canesisters
Herd Master
Just kind of 'thinking out loud' and wondering if my girl is just being a spoiled brat, if this is 'normal', or if maybe something is up?
My Eva is a lone cow. She seems to do very well without a permanent herd, really doesn't seem to care. Every other year she has a calf that I raise up to about a year for beef.
The current calf is 3months old. In the last month Eva has become SUPER excited at feed time.
Bellowing as soon as she spots me anywhere NEAR feeding time - like in season. Energetically pacing and weaving in the stall to the point that she is tearing up the floor. Aggressively banging the feeder around as much as she can - it's tied to the stanchion. But the 1 day it was loose, she flipped it completely over - and it's HEAVY! She's even loosened the stanchion post from all the shoving against it while she's eating.
She's a mama cow - so of course she's hungry and anxious about getting that nice warm beetpulp mash. But this is over and above what has been normal for her.
I've considered feeding them outside in a shared trough. But I'm using feeding times to teach Blossom to come when she's called & will soon be adding in tying practice.
I've just done a complete cleanout of the barn and am open to ideas that include moving her feeding area or designing something different.
Who else has a cow or cows and feeds/handles them in stalls (like horses)? Can I see your feeder setup?
Maybe feed them outside in the mornings and inside at night? I hate to close up the barn since we seem to be stuck in a weather pattern of more cold rain than dry days.
I've seen where folks considered a panel & tarp hoop house for pasture shelter but the cows scratched and rubbed and tore it down.
Her condition is good. She's jersey/angus so I don't panic when I can see a bit more hip and catch sight of those last couple of ribs. She has a round bale of local grass hay available 24/7. That and 2x daily of soaked beetpulp & cattle cubes has kept her looking good all the way through raising her last 3 calves.
Any ideas?
My Eva is a lone cow. She seems to do very well without a permanent herd, really doesn't seem to care. Every other year she has a calf that I raise up to about a year for beef.
The current calf is 3months old. In the last month Eva has become SUPER excited at feed time.
Bellowing as soon as she spots me anywhere NEAR feeding time - like in season. Energetically pacing and weaving in the stall to the point that she is tearing up the floor. Aggressively banging the feeder around as much as she can - it's tied to the stanchion. But the 1 day it was loose, she flipped it completely over - and it's HEAVY! She's even loosened the stanchion post from all the shoving against it while she's eating.
She's a mama cow - so of course she's hungry and anxious about getting that nice warm beetpulp mash. But this is over and above what has been normal for her.
I've considered feeding them outside in a shared trough. But I'm using feeding times to teach Blossom to come when she's called & will soon be adding in tying practice.
I've just done a complete cleanout of the barn and am open to ideas that include moving her feeding area or designing something different.
Who else has a cow or cows and feeds/handles them in stalls (like horses)? Can I see your feeder setup?
Maybe feed them outside in the mornings and inside at night? I hate to close up the barn since we seem to be stuck in a weather pattern of more cold rain than dry days.
I've seen where folks considered a panel & tarp hoop house for pasture shelter but the cows scratched and rubbed and tore it down.
Her condition is good. She's jersey/angus so I don't panic when I can see a bit more hip and catch sight of those last couple of ribs. She has a round bale of local grass hay available 24/7. That and 2x daily of soaked beetpulp & cattle cubes has kept her looking good all the way through raising her last 3 calves.
Any ideas?
