coyotes bothering calves?

[BeardedChick]

Coyotes can and do chew on newborn calves in my part of the world (Colorado). My cowboy friend has a few every year that are missing tails, ears, etc. when they are newborn out in the field and the coyotes attack them before they can get up and nurse. He has 150 cows out on winter range (and manages another 350); there's not any good way to protect them.

 

[CowCop]

When I lived on a large cattle ranch in Florida, it was the alligators that ate calves and took chunks out of cows crossing rain swollen streams, snakes that poisoned cattle and vultures that pecked out eyes and carried small calves away. Wild piney woods pigs will eat a calf as it is being born--I witnessed that one day as well.
Add the ocassional pack of loose dogs from the nearby dog "collecter" who doesn't believe in keeping their own dogs on their own property and everyday was a nightmare checking a herd of 800.

Compared to all those horrid predators PLUS cattle poachers who regularily shot and cut up our cows in the night, I will take coyotes ANYTIME~!!

 

[m.holloway]

what part of florida? those pest sounds bad. i'm new at this still and i thought the only thing was coyotes. i'v seen one bobcat, but i haven't seen for along time now. my hubby says that my herifers are now to big for anything. i went to a health clinic to get their cert. for the fair and they are now 575 and 550 . can you belive that framer kitty. i think i'll stay at the 8 lb of gain and the hay . when they eat i always check from the back to see if they are square and not round. ok back to the subject, so can others predators hurt my herifers being that big. or is it just the calf????

 

[Farmer Kitty]

so can others predators hurt my herifers being that big. or is it just the calf????

At that size it's usually "packs" of animals you have to worry about and not one individual hunting by itself.

 

[wynedot55]

as said at that size only a pack of wolves yotes or dogs could bother an kill or hurt them.

 

[m.holloway]

well i guess i'll have to be on the look out come spring. we always have a pack come thur in the springs with the new puppies. i have a barn but it's not closed in and the coral is open to the weather from the side at each end.

 

[CowCop]

NICE CowPort~!!