Do I need to fence this off?

[livinzoo]

We are still trying to fence off all of our property. I'm not sure if I need to fence the top of a gully off so my cow won't fall in. It is probably 12 feet deep and 14 feet wide at the deepest section.

I took some pictures. You can view them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/11080768...eat=directlink

The one that really shows how steep it is, is the one with my 50lb dog climbing the wall. What do you think, do I need to fence off the top?

[ozark_jewels]

I'm sorry, it won't let me see the pictures. If it is steep and narrow, yes, I'd fence it off.

[livinzoo]

I changed the link, don't know if that will work or not. It is not narrow. It is basically a U-shaped gully. The sides are steep but not narrow. Should I just use T posts and field fence to give them a barrier?

[agmantoo]

The links works. I would be more concerned with the metal scraps than the sides on the stabilized wash.

[livinzoo]

The scraps will go. I'm pregnant and due in less than a week with our first. Couldn't drag them out with me. We have a metal detector to find any hidden pieces. My parents will be coming down after I give birth and I figure hubby and my dad will get some fencing done. At least keep them out of my hair for a bit. LOL

[myersfarm]

you are concerned or you would not ask us

If I have a concern I usally do something about it......IF you do nothing and then after a rain go out and find your best cow has fell with her feet uphill and died

nothing can be done then......just how much money and how mush time will it take to fence it off....and what do you have to lose if you do nothing

[springvalley]

I have a pretty nasty cliff in my pasture, I have never fenced it, and have never had a problem with it, maybe I`m just lucky. >Thanks Marc

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by myersfarm

you are concerned or you would not ask us

If I have a concern I usally do something about it......IF you do nothing and then after a rain go out and find your best cow has fell with her feet uphill and died

nothing can be done then......just how much money and how mush time will it take to fence it off....and what do you have to lose if you do nothing

Agreed. Smaller cows are less likely to have any problems, but it can still happen.

I have had a giant brown swiss who fell with her back legs stretched out in a small ditch. It was an awkward enough position that she could not move for hours before I found her. She wasn't supposed to be where the ditch was....but it happened.

I've also got big Holstiens out here now who if they lay down in the wrong position at the wrong angle on a hill, cannot get up. Get those legs uphill and they are helpless. And this is not a steep grade I am speaking of! Have had to help more Holstiens flip themselves around, than I care for.

It can happen with smaller cows, though not as likely. If you are worried, I'd vote for a simple fence to keep them off.

[ksfarmer]

My summer range pasture has many creek and gully embankments, some maybe 20 foot straight up and down. It is physically and financially impossible to fence them off. In 40+ years of grazing cattle , I have never had a cow or calf hurt from falling off one of the banks. The only problem I ever encountered was in the small calving pasture when a newborn calf either slid or stumbled off an embankment and was lucky to be noticed in time to be rescued.

[Ed Norman]

It's not as steep as Idaho mountains, where the cattle spend their summers.

[francismilker]

I've got 80 acres full of such gulleys and never bother fencing them. The cattle seldom go there and I've not had any problem (yet).

If it's something that bothers you, go ahead and fence it. Otherwise, let nature attend to it's self.

[tinknal]

I think the bigger issue would be cattle further eroding the gully. Gullys are basically wasted land. A better long term solution would be to stabilize and reduce the gully.

[wolffeathers]

I don't think you need to worry about cattle getting "stuck" or falling in there.

We have a couple of steep hills here, some so steep I thought for sure the cattle wouldn't volunteer to play on it. One day couldn't find the cow and sure enough she was plugging right along on the hill eating brush and vines. She lost her footing once with a front foot when the dirt gave out, but she simply tried again and climbed right up. It took a while just to get her because she parked herself in the middle of the hill and it was too steep for us to go and get her and she knew it! lol

As someone else mentioned, you may worry about erosion from the cattle going in and out. So you may want to consider preventing that, but as far as cattle safety, I think you're ok.

[Ed Norman]

It also might be a nice place to hide during a bad storm, or when calving.

[livinzoo]

Thanks guys, I only have one cow for now (a jersey heifer). Plan to get a steer or two once everything is fenced. I also have GOS pigs and goats, which I know will be fine with the gully.

[oldtimer]

I vote with francismilker,

I've got 80 acres full of such gulleys and never bother fencing them. The cattle seldom go there and I've not had any problem (yet).
If it's something that bothers you, go ahead and fence it. Otherwise, let nature attend to it's self.

If you have money to burn there are far more important things to spend it on.
Do you have, a roundup and holding pens? A chute and head gate? Creep gates and feed lot? Buildings for equipment and storage of hay and shelter for cattle? Do you have your own truck and cattle trailer, tractor, bush hog? A pond? Are your vaccinations up to date? Etc etc etc
OT

[deaconjim]

If you fence it, you'll never regret it. If you don't, you might.

[arabian knight]

Agree

[willow_girl]

It has been my experience that if there is a way for a cow to get herself in trouble, eventually she'll find it!

[francismilker]

Ok, here we go...........I'm probably fixin to make a bunch of enemies but I'll jump in with both feet anyways.

Cattle were here long before we were making it through, in, and around rough terrain. They've got built-in 4-wheel drive, snow chains, and windshield wipers. We have a choice to either treat them like teacup poodles or let them just be cows!

While I'm not an advocate in any aspect of mistreating critters, (they should always have feed, water, and minerals available.), at what point do we say, "they can make it on their own"? There's a difference between being a responsible animal owner and going off the deep end. I visited with an "out-of-stater-city-slicker-new-to-cows" lady the other day at TSC who suggested to me I should buy barbless wire so as not to put the cattle in harm's way when they rubbed their backs on the fence! I kindly suggested to her she might treat her critters for lice and do what cattlemen have been doing for years. Barbed wire!!!!!

I don't fault anyone for going above and beyond the call of duty to insure good animal health and well-being. However, at some point we have to calmly walk away and let them live.

Rest assured, no matter what lengths we go to trying to make it safe for them, they'll find something to eat, drink, somewhere to go, etc......that's harmful! They're cows!