Neighbor's Bull Bellowing Like Crazy?

beccachow · #1 01/05/10, 07:59 PM

At least I think it is the Bull, can't quite get close enough to see and it is dark out, but I am pretty sure it is. But he is marching/pacing all over the field, yelling like crazy, non-stop. He is in there with his harem who are ignoring him. Anyhow, could something be wrong with him or is this normal behavior-I usually NEVER hear any of them. The neighbor isn't the one who cares for the cow-critters, it is another man who cares for them, he comes in the mornings. I just don't want to call him if I don't need to, or NOT call him if I DO need to. I know nothing about cows at all, I just know this is abnormal for him. I know you can't diagnose a cow over the internet for someone who knows nothing about cattle at all, but do bulls do this on ocassion?

cowkeeper · #2 01/05/10, 08:19 PM

I would risk it, and call the person who looks after them. Unless it's the bull and he is calling to an in heat female in a nearby herd, something is amiss and someone should check the herd. Maybe one of his harem or a calf is outside the fence.ck

genebo · #3 01/05/10, 08:21 PM

Bulls behave that way when a cow is in heat that he can't get to. They also do it when there's another bull within smelling distance.

Cows will do it, too. When they're in heat they can bellow just like a bull.

Cows can also make an awful racket when their calves are taken from them. It last three days, but you'd swear the cow was dying.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

tinknal · #4 01/05/10, 08:32 PM

Sounds like he's in love to me.

beccachow · #5 01/05/10, 08:33 PM

Hmmmm. He is in with his whole crew, so if someone is in heat, he should be able to get to her. COULD be a cow in heat if they bellow real long and low like that, but shouldn't the bull do his...errrr, duty (lol)? I'll walk the fenceline and make sure someone didn't get out.

Genebo, my heart aches every spring when they seperate the calves. Makes me want to cry, too...

tinknal · #6 01/05/10, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beccachow

Hmmmm. He is in with his whole crew, so if someone is in heat, he should be able to get to her. COULD be a cow in heat if they bellow real long and low like that, but shouldn't the bull do his...errrr, duty (lol)? I'll walk the fenceline and make sure someone didn't get out.

Genebo, my heart aches every spring when they seperate the calves. Makes me want to cry, too...

Probably someone elses cow. Is the bull on the up-wind side of the fence?

ksfarmer · #7 01/05/10, 09:24 PM

Are there neighboring cattle? Bulls will call and challenge if they hear or smell another bull in a neighboring pasture.

Madsaw · #8 01/05/10, 10:10 PM

If its long and low and a mean tone to it I would say its nothing to do with a cow in heat. Could be a possible of a few things ranging from a critter the bull dose not want around to a cow or calf in trouble. If he is doing it for any lenght of time. Its time to see what up. I hate doing herd checks at night when the bull has been throwing fits. Very unnerving to see spots of the pasture tore up where they are throwing their fit to scare off something. A good bright spot light and a expendable truck are handy.
Bob

agmantoo · #9 01/05/10, 10:36 PM

As long as he animal is bellowing it is still where he belongs and is not out. I have never had a bovine in trouble that vocalized to get help. I have had a cow to bawl trying to locate her calf. The bull vocalizes when another bull is nearby.

shanzone2001 · #10 01/05/10, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

Sounds like he's in love to me.

That was my first thought! That sounds much better than it being sad or in pain.

Ken Scharabok · #11 01/06/10, 01:31 AM

How strong is the mating urge?

A neighbor called and told me they had seen a black cow with white on it walk by. Went to check the herd at night with a flashlight. Yep, one of that description missing, but it showed up while I was out in the field coming from upstream (east). Apparently she jumped a couple of fences to go a couple of miles upstream, get mated to a bull there and come back home.

I wasn't running a bull with them at the time and when my neighbor's bull comes visiting it is obvious due to fence damage. They have stayed until taken home.

Madsaw · #12 01/06/10, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agmantoo

As long as he animal is bellowing it is still where he belongs and is not out. I have never had a bovine in trouble that vocalized to get help. I have had a cow to bawl trying to locate her calf. The bull vocalizes when another bull is nearby.

Haven't you ever heard a bull go nuts when a cow is down?My old jersey steer goes in to protect mode too if a cow is in trouble. Just makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. It is a different bellow too compared to the agression challenge to another bull. I have seen our bulls and cows try to right a cow if she is down on here side and flailing. Its not agressive shoving or nothing just nudgeing to stit them up. Seen this a few times over the yrs. But, that might just from so many yrs on the farm.
Bob

beccachow · #13 01/06/10, 11:28 AM

Seems as though all is well now. Not sure what it was all about, I am actually more afraid of cows with their calves (who would have thought a big old thing could move so FAST as a cow feeling like you are threatening her calf!!) than bulls, but the way he was parading around in there had me a bit too nervous to go in and check on him!! It really did sound challenging, I wonder if you guys were right about him wanting to protect the herd from "something?" We do have our share of foxes and such, the horses just charge them out of their field. I am pretty sure we are the only cow fields around for quite some miles. Thank you guys for your help last night and this AM, at least I felt like I did what I could by walking the perimeter and keeping tabs on him and the others. You guys are great.