and speaking of angus cattle.......

Donald Lehman · Dec 4, 2014

I have a angus/holstien cross I am raising for beef. Jeff has never had any experience with angus cattle. She tips the scales at around 450-500 lbs. now and Jeff is discovering just how STRONG a 450 lb angus is compared to a holstien. She is the nicest, tamest thing you ever saw. Lick your hands, lick your face, rub her head up against you for attention. but God help you when she gets loose in the barn and decides she isn't going to go where you want her to go. Most holstiens that size can be grabbed by the neck chain if they won't co-operate and be lead to where you need them to go and a tap or two on the nose with a piece of plastic water pipe will generally control them from running away from your grip. Kinda funny watching this angus drag Jeff around like she was trailing a piece of baler twine............................

Nebraska Cowman · Dec 4, 2014

I routinely get a fresh cow in the barn, never had a hand on her in her life, get down on one knee and milk out enough to feed the calf; many times without the cow even being caught. You would NEVER do that with a Holstein.

INCase · Dec 4, 2014

have a friend who raises dairy cattle but doesn't milk his own.

Any of the Holstein cross breeds he has had have been the most goofy/squirely/difficult/dangerous cows he's ever had. I think he's given up on cross breeds

rrlund · Dec 4, 2014

If you can't move them by making them think it's their idea,you'd better have some real good gates and narrow alleys.
I just caught the next to the last calf about 45 minutes ago. I tried,calmly,to move her in to the corral this morning when I did chores. No luck. I dumped a bucket of silage in there and left them for a few hours. She was outside of it,but I walked around her and she went right in among all the cows that were in there. The other one has calmed down,but there's no sense trying to drive him. It'll just stir him up for another month.

Part Time Pete · Dec 4, 2014

A beef cow to a Holstein is like a linebacker to a golfer. Beef cows are strong, and they're fast.
If you keep them used to being handled, they're pretty docile though.
Psychology definitely works better than force with them.

Pete

JRSutton · Dec 4, 2014

that's a good analogy.

And I'd add that when they kick, that back leg can come a surprising distance out to the side.

Why Worry · Dec 4, 2014

I get a bucket of range cubes and drop "Bread crumbs" kind of like Hansel and Gretel. I also shake/rattle the bucket. It may take a little longer but much less stress on the bovine and me.

bison · Dec 4, 2014

(quoted from post at 10:00:54 12/04/14) I routinely get a fresh cow in the barn, never had a hand on her in her life, get down on one knee and milk out enough to feed the calf; many times without the cow even being caught. You would NEVER do that with a Holstein.

mm,...my experience is a IittIe different,..i never had a first time caIved beef cow or hoIstein act that way unIess they were handIed Iots and tame.

Bison are much safer in that regard,...nobody in his right mind wouId even try to miIk one

bison · Dec 4, 2014

(quoted from post at 10:23:06 12/04/14) have a friend who raises dairy cattle but doesn't milk his own.

Any of the Holstein cross breeds he has had have been the most goofy/squirely/difficult/dangerous cows he's ever had. I think he's given up on cross breeds

had a Angus/hoIstein cross i miIked for 6-7 years, she was just as easy going as the pure hoIsteins i had.

Pair-a-dice farm · Dec 4, 2014

(quoted from post at 13:00:54 12/04/14) I routinely get a fresh cow in the barn, never had a hand on her in her life, get down on one knee and milk out enough to feed the calf; many times without the cow even being caught. You would NEVER do that with a Holstein.

If I remember yours are red? I've got the black variety and some of mine you can handle like that but most you can't. Most everyone near here has black angusx with something, This springs calf crop has been the wildest that I remember. My neighbors have said the same. The only thing different was we had a bad late winter ice storm that stayed on most of the 1st of march. I've never heard of the weather affecting the disposition but this is the same cows and bulls that I had last year.

Gordy in MN · Dec 4, 2014

A couple of friends of mine up by Bemidji Mn wanted me to help sort calves a couple years ago. One had black angus and when they saw me they bolted and that was that.The other guy had red angus and they were like I had feed them everyday. He told me to get in the corral with the bull to load him in the trailer, and I told him that would not work, He was as docile as could be. Go figure.

Donald Lehman · Dec 4, 2014

That's a good analogy. She is tame, but she ain't gonna go anywhere unless it's her idea. Interesting that the red angus are regarded as easier to work with. I have had some experience with 4 or 5 black angus bulls over the years and every one of them was dangerous to work with. Most holstien bulls are just about as bad though, by the time they are 3-4 years old.

T in NE · Dec 4, 2014

Bulls tend to go out on pasture for 3 months then get fed the other 9. The whole "hand that feeds you" deal.

and speaking of angus cattle.......

Donald Lehman

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Nebraska Cowman

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INCase

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rrlund

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Part Time Pete

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JRSutton

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Why Worry

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bison

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bison

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Pair-a-dice farm

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Gordy in MN

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Donald Lehman

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T in NE

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