PLEASE HELP! I bought an ornery cow...

[jhm47]

I also must respectfully disagree with Queenmum: Genetics DOES definitely play a major role in dispositions. I am in contact with many thousands of cattle each year, and since I am an AI beef representative, I have seen many good natured cattle, and faaar too many poor dispositioned cattle. I also AI my own herd, and have often noticed that certain sire groups vary greatly in disposition. One bull that I used in particular was especially bad with all his calves.

Several of the breed organizations have started to grade bulls and cows on their potential for siring/birthing calves of different dispositions. The Angus and Limousin breeds do this, and there may be more.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I also disagree. Clausterphobic cow? It's called a high strung, wild cow, combined with less than ideal handling equipment. Glad nobody was hurt, and she finally was able to be "caught".

OP, I hope you're able to find a nice, calm cow for your next "first" cow! There are so many nice ones out there. Make sure to tell the sellers what you're looking for. Hopefully you can find a nice, honest seller who has a good cow for a first timer.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

So sorry to hear about this. I know that it is upsetting, but I am glad that no one got hurt. It is true; your next cow experience will be better. When you have a moment to reflect, you will see a lot of things that will become lessons for next time.

 

[PattySh]

I hope she tasted better than she acted! Very sorry to hear about your trauma with her. I have handled and trained "wild" pmu foals but NEVER want that experience again. I've also learned thru secondhand experience not to buy auction animals as they can be drugged to act normally. I hope your next experience with a cow should you choose to try again goes very smoothly.

 

[herfrds]

I never heard of a clausterphobic cow.

Some cattle are just plain wild and crazy. The calves we keep for ourselves have to have a good disposition or they hit the road.

Good luck on your next cow.

 

[Cricket]

AND note that most of us have learned about this from either personal or close up experience, so don't feel like you're the first!

I don't doubt Queen Mum about animals being claustrophobic, but it's the flipping out over it that would make a cow not worth keeping to me. My horse, who is either a rescue or an EXTREMELY poor decision on my part (DH), would absolutely flip out if you put her in a barn--8 years later and a whole lot of time and she's like a different horse. But I wouldn't have put the time into it for a cow.

At the farm where I milk, we have some 3 generations of cows that tend to kick. There's a few where it could be that the milking machine doesn't sit right because of tit placement, but it mostly seems to be they inherited a witch gene!

Your next experience should be a breeze! Good luck!

 

[peteyfoozer]

I sure hope this bad experience doesn't scare you off from seeking a better cow. I bought a holstein when I was a young mother, who had a TERRIBLE attitude. I had to fight and tie her hind legs to opposite corners each day to milk her. It just wasn't any fun at all. It soured me so badly, that I got rid of her and swore off of cows for 30 years...then I got my little Jersey. OMG! I can't live without one now. Having the right one matters, and its worth looking for the right one. Good luck in future ventures! P.S. I think you made the right decision. She eventually would have either killed herself, like she almost did getting hit, or seriously injured/killed someone else. Even the sweetest cow can be a hazard at times.

 

[Icp7147]

You did the right thing beleive it right now or not. Some cows just never seem to get the wild and being flighty out of them. I had a longhorn who was just like that and i tried to tame her. I had her for 5 years and it never got any better. if she was in a barn tied or in a pen she was fine. As soon as she was outside she was gone. she would walk right through the electric fence like it was not even there. Then when i would go to get her back in as soon as she saw me she would high tail it even further away. I had enough and decided she had to go.