steers and cows in heat

farmgirl6 · #1 08/30/11, 04:53 PM

Has anyone had any experience with how steers behave around cows in heat? Am wondering if I need to worry about Norman when AB goes into heat, if she does (okay, being positive, WHEN she does

tinknal · #2 08/30/11, 05:12 PM

He will probably mount her like a bull would, and this is a good thing. Makes heat detection a snap.

willow_girl · #3 08/31/11, 07:41 AM

Yup. One of the farms I tested ran a steer with the cows for that purpose. (I think he was also kind of a pet!)

Ronney · #4 08/31/11, 08:27 AM

This can be a tricky one. Just a month ago I went across to my neighbours (she works) and brought her young stock into her yards for the express purpose of cutting out the heifers from the steers. There was a heifer on heat and while most of the steers ignored her, several were literally running her ragged and from my kitchen window I saw her collapse.

Going on from that, I always run my steers separate from the heifers if I can and I know other farmers who will keep one or the other but not both.

As a one on one, there probably won't be much of a problem but be aware that there could be and keep an eye on things.

Cheers,
Ronnie

**gone-a-milkin** · #5 08/31/11, 11:04 AM

Lets also remember that farmergirl6 has an 8 year old jersey steer and her new little heifer calf.

I sure think it would be a good idea to be able to pen Norman off by himself when you need to.
He is just so big, compared to Annabelle.

farmgirl6 · #6 08/31/11, 11:49 AM

yeah, I keep her apart even though she has grown some, I have a mini stallion who is a bit of a pecker and will chase her anyway. I just hope Normy doesn't knock down fences trying to do his business, when he was a bull he tried to mount the ponies all the time (which irratated them to no end) but I have never seen him do it since he lost his party favors

springvalley · #7 08/31/11, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

He will probably mount her like a bull would, and this is a good thing. Makes heat detection a snap.

Yep, good heat detector, poor ole Norman can`t do a thing about it. > Marc

farmgirl6 · #8 08/31/11, 09:49 PM

she had a mucus discharge a month or so ago, and he smelled her butt over the fence and curled his lip, she can't possibly have gone into heat as a baby, could she?!!!

springvalley · #9 08/31/11, 10:07 PM

farmgirl6, when a animal curls it`s upper lip when a female is in heat is called a " Flemming Lip". I don`t know for sure why, but that is what it has been called in our neck of the woods for generations. > Thanks Marc

farmgirl6 · #10 09/01/11, 10:25 AM

Thanks Marc, I have used the term talking about horses but just in case it didn't apply to cows I didn't want to look too blond