Spend enough time around cows and you'll run into the occasional friendly individuals who let you pet, rub, scratch etc. And if you give them the chance, those friendly cows may even try to lick you. If you haven't felt a cow's tongue, it's pretty rough, and can be uncomfortable having a 1200+ lb animal rough up your skin with a scratchy tongue! So why do they do it? Mainly, … [Read more...] about Why Do Cows Lick Humans?
Why Do Cows Have Tails?
It’s common to wonder why certain body parts exist on humans or animals, especially when we don’t know what useful purpose certain organs or parts play in day to day life. That’s why the question of tails often comes up. I’m generally of the opinion that every functioning body part on an animal has a purpose – we just may not understand what that purpose is. So, to the question … [Read more...] about Why Do Cows Have Tails?
What to Do When a Cow has Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common problem in cattle, and can cause losses in performance as well as occasional death. So what do you do when one of your cattle has diarrhea? First, let's make sure there's actually a problem, and then get a handle on the cause. Sometimes a loose stool can be mistaken for diarrhea when it's just a normal function related to the animal's diet. When feeding … [Read more...] about What to Do When a Cow has Diarrhea
What to Do When a Cow Loses Her Calf
If you've been raising cows for any amount of time, you're bound to experience the loss of a calf. According to experts in the industry, the majority of calf mortality occurs within the first 24 hours of birth. This mortality can be a result of a difficult and prolonged birthing process, severe weather conditions at calving, or other factors such as poor nutrition during the … [Read more...] about What to Do When a Cow Loses Her Calf
How to Get a Calf Back in with a Cow
Calves get out. If you're raising cattle, it's inevitable to expect a calf to get out of the pasture you want the little bugger in. Calves are small enough to slip under and between fence wires, and younger calves haven't had the experience to be trained to stay within a fence. By constructing and maintaining good fences you can minimize these problems, but at some point you'll … [Read more...] about How to Get a Calf Back in with a Cow