Trailing Cows and Calves

So, I had a reporter call me who wanted some quotes on how to stop "run backs".  I guess I had never heard a cow that went back after her calf called a "run back"....but I have seen cows run to the back of the herd to see if they can find their calf, or go back after the cows are dropped off to try to find her calf.

Anyway, for what its worth, here are my thoughts on trailing cows and calves;

The cure for most problems is prevention, and this is no exception!  We know that cows will usually go back to the last place that they saw or hid their calf if they become separated.  Using the low-stress livestock handling principles taught by Bud Williams and his proteges like Steve Cote and others, will reduce problems by preventing cows and calves from becoming separated in the first place.

When you pick up the herd, get the cows up gently, and give them plenty of time to find their calves and for the cows to get the calves up, before you start to move them.  Why create a problem before you even get started?

Travel speed is important. Four wheelers go pretty much as fast as the driver wants.  Horses walk at 4-5 miles per hour.  Humans walk 3-4 miles per hour. But cows only travel comfortably at 2-3 miles per hour, and with young calves this could be even slower.  Slow your horse down by riding a shallow zigzag pattern behind the cows, perpendicular to the desired direction of travel.  Once the herd gets started, it will tend to keep moving.  Let them “string”.

The calves are the “weakest link” when moving cows with calves, so paying attention to their pace and level of stress is important.  If the speed is too fast or it is too far, you might have to stop the herd and let them rest and get mothered up.

Cows like to have their neighbors where they can see them.  Don’t crowd.  Cows can see about 270 degrees around, except for directly behind them.  So they like to have their neighbors about 45 degrees behind the point of their shoulder so that they can keep track of them.   When something is directly behind them, they will stop and turn around to see what it is.  This includes you!…this is another reason to ride a shallow zig zag pattern behind the herd, so that you are never right behind one cow for very long.

Well trained, obedient and discreet herding dogs may be a help in some cases.  More often my experience is has been a “pack” of barking, biting and yipping dogs that force the cows ahead separating them from the calves.  Cows that get separated from their calves will turn and come back to the rear to look for the calf and to fight the dogs that are nipping at the heels of the calves that have accumulated in the drag from being pushed too hard.

When you get where you are going, don’t just drop the cows and ride off. Spend some time “settling” the cows and seeing that everyone is mothered up.  When the cows start to lie down or graze and are not all pointed in one direction, like they are about to leave...they are usually “settled”.

Spend some time watching to see if there is a cow or two having trouble locating their calf.  If her calf really isn’t with the herd, it may be necessary to let her go back and look for it.  If she finds it she will probably come back to the herd.  If she doesn't your cow trailing skills cost you $500-$1000 a copy..

If you want to go fast with cattle you should go slow.  Somebody once said that if you don’t have time to do it on “cow time”, maybe you just don’t have time to do it!

Chad Cheyney - Butte County Extension Educator