New to cattle

elmtreefarm · #1 03/07/15, 03:06 PM

Getting my first Highland Cow today. She's 3 and has calved once before. She's pregnant and due in June. Should I leave her tied in the stall for a bit so she gets used to where she lives? The stall is open to the other animals as there isn't a door on it. There are chickens and three sheep she'll be buddies with.

elmtreefarm · #2 03/07/15, 06:04 PM

Actually she's 4. So when they brought her, she ran off and was running down main st in my small town... We finally got her tethered to the truck and brought her back thanks to some fellow farmers helping out. This isn't the first time this has happened in my small farming community so I felt a little better when the neighbors thought it was a great time. She's very nervous and has horns. I really want to comfort her but I know she just needs some time to get used to things. How should I approach her?

G. Seddon · #3 03/08/15, 06:54 AM

Keep her in a small secure enclosure with hay, water, minerals, and shelter. Get her a companion, a steer perhaps. Cattle do better with their own kind and are good at seeking them out. She's frightened and doesn't know where home is anymore. Once she settles in and relaxes a bit, she should be okay. If she went through or over your fence, however, she might be tempted to do it again. Good luck and hope she stays home.

elmtreefarm · #4 03/09/15, 08:00 AM

Thanks G Seddon. The farm we bought her from has been great and is lending us a friend for her. She brought her over yesterday. She's about 14 months old and a sweetie. My next question is that when I decided to get a cow we asked the farmer how she would be with our 3 sheep and she said it shouldn't be a problem. Well... So far she's not too keen on them. I tethered her and then let the sheep out. The younger one was fine but Angelina was mad. She was mooing and waving her head about. I gave the sheep about 10 minutes and then put them back in their stall. The two ewes are very pregnant and I'm worried the cow might hurt them. They'll eventually have a lot more room, five acres, but with all of the snow right now there isn't a whole lot of space. I know, I should have thought of this and did not plan too well. However, now I'm in it and would like to do the best I can until more snow melts and they have more room to be apart until they get used to each other. I'm thinking of tethering her either two or three times a day and letting them out for a bit longer each time for a few days. So far no one has challenged the fencing and the farm that brought them said our fencing is really good but I'm still nervous about it, especially when they're running with the sheep. It's our first foray into farming and I'd like to do the best for them. How do you suggest I introduce them?

G. Seddon · #5 03/09/15, 09:28 AM

Glad to hear she has a companion, even if a loaner.

I'd keep them separate from the sheep for a while, let them share hay next to each other but on opposite sides of the fence. Keep a close eye on them.

Keep in mind that cattle and sheep cannot share minerals!