Wild cows

Toplink

A 'too close for comfort' incident last week has finally convinced my father that the 2 wild cows we have in the herd need to go. Ive been taking detailed notes on the bitches for years and presenting the data to him but all you'll get in response is about the great calves she has etc...

1 cow is after calving recently and the plan ia to let her rear her calf whilst keeping her from thw bull and then sell her.

Thw other cow is due to calf in March. Scanned recently.. what's my best strategy here? Id like to act now rather than wait.

trg

Toplink wrote: »

A 'too close for comfort' incident last week has finally convinced my father that the 2 wild cows we have in the herd need to go. Ive been taking detailed notes on the bitches for years and presenting the data to him but all you'll get in response is about the great calves she has etc...

1 cow is after calving recently and the plan ia to let her rear her calf whilst keeping her from thw bull and then sell her.

Thw other cow is due to calf in March. Scanned recently.. what's my best strategy here? Id like to act now rather than wait.

Are you in BEAM?

I'd give both the road asap rather than waiting for another hopefully near miss.

Though right thing to do would be see them out as safely as possible yourselves rather than selling killers to someone else.

Iodine1

March is 6 months away! I'd cull both together and get a good job done and over with. Put calf on another cow or bucket and feed both for 2 months and get rid before he changes his mind. Otherwise, get rid of the in calf cow now, she probably has some flesh on coming off grass, and let the other one rear the calf but move as soon as you can. Before he changes his mind again.

An Ri rua

trg wrote: »

Are you in BEAM?

I'd give both the road asap rather than waiting for another hopefully near miss.

Though right thing to do would be see them out as safely as possible yourselves rather than selling killers to someone else.

Killers? Maybe...

Likely just more intelligent and perceptive than the other cows. More like a predator /killer in that regard then.

'Cows with Guns'...... ;-)
https://youtu.be/FQMbXvn2RNI

Lady Haywire

Toplink wrote: »

Thw other cow is due to calf in March. Scanned recently.. what's my best strategy here? Id like to act now rather than wait.

Is this cow wild in general or just wicked after calving? Never like culling an incalf cow but don't sell a problem on to someone else without letting them know anyway. Like I'd happily calve a wild cow but I'd be well enough set up to be able to calve most cows & have numerous escape routes in the shed but some farmers wouldn't.

Wasnt there someone here in a thread a few months back that had a wicked cow scanned incalf to twins & was wondering what to do. Wonder how that finished up

patsy_mccabe

I had a mad heifer a few years back. I put her in a locked shed and fed her with the calf under her. Took her straight off the calf and off to the factory after about 3 months. Worked out well. Got calf on meal during the time too. When I say mad, she would actually kill you if you went into the shed.

Toplink

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I had a mad heifer a few years back. I put her in a locked shed and fed her with the calf under her. Took her straight off the calf and off to the factory after about 3 months. Worked out well. Got calf on meal during the time too. When I say mad, she would actually kill you if you went into the shed.

I'm sensible enough to keep my distance from wild animals... My dad might not. That's the worry. I work off the farm full time in a decent paid job so we don't need the hassle of mad cows. I wouldn't pass the problem to someone else either.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Toplink wrote: »

I'm sensible enough to keep my distance from wild animals... My dad might not. That's the worry. I work off the farm full time in a decent paid job so we don't need the hassle of mad cows. I wouldn't pass the problem to someone else either.

Getting nothing for the two of them looks very cheap compared to a few months in hospital after one of them turns on you.

My bull decided not to leave a few cows into the yard one day a few weeks ago. I got them in around him eventually.

Next morning he was on his way to the factory, life's too short for that.

Mooooo

If it was a dangerous bull there would be no second thought, but a dangerous cow is worse again as she will more than likely need more handling so higher risk. Book em both into the factory before something happens. Not much point after the fact when either or both of ye could end up in hospital or worse.
A good calf is fcukall good if you're looking at it from a wheelchair or on the way back from a funeral

50HX

As patsy said pen the calved cow and get calf onto meal, or source someone for the calf

Once this is done factory both of them

Green&Red

Toplink wrote: »

A 'too close for comfort' incident last week has finally convinced my father that the 2 wild cows we have in the herd need to go. Ive been taking detailed notes on the bitches for years and presenting the data to him but all you'll get in response is about the great calves she has etc...

1 cow is after calving recently and the plan ia to let her rear her calf whilst keeping her from thw bull and then sell her.

Thw other cow is due to calf in March. Scanned recently.. what's my best strategy here? Id like to act now rather than wait.

What’ll you do if this cow injures the man that buys her?


Do the decent thing and send the animal to the factory

Aravo

There is only one option here. To the factory.
Do not sell such a problem to someone else.
I know you have to wait till they calf and then for a few months after. Might suit to have problem ones together and give them ration to keep them tipping along. Have such a cow here, lovely calves, bullocks etc. Was a nightmare getting cow into pen for testing. So decision was no going in calf and she is getting nuts and will be going to a factory in coming months.

ruwithme

How about a vote? Factory for me

Goodeone

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Wasnt there someone here in a thread a few months back that had a wicked cow scanned incalf to twins & was wondering what to do. Wonder how that finished up

That was me. Ended up alright in the end. I was at work when she calved. My father spotted she had calved and with the help of a neighbour and the tractor was able to get her into the crush (wouldnt be a hope of handling her in the calving gate). They handled her anyway but there was no twin. She quietens down grand after a week and she's no danger in the field after that. We kept her away from the bull this year and she's mud fat so will go to the factory with her shortly.

In this case I think you should go to the factory now with the cow that's 3 months in calf. Not worth the risk to keep her. Slaughter the other cow when the calf is reared if you can keep her up to that point safely.

We are one cow who is an absolute lunatic after calving, running at the barrier of the calving pen and pucking it etc, nuts. Nice out in the field for a few days she is fine though, not quiet but she won’t go for you or anything.

We are on about getting rid of her for about 4 years at this stage but every year she has a grand calf and we have never had to lay a hand on her calving so she ends up back in with the bull again. As another poster said I’d be more cautious myself than the father is and I’m at work all day so I’d be more worried about him chancing going in with her to get a calf sucking etc.

Cattlepen

Factory them.
A little off the thread but was looking at a us cowboy that was tagging calves on YouTube . He had calf lassoed in the pasture and was working away tagging and such And when the cow was getting frisky and about to attack the cowboys horse was protecting him with the ears back and the odd threatening kick. It was truly fantastic to watch. It was all so natural. Animals interacting in the name of farming. Very natural and neither of the three species anyway badly distressed. It reminded me of an old welsh hill shepherd that a man told me about. He had a good dog and a horse when lambing. He would ride around lambing The sheep and was able to just jump off the horse, tend to the sheep and when he was nearly finished the dog would get the horses lead and bring it back to the shepherd. Brilliant!! Are we missing something with our husbandry? Have we lost these things?