# Should we give our new cow company?



## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 14, 2011)

We have a new 13 week old heifer coming tonight.  She is  not weaned.  We are planning on keeping her in the barn for about a week before we turn her out to get her used to us, the other cows and hopefully keep her from trying to find her mother.  We were thinking that maybe we should put one of our other young steers in with her to keep her company.  He is kind of the 3rd wheel in our trio and maybe they would bond.  Would this help her or make things worse?  Just trying to make her transition as easy as possible for her (and us!).  Thanks in advance for your suggestions!


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## Hillsvale (Jul 14, 2011)

I think she needs a goat!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 14, 2011)

Hillsvale,  You're funny and if she asks me for a goat, I will consider it for sure!  Otherwise, I think we are tapped out with additions to the farm for a while.  Of course we do have to get a donkey or mule at some point in time.  That will make Stubborn Hill Farm complete!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 18, 2011)

Well didn't get any responses, but all is going well.  Here is our new girl.  She is fitting in great and after one long night of constant bellowing, she calming down and seems to be very happy.


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## redtailgal (Jul 18, 2011)

.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks redtailgal.  Her coat is a really deep red color.  That's the color my hair used to be!  LOL


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## Hillsvale (Jul 18, 2011)

I don't have cattle so I have little understanding of them but is she tied up?... is this because she is just a baby? I still think she needs a goat.


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## goodhors (Jul 18, 2011)

Lovely calf.   I like the red-edged ears! 

She does appear tied up, which could be dangerous to her if she tangles in the rope.  Really easy to get a loop around a leg and rope burn her pretty badly.  Post sticking up from tire rim is a possible sharp implement for injury if she runs over the tire trying to escape or playing about.  Not something I would have in with any of my animals.

A suggestion would be to just put a very long lead rope on her halter, something kind of stiff in ropes, cotton, not that braided plastic rope.  We use about 14ft of rope dragging on our calves when we first get them.  Even if calf stands out of reach, that long tail lets you get hold of it to snag them.  I go out a couple times a day, walk behind the calf until it stops, pick up the rope, walk up the rope holding calf in place.  Scratch behind their ears, down the windpipe, give them some grain or alfalfa pellets for reward.  Then toss the rope down and walk away.   They may need to drag a rope for a couple weeks, until the calf quits running when we approach because GOOD things happen when we come out to calf.  We have very clean paddocks and pasture, no machinery or things that dragging rope can snag on.  This method works very well for us, cattle come right over to see what you are doing, both young and older animals.  You just never know if people have a snack for cows!!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 18, 2011)

Yes, she was tied.  The first day we had her in a stall in the barn.  We put one of our other young cows in with her.  She seemed to be doing well, but seemed to think that our biggest steer was her mother!  She could see him on occassion and it seemed to bother her.  So we put her outside tied, so that she could see the rest of the herd, but wouldn't run off looking for her mother.  We are new with cattle and had some horrendous experiences with our first two cows!  Learned a lot and obviously have a lot more to learn.  We got her thursday night.  She spent Friday inside, Saturday outside tied, and yesterday we let her off because it was obvious she wasn't going anywhere.  So as of yesterday she was just one of the herd.  Not tied up.  She is very pretty.  I am sure she would like a goat but I guess we better figure out how to handle cows before we get into goats!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 18, 2011)

goodhors said:
			
		

> Lovely calf.   I like the red-edged ears!
> 
> She does appear tied up, which could be dangerous to her if she tangles in the rope.  Really easy to get a loop around a leg and rope burn her pretty badly.  Post sticking up from tire rim is a possible sharp implement for injury if she runs over the tire trying to escape or playing about.  Not something I would have in with any of my animals.
> 
> A suggestion would be to just put a very long lead rope on her halter, something kind of stiff in ropes, cotton, not that braided plastic rope.  We use about 14ft of rope dragging on our calves when we first get them.  Even if calf stands out of reach, that long tail lets you get hold of it to snag them.  I go out a couple times a day, walk behind the calf until it stops, pick up the rope, walk up the rope holding calf in place.  Scratch behind their ears, down the windpipe, give them some grain or alfalfa pellets for reward.  Then toss the rope down and walk away.   They may need to drag a rope for a couple weeks, until the calf quits running when we approach because GOOD things happen when we come out to calf.  We have very clean paddocks and pasture, no machinery or things that dragging rope can snag on.  This method works very well for us, cattle come right over to see what you are doing, both young and older animals.  You just never know if people have a snack for cows!!


Thanks for the advice!  We certainly learn a lot from others who have much more experience.  We are spending a lot of time socializing with her.  She has never had a halter and lead on and is actually really easy to walk.  She's just a natural.  Our other two little nuckleheads, not so much!


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## stano40 (Jan 28, 2012)

Beautiful calf.  I have 13 goats and from experience since the very first goat we bought we did learn that herd animals like goats need a companion, such a another goat to socialize with and learn. 

Cattle are herd animals and a calf would probably do better with another of his or her age to socialize with.

May even stick closer to the barn.  Do you have a corral for the little one to exercise in?

bob


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## Royd Wood (Jan 28, 2012)

Stubbornhill - nice heifer you had there. I know its an old post and missed it first time round
Hows she doing now ?? Good buddies with your other steers I bet ???


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 30, 2012)

Stano,  sorry if I didn't make myself clear back when I originally posted.  We do have other bovine and she is, (was going to be) with them.  We just weren't sure if when we first put her in the barn to get her used to her new home if we should put one of the others in with her for a few days.  It ended up that she was out with the rest of the herd after a day anyhow.  (much easier then the first steer we got who went for long walks in the woods, like 4 miles  several times  to find his mother)  No corral at our farm since the first steer.  He jumped that 4 1/2 foot corral fence like it was a mud puddle.  Then went for one of his walks as mentioned above!  So we have the barn and their pasture with electric fence which they all respect.  

Thanks Royd,  we think she is exceptional!  She is super smart, very stocky, has an awesome personality, lets you touch her all over. We believe that she is going to be a big girl and hopefully will be a good mother.   We are hoping to have her bred in the fall and from that point on, unless something changes, we will move forward with a small herd of herefords.  Out of the three breeds that we currently have, we like every aspect about her the best.  She is #2 in the chain of command and I am sure that when we put our Baldie steer in the freezer this fall that she will step up to be the herd leader.  

They are all one happy herd!  This is the most recent pic of her that we have.  Taken about 3 months ago.


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## stano40 (Jan 30, 2012)

Glad to hear she is doing fine.  Your walkabout steer sounds like my goats jumping a 4'-5' high fence.  You would never think it possible until you see it happen.

That last photo you took is a keeper.  She is a beauty and should produce beautiful babies.

best of luck with her.

bob


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## WildRoseBeef (Jan 30, 2012)

Stubbornhill, how old is she now?  I've been hearing some concerns about high-tail set in relation to problems calving, but there was also talk about high-tail set and a downward sloping pelvis (sloping down from the hooks to the pins) correlates to ease of calving.  So hopefully she'll grow to be a good momma, and she's obviously still in the growing stages still.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 30, 2012)

WRB, she is about 10 months old.  Her tail does sit a little higher than our two Jerseys that are roughly the same age.  I just though it was because they are a different breed and she is a more solid build then they are.  It never occured to me that there may be something wrong.  I also hope that she grows into a good momma.  She has an awesome personality and as I said, is super smart.  We certainly would be happy with a whole herd like her!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 30, 2012)

stano40 said:
			
		

> Glad to hear she is doing fine.  *Your walkabout steer sounds like my goats jumping a 4'-5' high fence.*  You would never think it possible until you see it happen.
> 
> That last photo you took is a keeper.  She is a beauty and should produce beautiful babies.
> 
> ...


This is why I say, "If I didn't have to work, I would get some goats."  But the truth of the matter is, when I hear all the stories about goats doing goat things, I fear that I just don't have the time to keep a good eye on them.  My boss was somewhat understanding when I kept saying, "Sorry I am late.  We had to go track our cow through the woods again!"  I don't know that he would be as understanding if I kept saying that I was late because I had to track my goats down.


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## WildRoseBeef (Jan 30, 2012)

Stubbornhillfarm said:
			
		

> WRB, she is about 10 months old.  Her tail does sit a little higher than our two Jerseys that are roughly the same age. * I just though it was because they are a different breed and she is a more solid build then they are.*


Not so.  I've seen pictures on another forum of Hereford cows with much lower tail head set than your heifer, and it's not due to breed, but rather genetics _within_ the breed. 

Some good discussion here: http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=75350


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 31, 2012)

WildRoseBeef said:
			
		

> Stubbornhillfarm said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Interesting discussion.  She is 10 months old now.  In the picture she was 7 months.  Time will tell!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 31, 2012)




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