# Getting my cows today!!



## LovinLife (Sep 17, 2011)

I went from being excited for the past couple of weeks to being stressed today. I've been so excited to get my mini jersey bull and his two Jersey girlfriends but now I'm just worried. I don't know how they are going to do with the transition. The heifers are a little skittish but the bull is more personable. They have not been halter broke so we will need to do that today and try to get them on the trailer and then into our pasture. I'm worried about them "testing" the electric fence and getting zapped or that the fence doesn't work in some spots and they get out. Do I need to check the fence in different spots or if it's working in the one spot then I'm good? I'm worried about how they will adjust to the new place. Should I keep the halters on them?? Is there anything I should know about bringing cows to a new place? Any tips on how I can get them to trust me? I need a zanex.....


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## Royd Wood (Sep 17, 2011)

CALM DOWN  I'm sure all will be fine - Good luck (and be careful with your bull)
Typical elec fences - if you test at the furthest point and it works then it should be fine. I take a spade and just stick it in the ground then line it up with the bottom wire
Just a thought - have you got more cows coming as that guy will be fed up in no time and he will test your fence then


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## 77Herford (Sep 17, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

> I went from being excited for the past couple of weeks to being stressed today. I've been so excited to get my mini jersey bull and his two Jersey girlfriends but now I'm just worried. I don't know how they are going to do with the transition. The heifers are a little skittish but the bull is more personable. They have not been halter broke so we will need to do that today and try to get them on the trailer and then into our pasture. I'm worried about them "testing" the electric fence and getting zapped or that the fence doesn't work in some spots and they get out. Do I need to check the fence in different spots or if it's working in the one spot then I'm good? I'm worried about how they will adjust to the new place. Should I keep the halters on them?? Is there anything I should know about bringing cows to a new place? Any tips on how I can get them to trust me? I need a zanex.....


Its Xanex and you can't have mine, lol.  You'll be fine.


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## goodhors (Sep 17, 2011)

Since the cattle will all be new to the place, make sure they have their ear RFID tags in and I would
leave something on them for catching.  Collars work if you don't want to risk halters.  Just make sure
they are snug so nothing can get caught in the collar, like a hind foot.  If you have a small corral, no 
junk in it, maybe halters with lead ropes dragging.  This is NOT the one-piece slip halter.  With halters on,
dragging rope, it should be easier to snag the individuals and give them a brushing, rub their ears, 
let them get familiar with you for a few minutes and turn them loose again.

I would not be turning them out for a day or three, so they can settle in the smaller corral, learn who 
you folks are, that you are nice to have around.  Let them learn where the water tank is, hay pile to eat off of.

Ear tags are important, they tell where the cattle came from, may ID cows to new owners.

We just got a call Friday on the Dexter cow we sold last year.  A neighbor had found her wandering and locked her
in his barnyard, got the ear tag number and reported her to 911.  They took the number and found her 
original owner (other side of the State), who gave them our name and phone number.  We in turn were able to give 911 the new 
owner's phone number and addresss, which was just around the corner from the finder!  Guess the old fence
had shorted out on tall grass or deer had taken down the electric, since cow was VERY respectful of electric 
fence.  But anyway she got out and went cruising.  We didn't hear anything back again from 911, so we 
presume her present owners collected her and everything worked out.

Without that ear tag, no one would have had a starting place to find the owners.  Not sure when cow would 
have been missed, to be reported by the owners.  Finder thought she was a young heifer, never heard of 
Dexters or their being so small.  We told 911 she was full grown, made them laugh!  Would have been 
easy to miss connecting with a "calf" description because of her size.  Totally losing her would hurt, she 
was not cheap to buy from us.

Good luck with your new herd.  Be respectful of the bull, even if he stays VERY FRIENDLY.  He is a bull, 
they DON'T NEED reasons to act badly, they just SUDDENLY decide to do it!!  Get your routine developed
so the cattle quickly learn what you expect.  If you plan to milk, you may want to run the cattle into the 
barn on a daily basis, put them in milking stalls or stanchions for a handful of grain so they are comfortable
with this after they calve.  What you do with the bull with cows in barn, should be planned too.  Maybe he comes 
in to watch from the fence, maybe goes into a box stall for his grain or is fed outside in a pan.  Just should be 
done consistantly, so when you start milking, no one gets upset.  Usually letting them see each other keeps
things calmer, but cattle vary, so do what SAFELY works for you.


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## LovinLife (Sep 21, 2011)

Thanks for the info. We had to replace the solar elec fence charger and now we have to replace the AC charger. I don't know why they aren't working. I have the bull tied up right now and am keeping a close eye on him. He's doing a great job chewing down some tall weeds we had growing by the garden. The girls aren't testing the fence and are content with staying in even though the fence isn't hot.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Sep 21, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

> Thanks for the info. We had to replace the solar elec fence charger and now we have to replace the AC charger. I don't know why they aren't working. I have the bull tied up right now and am keeping a close eye on him. He's doing a great job chewing down some tall weeds we had growing by the garden. The girls aren't testing the fence and are content with staying in even though the fence isn't hot.


Are you getting a good ground?  When we first put our electric fence up, we didn't have a really good ground, and it wasn't working.  After we got a better metal rod into the ground with wire on it going up to the box it worked.  Just a thought.  Or perhaps if there is anything shorting the wire out.  Sometimes bark from trees gets on ours and weakens the strength of the shock drastically!  

Can't wait to see some pictures of your new herd!


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## LovinLife (Sep 21, 2011)




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## LovinLife (Sep 21, 2011)

Stubbornhillfarm said:
			
		

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It's not that the lines aren't hot. It's the actual power source is failing. I'm going to get another charger today and hopefully that will do it. I'll let you know what happens.


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## theawesomefowl (Sep 21, 2011)

Lovely cows--beautiful colors!


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## WildRoseBeef (Sep 21, 2011)

Nice pics.

Just a word of caution though, I'd be real careful about letting your kids hang around a Jersey bull like that.  

And that brockle-faced brindle heifer needs a bit more groceries too.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Sep 21, 2011)

Nice looking herd!  I like how they are all very different looking.  Sorry if you posted it and I missed it, but how old are they?  I am just trying to compare.  My two little bottle fed Jersey steers are pretty small compared to yours.


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## LovinLife (Sep 21, 2011)

WildRoseBeef said:
			
		

> Nice pics.
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> Just a word of caution though, I'd be real careful about letting your kids hang around a Jersey bull like that.
> 
> And that brockle-faced brindle heifer needs a bit more groceries too.


Yeah I was standing right behind them while DH took the pic. And I didn't let them hang out for long. I only put DD on the ground for a second.


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## Bossroo (Sep 21, 2011)

If you value your kids... make sure they are at least 2 very HOT fences away from that BULL immediately. All bulls are dangerous, but the dairy bulls much more so. The Jersey bulls rank at the very top of that catagory. Yes, I worked with beef, dwarf, and dairy bulls at UCD. And YES, I have had quite a few close calls. So I have first hand experience.   That electric fence will NOT hold in a Jersey bull when he gets an idea that there in a HOT lady friend nearby. Build yourself a corral with 6' tall 4"very heavy diameter   STEEL posts with STEEL top and 2 other rails and at least 4"x 4" very heavy gauge  steel panels. Then add electric wires on the inside.  That may just hold a JERSEY BULL.  Also, I would very serously recommend you purchase a mutimillion $$$$$$$ liability insurance policy to cover you in case of a death or injury to a person  caused by your Jersey bull. That is if you can find an insurance company to sell you that policy. If this bull was mine, I would immediately send him to freezer camp... like yesterday. NOT worth the risk. Good luck.


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## PattySh (Sep 21, 2011)

I agree, get some round pen panels to keep the Bull behind. Jersey bulls can be a terror. I certainly wouldn't let kids anywhere in a pasture with one. He may have been a bit tired from his travel but he sure will perk up!  Seeing those little ones near that bull made my hair stand up.


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## Royd Wood (Sep 21, 2011)

Great pics - agree with Karin Sugar needs a meal or 2
I'm sure she will fill out with you guys pampering her. Eddie looks great but please please be careful


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## PattySh (Sep 21, 2011)

I want to add the pic of the kids and the bull scared me but he is really gorgeous!!!!! You have a nice little herd there. I am also curious how old are they?


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## CESpeed (Sep 22, 2011)

Bossroo said:
			
		

> If you value your kids... make sure they are at least 2 very HOT fences away from that BULL immediately. All bulls are dangerous, but the dairy bulls much more so. The Jersey bulls rank at the very top of that catagory. Yes, I worked with beef, dwarf, and dairy bulls at UCD. And YES, I have had quite a few close calls. So I have first hand experience.   That electric fence will NOT hold in a Jersey bull when he gets an idea that there in a HOT lady friend nearby. Build yourself a corral with 6' tall 4"very heavy diameter   STEEL posts with STEEL top and 2 other rails and at least 4"x 4" very heavy gauge  steel panels. Then add electric wires on the inside.  That may just hold a JERSEY BULL.  Also, I would very serously recommend you purchase a mutimillion $$$$$$$ liability insurance policy to cover you in case of a death or injury to a person  caused by your Jersey bull. That is if you can find an insurance company to sell you that policy. If this bull was mine, I would immediately send him to freezer camp... like yesterday. NOT worth the risk. Good luck.


Posts like this make me want to disregard any posts regarding the dangers of bulls.  It's  soooooo melodramatic.  I get that people on this forum are not bull people, but we must remember that even for those who AI, bulls are necessary to keep cattle herds going and somebody has got to own them. 

I get that because cattle are big even the sweetest one can cause an unintentional injury but this post?  Please.  This is almost as bad as the woman who believes that if she buys a pig, it will eat her.  

That said, I don't know that I would necessarily trust a bull that I just bought unless I knew he had been loved his whole life.  Like any adult animal, unless you know how they were treated growing up, even if you love on them, they do have the potential to turn on you.

You have a beautiful herd.  I can't wait until the day I get mine.


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## jhm47 (Sep 22, 2011)

CESpeed:  I have about 60 years experience with cattle (not just cows).  I also happen to be a semi-retired EMT, and have seen a few things that just might make me somewhat of an "expert" on the bull subject.  

Granted, not all bulls are dangerous.  Probably 75% are not.  Of the remainder, about 20% are only dangerous because they want to play, and believe me, they play rough.  The remaining 5% are the ones that most of us are talking about.  These are the bulls that can turn on a person so quickly that there is no chance of getting to safety.  This can happen in an instant, and it is impossible to predict.  A bull like this can and will kill a person for no reason at all, other than the bull decides he wants to do it.  And---the worst ones are the ones that have been "loved on", and treated like pets.  These bulls are the ones who have no fear of humans, and usually are in close contact with their owners daily.  

When I read about some of those who post here about how to "gentle" their bulls, I cringe.  These people are playing with fire.  The safest thing is to not pet, groom, or have any physical contact with a bull, except when necessary for health reasons.  Keep any interaction with them to a minimum, and make sure that they have a good deal of respect for humans.  I'm not advocating that they be mistreated, or beaten, but just don't make pets of them.  

This has been my experience over the years, and I'm sure that some others will disagree.  That is, until they find one of the bulls in the aforementioned 5%.


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 22, 2011)

CESpeed said:
			
		

> Posts like this make me want to disregard any posts regarding the dangers of bulls.  It's  soooooo melodramatic.  I get that people on this forum are not bull people, but we must remember that even for those who AI, bulls are necessary to keep cattle herds going and somebody has got to own them.
> 
> I get that because cattle are big even the sweetest one can cause an unintentional injury but this post?  Please.  This is almost as bad as the woman who believes that if she buys a pig, it will eat her.
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Since as you said, people on this forum are not "bull people", sometimes points need to be made VERY clearly in order for the seriousness of the matter to be understood.  Bulls are not something to mess around with, and I would never recommend a first time cattle owner to get a bull, a Jersey bull at that.  I've worked with several bulls (on dairy farms) and one in particular kept a bull running with each group of cows.  They ONLY kept young bulls, and it was made very clear to me to keep one eye on the bull at all times when I was in with the cows. I was told if a bull even looked at me cross ways to let them know and that bull would be shipped out immediately.  Bulls can go from "fine" to "stomp you" in a split second.  

It's not that bulls can cause an unintentional injury, it's that some bulls WILL try to kill you.  Dairy bulls are nothing to mess with.  Yes, bulls are needed to continue having cattle, but there's a reason AI became so popular!  Many dairies don't keep a bull at all anymore, simply because they're so much work to keep contained and they're so dangerous.


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## Bossroo (Sep 22, 2011)

CESpeed said:
			
		

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Think what you may... but i have first hand experience with many breeds of beef and dairy bulls so I have to state the real world facts.  My father was a Vet. that worked with dairies when  keeping a bull was the norm before AI. He told us kids many a story of severly injured farmers and of THREE ( he saw one of his clients actually in the act of being killed in the bull pen being tossed like a rag doll, my dad tried to help but that farmer was already dead)  that were KILLED during the 1950's decade in the 1 county in Cal. that he worked. Yes, bulls need to be kept in the AI age. However, bulls are kept and cared for by professional bull handlers in very secure envronments and as safe as possible working conditions.  NO amatures anywhere near.


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## animalfarm (Sep 22, 2011)

I own 2 bulls.

One a  1700 lb Belted Galloway, the other a 2200. lb Black Angus. Both are mellow sweet hearts. I will not touch them, or encourage them to be social in any way. I have no fear of herding them, getting up close, or going in their pasture, but I know where they are at all times before I do, and I have my eye on them always and have an escape route on stand by. Do not assume that diving over the fence is an escape route. I have to go out and replace a whole line of fencing today, because the Angus was playing and snapped the posts like spaghetti. Bulls are for experienced people; not beginners. If you do not know cow language and treat them like lap dogs (another problem) you will get hurt. Take a look at a ranchers pasture truck and see what kind of damage a regular momma cow can do and multiple that out. Think mad Rhino in Bull's clothing charging or an Elephant stepping on your toes.

I have never had cause for concern, until the Galloway took exception to my adult son. He gave him plenty of warnings to leave, and I my son did with out ever doubting the outcome of staying or ever again assuming the Bull is a good ole boy. If ever a warning wasn't issued or you didn't know how to read the signs,  you would be in deep doodoo. 

I also had a proud cut yearling Jersey bull with horns, show up and if you ever saw how he treated my herd, you would cringe. He was a pet that made his way here from a neighbour, and he was dangerous. He made a quick trip to the auction and we were pleased to help him get there; they got the proceeds minus the transport fee and no, the law did not object.

Has this issue been over emphasized? Not nearly. I don't advocate not owning a bull, but you owe it to yourself and your family to not put your guard down for even the 2 seconds you put that child down to take a picture. You got lucky, when the luck runs out there is no going back.


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

Yeah thanks for all the advice.


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## kelsey2017 (Sep 22, 2011)

What happened to the pictures?  I went through this thread a couple time and don't see any pictures!   Please help.


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

kelsey2017 said:
			
		

> What happened to the pictures?  I went through this thread a couple time and don't see any pictures!   Please help.


I deleted them because everyone was freaking out about it.


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## WildRoseBeef (Sep 22, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

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We weren't freaking out about your pictures, more about bull safety than anything.  Your pictures are very nice, please  put them back up again!


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## animalfarm (Sep 22, 2011)

Yes, we are freaking about bull safety, and we are a bunch of Debbie Downers ruining what should have been and was a happy announcement. I appologize for jumping on the band wagon and would also like to see your pictures; I was looking for them when I got caught up in the all the Bull. My bad.


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## CESpeed (Sep 22, 2011)

Believe it or not, I'm not arguing with experience; I do respect the advice given on this forum or I wouldn't continue posting here.  All I was saying is that one shouldn't thrown the baby with the bath water.  

As jhm47 said, only 5% of bulls are deliberately dangerous.  75% of them are perfectly okay.  My only point was it's not fair to demonize every bull because a few are truly dangerous ones.  At least there is a more balanced conversation going on that will allow newbies to make up their own minds with information both pro and con, rather than make a decision based on fear because of the actions of a few bad animals.


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## manybirds (Sep 22, 2011)

everybody keeps saying nice cow's and beautiful colors but i have yet to see pics????


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## aggieterpkatie (Sep 22, 2011)

CESpeed said:
			
		

> Believe it or not, I'm not arguing with experience; I do respect the advice given on this forum or I wouldn't continue posting here.  All I was saying is that one shouldn't thrown the baby with the bath water.
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> As jhm47 said, only 5% of bulls are deliberately dangerous.  75% of them are perfectly okay.  My only point was it's not fair to demonize every bull because a few are truly dangerous ones.  At least there is a more balanced conversation going on that will allow newbies to make up their own minds with information both pro and con, rather than make a decision based on fear because of the actions of a few bad animals.


So, not to be a smart alec, but how are you to know which ones are part of the dangerous ones?  Isn't it better to assume they're all dangerous?


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)




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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

Eddie


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## manybirds (Sep 22, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

> http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa203/aebertowski/DSC_0841.jpg


those r some really really pretty cows. hope u enjoy them!


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## kelsey2017 (Sep 22, 2011)

Oh nice! Thank you for reposting the pictures.  It is really fun to see the different patterns they come out with.  I like the one with the speckled face- how cute!


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Sep 22, 2011)

So pretty.


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

kelsey2017 said:
			
		

> Oh nice! Thank you for reposting the pictures.  It is really fun to see the different patterns they come out with.  I like the one with the speckled face- how cute!


Thanks. The speckle face is Sugar. She's so little! She's the most shy. Honey's our big girl and is due to have Eddie's calf in December!  I can't wait but I'm also wishing it wasn't going to be the middle of winter when she has her baby!


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> So pretty.


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

animalfarm said:
			
		

> If you do not know cow language and treat them like lap dogs (another problem) you will get hurt.


How do I learn this language you speak of? Do they have Rosetta Stone for "cow language"?


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## animalfarm (Sep 22, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

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That is a good looking bull.  Don't know what you have for shelter, but it will be ok. Don't interfer with mom if she is a newbie, but watch carefully and make sure the calf gets dried off reasonably well. Then just pile a lot of hay on top of it leaving the head peaking out. Body heat will then dry the calf completely and it will be good to go. Try to leave them  alone as much as possible so they can bond. Thats the hard part. I have a Jersey bred to calve every Feb. and I keep her in a box stall at night when I think she is close to popping. She has calved at -30C and its been just fine. I like to put a calf jacket on for a few weeks when the weather is that cold because they have access to the outside after 24 hrs. and if it decides to snow or rain or what ever, the calf doesn't get chilled. Jerseys don't have a lot of fat and hair to work with.


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## LovinLife (Sep 22, 2011)

Does a steer have the same behavior problems?


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## animalfarm (Sep 22, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

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Thats the fun part.  You stand back where you are not observed by your darlings, and spend a lot of hours, days, weeks, months, years watching them interact. Watch how they treat each other at feeding time ect...they won't always be loving to each other down right rough as a matter of fact, and that is why we are all preaching safety; its not just for bulls. Just learn how cows treat each other in different circumstances.

Make sure you stay dominant in the herd. Don't baby them. If you want them to move over be firm about it and don't let them ever get the idea that they can rub on you. You only pet them when they stand nicely and don't eat your clothes. Don't pet the bull on the head; it can trigger the butting instinct. Never let them stick their heads in the feed bucket while you are carrying it or crowd up behind you when you are walking in the pasture. 

Since you have a cow, heifer and a bull there are some things to start looking for now.

#1  Watch for signs that the heifer is in heat. The cow will be jumping all over her. The bull will be too and then do not go in there for any reason. That is when your bull will lose his brains for sure. Even if he is far away, he will lose his brains. He will be standing staring at his beloved and bellowing his brains out. Don't count on getting any sleep if you aren't letting them breed at the time. Don't try to handle him and make sure every one stays clear. Do not pet him through the fence; you could end up with a broken arm with a simple toss of the head. When you know the cow/heifer is cycling, write it down so that you will be able to watch for it every 3 weeks and not accidently mess with the bull at the wrong time. 
(women will be more tolerated than men at this time, but be careful, you don't want to be his girl friend).

The heifer will be contributing to the noise polution as well, if they are separated. You will know when the cycle is over, it gets quiet and the heifer quits making a fool of herself and walking the fence line and gets back to eating. The bull does the same and gets his act back together.

#2  If  a cow or bull starts giving you the stink eye and you will recognize a stink eye when you get one, and pawing the ground, make a calm exit backwards keeping your eye on them at all times. They will calm down if you back away. Keep backing up till the behavior stops. Thats the line in the sand; don't cross it again until the cause is determined and taken care of. Maybe you are a grandma. High head means they are on alert and deciding flight or stay put; don't approach if you don't want them to run away. Wait and see if they calm down. Just stand and talk to them. Head down low and stink eye means fight. Watch for pawing; stay well back. If you see pawing without any of the head stuff its still bad.

#3  A momma with a new calf can be every bit as dangerous as a rampaging bull. Dairy cows have more socialization, and that really helps, but do approach slowly while watching for the stink eye and pawing. Don't get trapped between the cow and a wall. Over time you will learn how your cow will be; just open the door slowly, and give her plenty of time to think before getting up close and personal.

#4  Jersey cows just have loopy moments. They can run around bucking and snorting and acting like hyper-active 2 yr olds. Might be playful high jinks but it might be they will run right over top of you if you try to get them to do something. I learned that the hard way when one didn't come in for milking one night and I went looking for her; she made her point and the milking was skipped. She was back to normal in the morning but I was a tad nervous.  I call it cow PMS. 

These are the main things to watch for because they involve life and limb;  the rest you can/will learn by time and trial. 

How old is the heifer?


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## WildRoseBeef (Sep 22, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

> Does a steer have the same behavior problems?


What do you mean? Like that of a bull or what?

Edit: that brindle colouration is probably the neatest thing to see on a bovine.   I like that dark-faced brindle, more because of the colour pattern than anything.


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## LovinLife (Sep 23, 2011)

WildRoseBeef said:
			
		

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Yes, do they behave badly like a bull or since the testosterone has been mostly removed do they calm down?


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Sep 23, 2011)

Lovinlife,  I know that your post has kept you busy with questions, etc.  But do you know how old your heifer and cow are?  I just want to compare to my two Jersey steer that we have.  Yours are much bigger.  Everytime I look at your pictures, I just can't get over the variation in your herd.  Sooooo cool!!


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## LovinLife (Sep 23, 2011)

Stubbornhillfarm said:
			
		

> Lovinlife,  I know that your post has kept you busy with questions, etc.  But do you know how old your heifer and cow are?  I just want to compare to my two Jersey steer that we have.  Yours are much bigger.  Everytime I look at your pictures, I just can't get over the variation in your herd.  Sooooo cool!!


Eddie is 17 months old and stands about 40" tall, Sugar (white on face) stands about 38" tall and is 11 months old, and Honey (big girl, all brindle) stands about 45" tall and will be 2 yrs old on Christmas day.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Sep 23, 2011)

Oh thanks!  I feel better now.  My little guys are only between 6-7 months old.  Now I have something to look forward to as yours look great!


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## WildRoseBeef (Sep 23, 2011)

LovinLife said:
			
		

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Steers are a lot calmer and more trustworthy than a bull is.  They are even more so if a bull calf is castrated at a young age, like right after birth or a week to two months after birth.  A bull cut after maturity will retain his physical bully characteristics, and from my experience some also retain their bullish behaviour, even if they can't breed.  We had one staggy steer that only had one nut that needed to be cut and he still retained his bull-like behaviour: mounting the other steers, rubbing his head in the dirt, or even occasionally making himself get an erection, overall causing trouble in the herd and making the steers a bit more anxious and nervous than what was needed.  Reason being was that he wasn't cut until he was like 12 or 14 months old. But we had another bull from another steer herd that we had cut when he was around the same age and he really quietened down, and didn't cause any trouble for the steers he was living with.  

I've also noticed that some of the steers we had behaved like bulls for some odd reason even though they were castrated.  I remember a number of years back we had a group of Angus steers that would rub their heads in the dirt making bull pits in the pasture and the corral, and be an overall pain in the rear for the rest of the steer herd.  Had a few other cases like that.  

But overall, 90% (or 95%) of the time a steer should and will be better behaved and less unpredictable than a bull or even a cow with a new calf because the sex hormones are removed or allowed to clean out of his system after getting castrated.  

Note though, that if you cut a bull after reaching puberty (like if you decided to steer your new Jersey bull), he will still retain his physical bullish looks and may still act bully two to four weeks after getting castrated, because it does take at least two weeks for the testosterone to completely empty out of his system.  He should calm down a bit after that time period has passed.


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## PattySh (Sep 23, 2011)

I have 2 Jersey/Holsteins. A heifer and a steer. Tinkerbelle, the heifer is calmer and more trustworthy than the steer. We have handled her, lead trained her etc because she will be our milk cow (hopefully anyhow we just had her bred and am playing the waiting game). We didn't handle Red, the steer much as he is freezer beef this fall. He is similar age to your bull. He runs around more, is pushy, and I don't trust him. He'll run right at you and he doesn't seem to have any patience. No way can I walk in the pasture with a bucket of grain, bad enough I have to pop him with a hay bale to make him back off so I can feed it out. He's much bolder than she is. I castrated him at a month old or so but I wouldn't trust kids with him. He has also taken down the electric fence several times and gone wandering.  Horse whip works good to use to direct him towards home. I have round pen panels and I will say they have come in very handy when I've had to contain him. He can jump a 4 foot fence, couldn't believe it until I saw it, he jumped right into the yard! Couldn't figure out how he was getting out as the gate was locked and fence intact. Early spring he was so bad he spent some serious time behind those panels! The minus without a bull tho is it took forever to catch Tinkerbelle in heat.  Finally got her AIed at 22 mos. Red cannot escape the round pen panels and I have them attached to the side of the barn so he can come in and out of a stall. If he is in the pasture I don't let my 5 yr old grandson in there with him. I am always happy to get steers in the freezer, they've always been brats.


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## WildRoseBeef (Sep 23, 2011)

Patty, we've had steers like that too.  So really it's all down to individual personality of a steer as far as how much you can trust him and how far you have to go to assert your dominance.  

We've also had heifers before, and I also totally agree with you Patty.  Heifers were totally more calmer and quieter than steers were, and the one heifer herd we got over 15 years ago we had less troubles with than with any other steer herd we've had before of after then. 

It's a different story when there's a calf involved though, right after birth and during weaning.


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