Herd activity centers... Anyone?

[BreanneRN]

This is a good thread. Participation is voluntary. Hard hearted sarcasm says more about the poster than anyone else.

Yes, animals do get bored, do have a social life, and HAPPY animals live more productive lives. That translates to producer making more profit, too.

Cattle given access to pasture, shade, back rub, etc. probably entertain themselves. Calves love running, jumping off a bank or a elevated spot playing king of the mountain. Cows have " besties" as well as those they do not like. At the dairy we have a street cleaner brush mounted vertically that cows adore rubbing on.

My goats will stand for hours playing with chains nailed to the wall. They seem to enjoy the texture and sound. Of course the standard stuff to lay, jump on is available to them.

And, pig.....yeah enrichment is recipe for happy, stay where you put them piggies! Even the chickens enjoy a swing to sit on!

My animals make ultimate sacrifice for my well being. It is only fair I try to make them secure, happy, and stress free.

Sharing what works is great. Please keep this thread going!!!

Thanks for the support! Tell me more about the chains, what seems to interest the goats about them? Do you think they would like wind chimes? Are they big ones, rusty ones, do they lick them? I am currently planning a teeter/totter, a small "tire mountain", and some spools, found some big tractor tires on Craigslist, most likely for free (the ones I want don't have to be good). My ram has always had a basketball that he plays with, but thinking of getting him one of those large exercise balls if I can find one he won't be able to immediately destroy... As for the sarcasm, I'm all good with it (it keeps ME from being bored). Everyone can participate in their own way... And you have to love that pig picture...

 

[BreanneRN]

I'll have to ask my animal psychologist about that.
Mine all need to spend their time raising calves or putting on muscle and I sure wouldn't want any mentally maladjusted livestock around that aren't able to perform or fit into society leading up castration and/or their day trip to slaughter sale.

Hey, the Dr. is in! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QRCX4A...&pd_rd_r=30060df1-a5ef-11e8-a5fe-f399e36ca876

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

Chains look like mini logging chain, will look up size next time at feed store. We use it to secure gates. About a 18 inches long hung by a secure bolt and washer about eye level to a goat. Nails or staples work loose. They love to mouth on them, pick up, drop, make noise. Mostly youngster played with them on rainy days when all indoors. Wind chimes? They would probably like that, just have to be tough enough to take abuse. I have seen pictures of simple swinging rope bridge they enjoy, too. My youngsters love playing king of the mountain on dogloo. Good sturdy outdoor rated plywood makes an awesome slide.

Kids love old tractor tire laid on side to hide in and play on. Drill drain holes so it will not hold water.

Safety issues need consideration. A foot or head getting hung up is dangerous.

 

[BreanneRN]

Chains look like mini logging chain, will look up size next time at feed store. We use it to secure gates. About a 18 inches long hung by a secure bolt and washer about eye level to a goat. Nails or staples work loose. They love to mouth on them, pick up, drop, make noise. Mostly youngster played with them on rainy days when all indoors. Wind chimes? They would probably like that, just have to be tough enough to take abuse. I have seen pictures of simple swinging rope bridge they enjoy, too. My youngsters love playing king of the mountain on dogloo. Good sturdy outdoor rated plywood makes an awesome slide.

Kids love old tractor tire laid on side to hide in and play on. Drill drain holes so it will not hold water.

Safety issues need consideration. A foot or head getting hung up is dangerous.

Yes, safety issues are always a concern, my rams have horns and at one time I considered giving them a tetherball to play with, but felt they might get hung up in it... But this ram seems to be engaged with his...

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

When I had sheep, I never went in pasture or pens without my BC at heel. Ewes, lambs, wethers no problem, but if ram out with them BC's job to keep me safe. Know a lot of folks injured by 'gentle' (until he was NOT!) ram. You be careful around ram!!!

 

[BreanneRN]

When I had sheep, I never went in pasture or pens without my BC at heel. Ewes, lambs, wethers no problem, but if ram out with them BC's job to keep me safe. Know a lot of folks injured by 'gentle' (until he was NOT!) ram. You be careful around ram!!!

Oh, you need not worry, I don't normally go in with a ram ever, unless they escape or I have to do something with them... But I don't have a dog trained to take them on, really... Dora, my Aussie/Black Mouthed Cur mix will help me get them back in their pen if they escape or something (usually by getting them to chase her), but I would not want her to get hurt either. I don't consider any ram to be "gentle", I want mine to be respectful and manageable. A certain amount of training at weaning age is helpful but I avoid confined spaces with them and always take a hoe or rake or something, if I have to go into a pasture with them... I never turn my back on them. My goal is mutual respect. Not because they are so mean, but because their mode of interaction is their head. It is the only language they know! I have 2 rams, the Blackbelly is for sale, hope he goes soon (but he is respectful and not mean, but only 18 mos old). The other one, is going on 3, I will keep him intact for awhile longer, then probably wether him, though not sure I would trust him after that either. Too bad AI isn't easier in sheep... If it was, don't think I would have a ram at all. But that ram in the video doesn't look like he is particularly angry to me, he is just engaging with the ball... If he didn't enjoy it he could stop anytime... and go eat watermelon with that other sheep.

 

[Southern by choice]

I think much depends on your land. Back in the woods there is plenty our goats like to do, mainly climb on and jump on large fallen trees. In the fields we provide simple things like spools, tires, climbing ramps. But when the goat really want to play they usually just run and leap about. It is generally the youngsters/kids that will run on the spools and ramps.
We spend a lot of time with our goats so perhaps we fill that void of boredom. We just don't see boredom issues here.
I do think kids benefit from things provided that they can climb on and leap off etc.
We live in a cattle county and are surrounded by cattle. I never see them do anything but graze or lay down chewing. When real hot they stand in the ponds. LOL

 

[greybeard]

I've heard that term for many years and have always wondered...Exactly what is a 'logging chain'?
I worked in the saw woods here years ago, (equipment operator) have had my place logged about a decade ago. and the chains the loggers use look just like every other big chain you see on any 18 wheeler, same as the ones in the oilfield, or around a heavy construction site.

Oh, and thanks (BreanneRN) for the link to Dr. Lucy.
She thinks I'm over confident and overly comfortable "in my own skin' as she put it, and suspects my cattle are too.
(She did seem a bit upset tho, when I explained that all my cows would posthumously and completely lose their skins at some point...I gave her a hug to, so she wouldn't snowflake out completely and take it out on Charlie Brown....I just hate it when that happens to a cartoon character)

However. I'm only marginally being sarcastic. I really do not want my animals to develop inferiority complexes because I haven't provided them plenty of toys or games to play.
I now see, that they have a need to 'keep up with the Joneses'..so to speak.

After all these decades of raising cows and working on and around cattle/sheep/goat ranches in West Texas,I find out we were all doing it wrong. Who knew?

 

[greybeard]

When real hot they stand in the ponds. LOL

That is predominantly a dark hided trait. Personally, I've never had any cattle wade off into a pond to cool off, tho I did have a newborn calf drown in one a few years back.
You will very rarely see any cattle with Brahman, Longhorn, Charolais or Simmental influence in them need or want to stand in water to cool off.
But, turn one of those into an Angus influenced hybrid or composite, and they'll be much more likely to hit the water.

 

[Southern by choice]

That is predominantly a dark hided trait. Personally, I've never had any cattle wade off into a pond to cool off, tho I did have a newborn calf drown in one a few years back.
You will very rarely see any cattle with Brahman, Longhorn, Charolais or Simmental influence in them need or want to stand in water to cool off.
But, turn one of those into an Angus influenced hybrid or composite, and they'll be much more likely to hit the water.

Interesting, thanks.... yep mostly Angus or Angus cross here. There are lots of dairy cows here too. They don't go in the ponds.