I grew up on a Texas cattle ranch. Cattle are typically docile, shy away from people, even smallish 40 pound dogs can control a large herd of them. There are only two general circumstances in my memory that require maximum caution:
-two bulls fighting for dominance. They literally can fight to the death in some events, but certainly to the point of exhaustion. They become so focused on one another they become oblivious to their surroundings. Nothing and no one had best be in their way. This is why ranchers take great precaution in keeping bulls in separate pastures - bulls are a huge investment, best not lose one
- mother cows with their calves will attack with unrelenting energy. Standard practice on our ranch was to tag newborns, 1-4 days old, so we could register their proper parentage. A young sleeping calf is fairly easy to capture and tag…as long as mama is effectively first distracted. My dad and I became pretty adept at setting up this ploy except for the time we didn’t. I was standing nearby and witnessed a mother cow walk up to my 250 pound father. She was deceptively docile, slowly walked forward until the flat of the front of her head was within inches of his chest. Then in a second merely raised her head full force propelling him 20 feet in the air. Fortunately he escaped with only a fractured wrist.
Cattle can inadvertently do great harm just walking by in cramped quarters they weigh a lot and, when you think about it, have a lot of muscle - that’s the part we raise them for, after all.
As a teen in Sou Indiana, before school it was my job to pull hay down from the barn and break ice in the pond so our herd of 25 or so beef cattle could survive. What I leaned is, cows are pretty much passive; you leave them alone....they'll leave you alone. Gotta watch out for bulls though. We didn't have a "live in" bull, but would occasionally "borrow" one when the time was right.
I grew up on a Texas cattle ranch. Cattle are typically docile, shy away from people, even smallish 40 pound dogs can control a large herd of them. There are only two general circumstances in my memory that require maximum caution:
-two bulls fighting for dominance. They literally can fight to the death in some events, but certainly to the point of exhaustion. They become so focused on one another they become oblivious to their surroundings. Nothing and no one had best be in their way. This is why ranchers take great precaution in keeping bulls in separate pastures - bulls are a huge investment, best not lose one
- mother cows with their calves will attack with unrelenting energy. Standard practice on our ranch was to tag newborns, 1-4 days old, so we could register their proper parentage. A young sleeping calf is fairly easy to capture and tag…as long as mama is effectively first distracted. My dad and I became pretty adept at setting up this ploy except for the time we didn’t. I was standing nearby and witnessed a mother cow walk up to my 250 pound father. She was deceptively docile, slowly walked forward until the flat of the front of her head was within inches of his chest. Then in a second merely raised her head full force propelling him 20 feet in the air. Fortunately he escaped with only a fractured wrist.
Cattle can inadvertently do great harm just walking by in cramped quarters they weigh a lot and, when you think about it, have a lot of muscle - that’s the part we raise them for, after all.
More than I ever knew about this! Thanks, John.
not great injury but just the other day one of mine stepped on my foot, ouch.
As a teen in Sou Indiana, before school it was my job to pull hay down from the barn and break ice in the pond so our herd of 25 or so beef cattle could survive. What I leaned is, cows are pretty much passive; you leave them alone....they'll leave you alone. Gotta watch out for bulls though. We didn't have a "live in" bull, but would occasionally "borrow" one when the time was right.
Assault cows must be banned! The government needs to institute a buy back program!!!
thanks ken, now I'm scared to go out and feed my cows
Mission accomplished.
Be very thoughtful of your escape route when cows get horny!
More damn Hype