Companion Animal for Cow?

[pekin84]

We will be bringing home a jersey heifer who is retiring from a dairy herd. Hate for her to be out on pasture alone if she's used to friends. What sort of animal would be a good companion? I'm partial to animals that *give* us something in the way of fiber or meat. Predators are not a big problem here. Once in a while we have a stray dog or some coyotes at night.

[opus]

I'll bite....another bovine?

[vtfarma]

Yep, can't have too many of them. Otherwise letting the chickens and cats keep her company is another option. Cows just love to be busy with other cows. I swear they gossip.

[OD]

I've always thought they gossip, too. And I love the way they baby sit for each other. One cow will be standing under a tree with 6 or 7 babies & everybody else will be out grazing. They are very social animals.

[vtfarma]

we have always thought that too. We have one baby sitter that will flatten any creature within 100 yards of the calves. The rest just moo at intrudes. I have often wondered about her when my back was turned ... is she eyeing me or not.

[quailkeeper]

My cow would stay to herself even when she had a calf with her. She was very solitary. I've heard that most milk cows are. I had a whole herd of sheep in the same pasture and she generally avoided them, sometimes she would hang out with them for an hour or two.

[JeffNY]

We have a cow that hates dogs, she won't chase down ours, but she will but at her. Here is my theory, since she is the only cow that does this, did she have an experience in the pasture? I think something happened, either a coyote messed with her, fox, or dog. She is not overprotective so who knows.

But would we want to know what cows think of us? Especially the ones that gaze at you. I have one heifer we have been leading, today while leading two others, she was walking between myself and a kid that is going to the fair with us. She has caught on well enough that she follows, pretty cool stuff.



Jeff

[TimandPatti]

a donkey would work!

[Ronney]

When all is said and done, your cow will be quite happy on her own; they are herd animals for protection and not because they are gregarious. However, if you would really like her to have some company, consider getting a lamb and rearing it in the same paddock as your cow. The cow probably won't give a stuff about the lamb but the lamb will like the cow for company on top of which they complement each other in grazing - the sheep will clean up what the cow won't eat and keep your paddocks looking good. Also, the worms that affect one, don't affect the other.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[MoBarger]

Some people keep a goat with their cow(s). Around here it's an old farmer's tale that goats keep cows' hoof rot at bay.

[thebeav]

Originally Posted by pekin84

We will be bringing home a jersey heifer who is retiring from a dairy herd. Hate for her to be out on pasture alone if she's used to friends. What sort of animal would be a good companion? I'm partial to animals that *give* us something in the way of fiber or meat. Predators are not a big problem here. Once in a while we have a stray dog or some coyotes at night.

I'll bite.
Why is the dairy retiring a heifer????