Just got my first cow!

[Iain Utah]

After 5+ years of trying to convince my husband to let me get cows, I finally talked him into a pair of mini-cows (lowlines to be exact). When we went to get them 250 miles away from our place, my husband refused to leave the british white cow behind (who was in the pen with the minis). So... we wound up getting three cows! The biggest one is 2yo and full size (and possibly pregnant), and the littlest one is a bottle raised yearling who thinks she's a puppy dog and will likely not make it to the 2yo size. The white one is also a yearling and I am told she will be full-size medium cow when mature. Although we have had horses for over 20 years, poultry for 15 years, and pigs for 4 years, we have never had cows before. My #1 concern is integrating them into the pasture with our horses, who were terrified of the cows upon arrival yesterday. Fortunately, we are in no rush to integrate until they are fully used to our place, can be haltered and led like our horses, and I feel they will not get hurt when turned out. Any tips for care and integration are greatly appreciated!!

 

[sourland]

Good luck with your new herd.

 

[rjmyooper]

Lucky Cows!

 

[Arosie]

Looks like you have great hay. I haven't kept mine with horses, so I wouldn't be the one to know about that. But good luck anyway!

 

[Iain Utah]

Thanks! I am very pleased with our new girls. I feel SUPER lucky to have a reliable excellent quality hay source. I never would have purchased cows in this drought if I didn't have my hay guy! However, it kills me to feed hay this time of year when we have an 8 acre pasture that my horses cannot keep up with. So, the sooner we get everyone gentled and used to each other, the better! We plan to purchase halters tomorrow and begin that adventure this weekend.

 

[RiverOtter]

Congrats! Cows are awesome, I love my cows!
As a horse person who has cows, let me just say cows are easy. And you won't really teach them to pick up their feet - they're not built to stand on 3 legs. And you don't actually have to halter train them. You don't take them places, and they'll quickly and easily learn to follow a bucket. They're just so easy and relaxing and low-key!! I love milking, it's very meditative.

One important thing, you mentioned a pair. If you mean you have an intact bull, that's a mistake waiting to happen. Everything you have heard about bulls is accurate, not exaggeration, yes, they're that dangerous. If you insist on keeping him intact (my favorite way to keep bulls is in frozen straws) do not handle him. Don't tame him, don't pet him, don't feed him treats. You want him to not get in your space. Ever. If you can pet his head, all you have taught him is that he can put his head - aka, his main weapon - in your personal bubble.
I have an intact Tibetan yak bull. If I could get yaks in little straws, his testes would be off instantly. As soon as the desired cows are bred, the vet is coming out and they're gone. Because as soon as he realized he was a big, grown-up boy, he also realized that he can, and, in his mind, should, kill whatever bothers him. Now, I got him already tame, he spent his first 6 months in a petting zoo, I knew I was getting a time bomb, I have some heavy pipe panels and a head-gate and chute to handle him, a bull-proof pen and once he hit about 16 months (and please note, yaks mature MUCH later than cattle) I became the only one to go near or care for him, because I know how. Stallions are a cinch, comparatively (I own those too)
I don't want to harsh your buzz! I'm happy for you. I really love my cows, and I hope you are as happy with yours. I just don't want to see you hurt. And it's literally safer to have a pet lion than a pet bull