When I was a kid I remember farmers walking there cows across the road to get them to the barn, or moving them to another pasture. Seems like the cows walked along nicely none strayed away ect. My question is anyone still do this or did it in the past, or still see it in your area, I'm talking about dairy cows, maybe the same can be done with beefs.
- Thread starter JayinNY
- Start date
Logan in S.E. Texas
Member
My father handled his small heard (15-20 head) with a feed bucket. They were trained to follow the feed. Now there is always at last one cow that is skiddish are just plain stupid and will take off running down the road, but be patient, don't chase her and she will "heard up" within the hour. Cows by nature are heard animals and want to be with familiar animals.
Rollie NE PA
Well-known Member
There ia an "Educational Farm" 2 miles from me that crosses cows to pasture. The farm has alot of volunteer help so it makes it easy to control the cows.
It must be nice to farm with volunteer help.
Untitled URL Link
It must be nice to farm with volunteer help.
Untitled URL Link
Rollie NE PA
Well-known Member
35 years ago I can remember letting the cows out of the pasture gate onto the road, the cows had to go about 200 ft to the barnyard. A lady driver figured she didn't have to stop and give the cows the right of way and drove slowly in to the heard. She finally had to stop and when she did one of the cows stuck its head in thur the cars open window and gave her a big lick on the face. I can still hear the scream!
I move my small herd (15 to 20 plus calves) across the road just that way. I due put up temporary wire. The older cow know exactly what is going on when I start putting wire up. They will go to the gate and wait on me to open it. Once I open it, sometime they will run past me to go across and some times they will alow me to lead them.
JWalker
JWalker
Formerly PaMike
Member
I do this with steers. No kidding. I have about 7 pastures and I rotate between the pastures. They are holstein steers, and relativly tame. About 20 animals in all. They know when I come out and bang on the bucket its time to move to the next one. They follow me down the lane. Most times single file. One used to follow me so close one day he steped on the heel of my boot as I was walking...
Moved 150 head of beef cattle to pasture 2 weeks ago, needed to clean off the last of the growth before winter sets in. 5 men, 2 pickups, and 2 Rangers. Moved them about 1.5 miles right down the road. When I worked cattle full time I would train them with a cattle call, every time we switched pastures to new grass I would call em, didn't take long for them to figure it out and they would follow my calls about anywhere as long as no strangers were around.
valleview
Member
We have a small herd of beef cattle that we let out to pasture across a paved road once in the spring. They are so happy to go that it only takes a minute and they are out to pasture. When winter arrives, we bring them back up. That can be more difficult, especially the calves. We usually wait until the road is snow covered- it goes better.
Many years ago, we would move dairy cattle twice daily. Traffic was a lot less then- wouldn't want to even think of doing it that way today with the crazy fast drivers out there now.
Many years ago, we would move dairy cattle twice daily. Traffic was a lot less then- wouldn't want to even think of doing it that way today with the crazy fast drivers out there now.
notjustair
Well-known Member
I just moved some like that. They will follow the Gator as they know that's the feed wagon. When you weed out the crazies at the sale barn over time you end up the cows that handle about like a big dog.
We always did when I was a kid. We had one old cow we called Tiny who would let us ride her back across the road in the late afternoon.
Last time I tried to take the dairy cows across was probably 25 years ago. Drivers just got to be too stupid. Cars wouldn't stop,they'd drive right through them.
I have a separate herd of beef cows over there,but they stay there all the time. I take the bull over and back in the trailer and haul the calves in the trailer when I wean them.
Last time I tried to take the dairy cows across was probably 25 years ago. Drivers just got to be too stupid. Cars wouldn't stop,they'd drive right through them.
I have a separate herd of beef cows over there,but they stay there all the time. I take the bull over and back in the trailer and haul the calves in the trailer when I wean them.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I got 6, that follow me around, pretty good, most of the time. When I start the little diesel loader, they perk up their ears, and run to the fence!
Yep, the guy I sell hay to has beef cows, when I pull in with my diesel truck the cows are at the fence, they know its the feed wagon! I feed my cows lawn clippings, every time I start the lawn mower, or just push the hand mower across the lawn there at the fence waiting for grass, even if I'm not mowing any, they certainly aren't dumb! Lol
farmall-puller
New User
Guy out the road from me does that with about 40 head of dairy cows every day,not a very busy road.
We did that with small herds of beef animals years ago when they were pure European breeds. When Brahman cross became popular in Tx,the large ranches started using dogs along with more and faster horses to move thier cross breeds. Didn't take long to realize that rebuilding fence,weight run off in hot weather and expense for extra labor was cutting into profits. You would think there is no way to move 50 head of flop ears from a 1k acre thorn infested Southwest Tx pasture to a corral or another pasture but it's often done by 1 or two people without breaking a sweat. How? Not much different than grand-dad moved cattle 50 years earlier,toot the truck horn, throw 2 gallons of nuggets on the ground,get back in truck,hold feed bag out the window and drive away. Only works if the same person(s)have routinly visted and hand fed the cows. If a stranger drove a strange truck into the pasture,he may as well try geting a bunch of white tail deer comeing to him. And if a rancher asks you to hide until they are in the corral then slam the gate on them,be quick and keep your body outside the swing path of the gate.
john in la
Well-known Member
Up till about 5 years ago when he went out of the dairy business a guy a few miles from me use to cross a small state highway with about 100 to 150 cows 4 times a day.
His milking barn was on one side of the highway and the pasture on the other side of the highway.
His milking barn was on one side of the highway and the pasture on the other side of the highway.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
we still do it ... just beef cows movin to new pasture ,,,
farmer boy
Well-known Member
There was a guy in this area that pastured his cows on land across from the home farm. They walked themselves out there and walked back come milking time. The gates were left open. They could have easily gone a little bit down the road and caused alot of havoc in the neighbour'(s) fields. Hard to believe, but true. Did this up till about 10 years ago. Road was not busy at all.
johndeeregene
Member
the neighbor that rents my place here, keeps around 100 head most of the time but in the fall, he will run his cows back home to pasture on the corn stocks before he will bring them back here for the winter. its about 1 1/2 miles down the road. he has several gators to block the cross roads. my guess that is why he keeps alot of his old cows up here. they know what is goin on. he lets them out an down the road they go. i just love to watch it. he has to convence a few of the younger ones but very few.
my orchard is right along the big hill pasture, we had alot of apples this year. lets just say alot of them old cows just love my mother an wife now. i think they watch for them to head to the orchard to pick apples. they throw all the ones that are on the ground to the cows. some of them even have names now. good thing i dont have any cattle. my wifee would make 1000ld dogs out of them.
my orchard is right along the big hill pasture, we had alot of apples this year. lets just say alot of them old cows just love my mother an wife now. i think they watch for them to head to the orchard to pick apples. they throw all the ones that are on the ground to the cows. some of them even have names now. good thing i dont have any cattle. my wifee would make 1000ld dogs out of them.
Pair-a-dice farm
Well-known Member
I don't cross the road but I still move the cattle from one pasture to the next. I have them trained to my pickup horn and a bag of range cubes. That's the cheapest hired hand you can have. There's always a couple that are late arrivers but I can call them all the way into the coral when needed.
gtractorfan
Well-known Member
In some ways cows aren't dumb. When I was a kid and it was time for milking, when the door was opened the cows came "charging" in to the stantions-- and they KNEW THEIR SAME PLACE. One cow of the group was "Bossy" and had to be the first one in.
Jim in Ma.
Well-known Member
Be careful what you ask for. I work at a working farm museum with a lot of volunteer help. I spend most of my time either picking up after them or fixing things they broke. The management policy is "Don't criticize volunteer help" It's free.
Harold Hubbard
Member
My neighbor keeps a group of about 30-40 cow-calf pairs on my farm part of the summer. He starts them off from the home place, half a mile down the road to my next door neighbor, across the road to my upper pastures, then field by field through my place to my neighbor's on the other side. Later on they move back the opposite way. The first move from his home place is along the road, with non-farm neighbors along the way. He does put up polywire temporarily beside the fancy lawns and driveways to prevent straying. The older cattle have been doing it long enough so they know what is going on. The only trouble comes from calves that can not "see" the gateways. Usually a lot of bellowing from Mom clears up the problem.
Traffic is pretty light, and usually stays out of the way.
Traffic is pretty light, and usually stays out of the way.
Back many years ago, we used to cross them on a state road morning and night... besides the crazy drivers here in the catskills, the worst part was when the state painted the road. a lot of them didn't like the fresh white and yellow paint! had to throw hay/grain down to try and cover it up some. they would "jump" over it.
Was moving some beefers up the road in the winter, same thing - lady decided she didn't have to wait, drives right into the middle of them. But she really panicked when they started licking the salt of her doors and fenders - I think she thought they were ripping off pieces of her car to get to her! Took me a few minutes to get that situation straightened out, 'cause I was laughing too hard. Bet she doesn't do that again...
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