Unattended Livestock?

[TheGriff]

I have a little over 12 acres in Greenville, TX which is about an hour from my house. I would like to put some livestock animals there that do not require too much care, since I'm not there very often.

Can cows be left unattended? Since my property is smaller, I would actually prefer something smaller like sheep or goats but I am thinking predators would be the biggest issue. Would mini cows be ok alone?

My pasture need some serious improvement but I am willing to provide whatever hay is necessary. I will also be digging a pond which I hope can provide the water source.

I should mention that I have never kept any type of livestock before in my life. I'm a city boy with dreams of living the country life

[msscamp]

I don't mean to be harsh here, but unattended livestock of any type are usually dead livestock - whether it be from a lack of water, predation, or illness. Obviously predation will kill quickly, pneumonia will kill in anywhere from 24 hours to a few days, lack of water will kill in 3 to 4 days. If you're not willing to make the commitment to check on your livestock every day, do them a favor and leave them where they are.

[TheGriff]

Originally Posted by msscamp

I don't mean to be harsh here, but unattended livestock of any type are usually dead livestock - whether it be from a lack of water, predation, or illness. Obviously predation will kill quickly, pneumonia will kill in anywhere from 24 hours to a few days, lack of water will kill in 3 to 4 days. If you're not willing to make the commitment to check on your livestock every day, do them a favor and leave them where they are.

No it's ok. I appreciate your honesty. I have noticed several raw pieces of land with nothing on them except cows. Even on my dad's deer lease there are cows out there and nobody lives there or goes there hardly ever. I just assumed leaving cows alone was acceptable because of this.

[msscamp]

Thank you, I appreciate your understanding. I know there are a lot of people out there who buy livestock, throw them out in a field/pasture, and only check on them once every week or couple of weeks, but that really isn't the way to do it - they rely on you for their well being and you agreed to that when you bought them. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I forgot to add that watering from a pond opens animals up to all kinds of illnesses. Everything from lepto to e-coli due to contamination from your animals standing in the water and doing their business as well as wild animals standing in the water and doing their business. There is also the fact that, depending on the source of the water, the pond can easily go dry and nobody has water. If you're not checking on them regularly, how would you know?

[TraciInTexas]

When my Father has to leave his animals, either I check them here, or his neighbor up at the other location checks them.

Knowing his visits up there are less over Winter, he will be relocating his critters back down here for a few months where they will be seen daily.

[G. Seddon]

msscamp is absolutely right!

[Mike CHS]

Around our neck of the woods we like to think that unattended animals do not make good neighbors.

[Awnry Abe]

It's possible. Access to water must be absolutely fail proof. I wouldn't do it with any thing less that a pond.

What would the frequency of visits?

[PNP Katahdins]

And don't forget about the two-legged predators that have access to livestock trailers.

Peg

[Dreamfarm]

Originally Posted by PNP Katahdins

And don't forget about the two-legged predators that have access to livestock trailers.

Peg

We had someone cut our fence two weeks ago. And we live here on only 20 acres. The cows next door all got out not sure if any lost but there were tire tracks Beware with the price of beef comes the thief

[ksfarmer]

I agree with msscamp to a point, but at what point? When on grass for the summer grazing season, checking daily isn't necessary, but weekly should be. Just to watch for any disease or injury problems. Of course this nessitates a reliable water source. A pond is perfectly ok as long as it is not just a stagnate waterhole. This said , there could be lots of reasons for more frequent checking.

[G. Seddon]

How many calves have drowned in a pond during the birth process? I must be a freak (no need for anyone to comment on that), but I cannot imagine putting cattle out on pasture without checking on them at least once a day, AT THE BARE MINIMUM, at any time of the year.

[Awnry Abe]

All good points. But getting to the spirit of the OPs question, the answer is undoubtedly 'yes', with an asterisk. The situation has to be right. When we bought this place, we put cattle on it way before we moved down. Weekly checks were common, but 2-3 days were also common. I never had an issue during that time. Contrast that with my present state, where the cows are often right out my back window. I still don't check them daily. I actually lost a steer last year, literally in sight of where I am sitting now, when he got his head stuck under a gate and managed to suffocate. It happened when I was at work. I could have easily saved him, but I can't be with them constantly. It just wouldn't be productive. And that is the balance you have to find. Less frequent checks means higher risk. More frequent means more cost. You will have loss over time with just a weekly check. But leaving an asset like land idle is also a loss.

All things being equal (in terms of woe when they happen) broken water, illness, and mass escape top my list of concern with each passing day that I don't check my herd. Everything else can, will, and has happened right under my nose.

As your question relates to livestock in general, I can not image doing the long distance relationship thing with any other major type of livestock besides beef cattle. Dairy, nope. Goats, nope. Sheep, nope. Poultry, nope. Pigs, (hmmm? Dunno. Probably Nope.) Anything I can think of besides beef requires some sort of regular attention at least a portion of the seasons, if not full time. Beef manage to do just fine without me poking my nose in all the time, day in and day out all year long.

[TraciInTexas]

My Father has two asses and an occasional steer on his two places. He is there daily, or has me or the neighbor up North do a 48-hour inspection. Until he is full-time Up north, they will be moved to follow his habits, or babysat.

Part of the use of these animals, is to test for predators (feral hogs, so far) and fence inconsistencies (none) so when he does relocate permanently, he has a better idea of the prognosis.

[FarmerDavid]

I know of farmers around here running cattle several hours away. They pay a local cattleman to watch them for them.

[farmerDale]

Yes cattle can be left unattended for long periods. We used to always leave our cattle on a pasture 20 miles away from home, for weeks at a time. This is in bear and timber wolf country. When the cows are used to the conditions, they do fine. This land has a lake and dugouts dug. Water is never going to be short. The fence is fine.

The cattle got minimal handling until fall when they were brought home to feed in the winter.

This is in an area though, where humans are rare, water abundant, and in a situation where the cows are acclimatized to it. IE. they knew exactly what to do when approached by a bear.It wouldn't hurt to have someone who was able to kind of watch for you while you are not there.

Two leggeds would be my concern. But cattle are not needy of a lot of hands on care.

Yes it certainly can be done, and my dad only ever lost a calf or two in 30 years of doing this. Animals left alone do not necessarily have to be dead or sick. I don't get that theory at all...

Most guys here, leave their cows alone all summer, in wild lands. Not a big deal.

Sheep on the other hand.....

[KeepRiverRange]

I know of several ranches in W. Wyoming that with between 7-15,000 acres of private land and BLM leases, that probably see their cattle probably around once a week. Good fences, good water sources. YMMV.

[Bret]

One ass at the ranch here is enough and he doesn't rest unless he has seen the herd at least once a day. I also have neighbors that call me anytime something even looks out of out place. Good neighbors.

[MO_cows]

Originally Posted by farmerDale

Yes cattle can be left unattended for long periods. We used to always leave our cattle on a pasture 20 miles away from home, for weeks at a time. This is in bear and timber wolf country. When the cows are used to the conditions, they do fine. This land has a lake and dugouts dug. Water is never going to be short. The fence is fine.

The cattle got minimal handling until fall when they were brought home to feed in the winter.

This is in an area though, where humans are rare, water abundant, and in a situation where the cows are acclimatized to it. IE. they knew exactly what to do when approached by a bear.It wouldn't hurt to have someone who was able to kind of watch for you while you are not there.

Two leggeds would be my concern. But cattle are not needy of a lot of hands on care.

Yes it certainly can be done, and my dad only ever lost a calf or two in 30 years of doing this. Animals left alone do not necessarily have to be dead or sick. I don't get that theory at all...

Most guys here, leave their cows alone all summer, in wild lands. Not a big deal.

Sheep on the other hand.....

Originally Posted by KeepRiverRange

I know of several ranches in W. Wyoming that with between 7-15,000 acres of private land and BLM leases, that probably see their cattle probably around once a week. Good fences, good water sources. YMMV.

Neither one of you was describing 12 acres of questionable quality pasture and a newbie owner. In the OP's situation, I think the answer is NO, not a good idea.

[farmerDale]

Originally Posted by MO_cows

Neither one of you was describing 12 acres of questionable quality pasture and a newbie owner. In the OP's situation, I think the answer is NO, not a good idea.

Umm, yeah, I somehow missed the 12 acre and new owner part...

Hate getting ahead of myself.