Do you whistle at cows?

Kovu

As the title says- Do you whistle at cows if you think they're in heat or coming close to it? I've always done it, learned it off dad, who in turn learned it off his father.
I always assumed everyone did it or had heard of it until a neighbour passed by me half an hour ago and looked at me like I had five heads as I was whistling for one cow. For those that don't know the whistle itself, it's a long low whistle ending in a flute kind of tone, repeated over and over, similar to a curlew call I guess. It just causes them to raise their ears up and look a bit giddy and usually look for something to jump on.

And yes, she's in heat :P

Muckit

We'd have 'called' cattle to bring them to nuts or change them at grass. But never whistled at them.

Father always had the one that a woman should never whistle. Bad luck or something.

CloughCasey1

Kovu wrote: »

As the title says- Do you whistle at cows if you think they're in heat or coming close to it? I've always done it, learned it off dad, who in turn learned it off his father.
I always assumed everyone did it or had heard of it until a neighbour passed by me half an hour ago and looked at me like I had five heads as I was whistling for one cow. For those that don't know the whistle itself, it's a long low whistle ending in a flute kind of tone, repeated over and over, similar to a curlew call I guess. It just causes them to raise their ears up and look a bit giddy and usually look for something to jump on.

And yes, she's in heat :P

Would it work on a night out?

Kovu

Muckit wrote: »

We'd have 'called' cattle to bring them to nuts or change them at grass. But never whistled at them.

Father always had the one that a woman should never whistle. Bad luck or something.

Whistling woman and a crowing hen!
Only time I whistle is when doing that really, it's not the same as calling them in for nuts, that's a roar of ''Suuuuuck suck suck!! H'mon. SUUUUCK SUCK''

It's not even whistling really, it's the same intonation over and over again.

Sam Kade

Kovu wrote: »

As the title says- Do you whistle at cows if you think they're in heat or coming close to it? I've always done it, learned it off dad, who in turn learned it off his father.
I always assumed everyone did it or had heard of it until a neighbour passed by me half an hour ago and looked at me like I had five heads as I was whistling for one cow. For those that don't know the whistle itself, it's a long low whistle ending in a flute kind of tone, repeated over and over, similar to a curlew call I guess. It just causes them to raise their ears up and look a bit giddy and usually look for something to jump on.

And yes, she's in heat :P

I see you still have all your own teeth

trixi2011

An old man tought me that trick when I was young lad might be a west of Ireland thing

AP2014

Jesus Kovu, I would hate to see what mayhem you could cause in coppers!

Muckit

Sorry now again kovu, but what exactly is the reason for the whistling? is it to figure out if a cow/heifer is in heat by causing them to rise on otgers or what? Sorry just not following

bogman_bass

Whistling at a cow for heat detection? Thats a new one!

Kovu

Muckit wrote: »

Sorry now again kovu, but what exactly is the reason for the whistling? is it to figure out if a cow/heifer is in heat by causing them to rise on otgers or what? Sorry just not following

It seems to bring them into rising on others, so if you see one looking like she may be in heat- with a swab or whatever from her, you'd whistle at her. If she's in heat she'd put her head up in the air and ears back and start to look round her, perhaps walk towards the nearest cow and try to rise. That's the best way I can explain it. Perhaps it is a west of Ireland thing!

bogman_bass wrote: »

Whistling at a cow for heat detection? Thats a new one!

Not new around here! It may not be in any way connected to them rising but it seems to get them to react more than just standing round watching them.

Limofarmer

Kovu wrote: »

It seems to bring them into rising on others, so if you see one looking like she may be in heat- with a swab or whatever from her, you'd whistle at her. If she's in heat she'd put her head up in the air and ears back and start to look round her, perhaps walk towards the nearest cow and try to rise. That's the best way I can explain it. Perhaps it is a west of Ireland thing!






Not new around here! It may not be in any way connected to them rising but it seems to get them to react more than just standing round watching them.

Snap , we use it here as well . Great way to pick out one in heat that you might not be sure of in a group of cows . It seems to make them alert and off they go looking for something to rise on

Kovu

Limofarmer wrote: »

Snap , we use it here as well . Great way to pick out one in heat that you might not be sure of in a group of cows . It seems to make them alert and off they go looking for something to rise on

Woohoo we're not alone! You in the west?

Limofarmer

Kovu wrote: »

Woohoo we're not alone! You in the west?

Yip in the North west .

Kovu

Limofarmer wrote: »

Yip in the North west .

Same- Must be a regional thing up here I'm guessing

whelan2

bogman_bass wrote: »

Whistling at a cow for heat detection? Thats a new one!

forget about heat time and tail paint :rolleyes:

coolshannagh28

My Father taught me this one and it led to a funny incident many years ago when the practise was to bring the cow on a halter to the neighbours bull. The batchelor had done the business once and as best practise was to get a second for insurance Dad was whistling to encourage action . William at this stage was flat on it so the cow mounted the only other available male expressing interest .My Father gets slagged about it yet!

Jimlh86

Kovu wrote: »

As the title says- Do you whistle at cows if you think they're in heat or coming close to it? I've always done it, learned it off dad, who in turn learned it off his father.
I always assumed everyone did it or had heard of it until a neighbour passed by me half an hour ago and looked at me like I had five heads as I was whistling for one cow. For those that don't know the whistle itself, it's a long low whistle ending in a flute kind of tone, repeated over and over, similar to a curlew call I guess. It just causes them to raise their ears up and look a bit giddy and usually look for something to jump on.

And yes, she's in heat :P

I love hearing things like this! I'm going to try it out (when nobodies around) though I have to question what the lad who discovered it was at?

djmc

I always get a laugh from the kids when I call animals even wild deer.
If anyone has done it they will know what I'm talking about.
Take a wide blade of grass and stretch between two thumbs and blow it makes a loud screeching kinda whistle.
Cows deer lamas alpaca's all come running to it.
I presume it's because its a sound they never heard before and want to know what the feck is making that racket.

Miname

It would be common enough around me but more of an older generation thing

wiggy123

never heard of that--i'd whistle for them to round up--come in!

Deepsouthwest

Could someone describe this type of whistle/sound again for me? Had a cow going this morning, so I want to try it this evening!

Kovu

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Could someone describe this type of whistle/sound again for me? Had a cow going this morning, so I want to try it this evening!

Hear the long low whistle at the very start of this curlew call?

http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/uploaded/BPSDQEOJWG/Storspov_spelande_Krak2009-04-13.mp3

Just something like that over and over. God I'm going to end up recording myself at it arent I :pac:

patsy_mccabe

I googled it and this came up;

patsy_mccabe

It mentions whistling here;
http://www.geno.no/globalassets/geno-sa/02_dokumenter/06_om-geno/brosjyrer/brunst-og-brunstkontroll-eng.pdf

kowtow

We call them in by the last 3 digits of their number, except for the innumerate ones who have nick-names.

Kovu

Here, I recorded it the way I do it for ye! The cat hates it though so ignore the disgruntled miaow at the end.

http://yourlisten.com/LadyHaywire/voice-003

kowtow

Kovu wrote: »

Here, I recorded it the way I do it for ye! The cat hates it though so ignore the disgruntled miaow at the end.

http://yourlisten.com/LadyHaywire/voice-003

It beats whale-song.

Have you considered offering this as a service? You'd give the collars a run for their money.

Kovu

kowtow wrote: »

It beats whale-song.

Have you considered offering this as a service? You'd give the collars a run for their money.

Jesus, there'd be some eyebrows raised if I started offering my services to farmers :P

wiggy123

haha... a hit now on you tube kovu

Kovu

wiggy123 wrote: »

haha... a hit now on you tube kovu

You've heard of the horse whisperer, now here's the cow whistler!

Deepsouthwest

Could someone describe this type of whistle/sound again for me? Had a cow going this morning, so I want to try it this evening!

Deepsouthwest

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Could someone describe this type of whistle/sound again for me? Had a cow going this morning, so I want to try it this evening!

Ok, just listened to the recording. Will play it for the cows tonight!

Kovu

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Ok, just listened to the recording. Will play it for the cows tonight!

Do it yourself! Unless you can't whistle :P You have to keep it up for about 30-50 seconds. Put me on a loop perhaps.

Sam Kade

djmc wrote: »

I always get a laugh from the kids when I call animals even wild deer.
If anyone has done it they will know what I'm talking about.
Take a wide blade of grass and stretch between two thumbs and blow it makes a loud screeching kinda whistle.
Cows deer lamas alpaca's all come running to it.
I presume it's because its a sound they never heard before and want to know what the feck is making that racket.

Yeah I did that years ago.

Limestone Cowboy

I always do that when I'm walking through the the cows. Up ye get now girls and then the whistle! Don't know where I picked it up from though.

Genghis Cant

Kovu wrote: »

Do you whistle at cows

You've lost the plot. Completely and utterly. What next? Tickling hedgehogs? Licking nettles?

Greengrass1

I actually do that when I'm getting the cows. Say hup hup and then the exact same whistle kovu has in her audio there.
Dunno where I got it from. Mother is from the whest so maybe it's in the blood.
Asked her and she said my grandfather was a great man for using it.
Some coincidence

Kovu

Genghis Cant wrote: »

You've lost the plot. Completely and utterly. What next? Tickling hedgehogs? Licking nettles?

Tickling trout, winking at blackbirds, poking at pike and farting on flowers!
Yup. This mod has gone loo-la. Normal service shall resume shortly

Ah no, it's interesting to hear those that have actually heard of it, I've been doing it since I can whistle and knew what a cow coming in heat looked like. It does seem to be the older generation that did it, maybe some of ye could ask your elders and see if they heard of it?

Bullocks

Kovu wrote: »

Tickling trout, winking at blackbirds, poking at pike and farting on flowers!
Yup. This mod has gone loo-la. Normal service shall resume shortly

Ah no, it's interesting to hear those that have actually heard of it, I've been doing it since I can whistle and knew what a cow coming in heat looked like. It does seem to be the older generation that did it, maybe some of ye could ask your elders and see if they heard of it?

That's the whistle the father and grandfather used to call the dogs with , I never knew it had anything to do with bulling cows though

patsy_mccabe

I was at work one and shouted 'Wow' at the guy on the forklift to stop. One of the guys there thought it was gas, said his father (a farmer) always says it. Thinking about it, it probably goes back to telling horses to stop. Things carry on down through the generations, I suppose.

ltec

Yes always whistle for the cows to jump here. Slightly different whistle but it encourages them to jump on each other. I thought everyone done this

Wanderer78

i mo at the them

AntrimGlens

Bullocks wrote: »

That's the whistle the father and grandfather used to call the dogs with , I never knew it had anything to do with bulling cows though

Just listened to kovus recording and that's the whistle I use to call the dogs to come with me. No idea if it's coincidence or if I ever heard the father use it when I was younger. Don't use it for the cows though.

Sam Kade

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I was at work one and shouted 'Wow' at the guy on the forklift to stop. One of the guys there thought it was gas, said his father (a farmer) always says it. Thinking about it, it probably goes back to telling horses to stop. Things carry on down through the generations, I suppose.

For a second there I thought you were taking a fancy to the guy on the forklift :eek: Surely you meant whoa

blue5000

Genghis Cant wrote: »

You've lost the plot. Completely and utterly. What next? Tickling hedgehogs? Licking nettles?

Damn it you have reminded me of one of rodge and podge's quotes. 'she had a face on her like a bulldog lickin piss off a nettle'

Imagine Kovu licking piss off a nettle.

Have this image in my head now:eek:

patsy_mccabe

It does sound like the curlew. I had a cow bulling this morning and a yearling with a manky leg mounting her...So I whistled at her. Now, she had her back turned to me and the bull was on top of her at the time. They both turned their heads around together, as if to say 'what the fook?'.

Sam Kade

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

It does sound like the curlew. I had a cow bulling this morning and a yearling with a manky leg mounting her...So I whistled at her. Now, she had her back turned to me and the bull was on top of her at the time. They both turned their heads around together, as if to say 'what the fook?'.

Jaysus Patsy you're wolf whistling at cattle now, go easy boy

Kovu

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

It does sound like the curlew. I had a cow bulling this morning and a yearling with a manky leg mounting her...So I whistled at her. Now, she had her back turned to me and the bull was on top of her at the time. They both turned their heads around together, as if to say 'what the fook?'.

Well if you were in the same predicament and somebody whistled at you, wouldn't you be a bit baffled too :P

Jb1989

wiggy123 wrote: »

haha... a hit now on you tube kovu

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