unlikely though, just take the precaution like you would do with any animal (particularly one that's likely to be covered in poo...)


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