Cows- what do I do?

[dcyrilc]

The Sheriffs office and local feed stores are good ideas. Ten cows could easily be someones entire herd. Most of the farmers I know, including myself, would be greatful for someone containing them and trying to find the owner.

As for water, cows can drink a lot of water. Up to 30 gallons per day. Make sure they have water available.

What area are you in? There may be some of us that could help if needed depending where you are.

 

[weldingisfun]

Good advice all around. First things first though and that is contact the local law enforcement authority, IAW cover you rear, then make sure they have water (you don't want to be brought up on animal cruelty charges) and finally try to find who the animals belong to.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[DanD78]

It happens around here, Dave's cows get out and go down the road to Jim's place and another neighbor driving by puts them in to the nearest fenced area. I have been called to haul cows from one place to another because they got out and were fenced where ever they could get them in. I would keep the law or animal people out unless that is your last resort. I have lived in my area all my life. I couldn't imagen not knowing who has lifestock with in 10 miles of me.

Another option. Do you have friends that would do this to you. We once put a white cow in with a group of Angus. All the neighbors knew where it came from. Another time a Donkey was put out in a guys pasture.

Dan

 

[czechsonofagun]

We always joke about sneaking our horse to somebody's pasture; days when people knew by sight all horses in the county are long gone.

It reminds me of a business idea I had. See to get farming tax relief you have to have certain amount of cowweeks - lets say 37 weeks of one cow or one week of thirty seven cows. (I am making these numbers out). The idea was to start cow rental business, you would keep on your land the herd of cows long enough to qualify for the tax deduction than pass it on the next neighbor

 

[56FordGuy]

While I did check on the abandoned animals laws on my own, I have no intention of keeping these animals. Like others have said, 10 cows is a large enough number that someone, somewhere, is looking for these animals and wants them back. I want go give them back. Legally, I could probably tag and keep them, but I don't want to. If I'd had them for a few weeks, and had exhausted all the options to find an owner, then maybe. But after a single day? Nah. I don't feel right about that.

As far as someone 'loosing' them to graze my land for a week, then 'finding' them, I might be willing to let someone use my field. Planning on horses soon, which is why there's new fence up. cattle would just keep me from having to mow the field until I get horses. I just want to know where the cows came from! :laughing:

In any case, we have a resolution. I checked with a few more folks, they directed me to someone else, long story short I found the owner. He has a farm several miles down the road. The cows got out, and he tracked them all the way down and across the ridgeline, then he lost track of them. They made their way to my field, where 6 of them found a gate on the back side that was open. They got in and got confused, couldn't get back out. The other 4 circled the field and couldn't figure out how to get in.

Anyway, they're going to stay in my field, and I told him I would try and get the other 4 in there if I see them out. He's supposed to come get them tomorrow.

I didn't realize cows would travel like that. They probably went 5 miles.

 

[dcyrilc]

Glad to hear you found their owner. I know I would be deeply troubled if I had 10 cows missing.

Visit with their owner when he comes to get them...and ask lots of questions. You might have found a source for beef at a better price than what you pay in the store and that's a lot better for you too.

 

[jimmyj]

Glad you found the owner - that was quite a story.

We had a cow once get out and went on a walkabout. It was funny to follow the tracks she left. She went around my neighbors house, down back, through the woods, around a pond, the trail went on and on. The difference is she came back at the end. It was quite a fun time walking her path!

 

[jinman]

Good luck with the guy coming to get his cows. Now that he knows where they are, he should bring them water if they don't have any. If he won't take that much responsibility, I would have a terrible problem with my gate/fence and they would escape. The next call would be to the sheriff about the loose cattle on the road. In our county, the sheriff only worries about animals if they are on the road. If you pin them up, it's between you and the owner as a civil matter. Therefore I'd tell the owner a specific date he must remove his animals and that he must care for them in the interim. You have been a good neighbor by keeping his animals safe. If he won't take care of them, it defines him.

I won't tell you a long story, but I'm speaking from experience.

 

[dcyrilc]

Good luck with the guy coming to get his cows. Now that he knows where they are, he should bring them water if they don't have any. If he won't take that much responsibility, I would have a terrible problem with my gate/fence and they would escape. The next call would be to the sheriff about the loose cattle on the road. In our county, the sheriff only worries about animals if they are on the road. If you pin them up, it's between you and the owner as a civil matter. Therefore I'd tell the owner a specific date he must remove his animals and that he must care for them in the interim. You have been a good neighbor by keeping his animals safe. If he won't take care of them, it defines him.

I won't tell you a long story, but I'm speaking from experience.

Wow, you almost sound bitter Jim. Not used to hearing that kink of responce from you.

 

[mjarrels]

My biggest fear abouts cows getting out (have about 30 now and fence is in poor condition) is someone hitting one on the road. When we do have some get out onto the road, people do not even slow down. 800 pound cow is going to do damage and possibly kill some one.

mark

 

[jimmyj]

We have a special "farm" rider in our home insurance that would cover if one of our animals caused a car wreck. God forbid that ever happen, and I never even knew such coverage was available until about 10 years after we started with livestock.

 

[om21braz]

Good to hear you found the owner - unless he's in poor health or other, I can't imagine him not coming after them. Also coming on time too.

 

[jinman]

Wow, you almost sound bitter Jim. Not used to hearing that kink of responce from you.

No Cyril. I pinned up three bulls that were wandering on the road so they wouldn't be hurt or hurt somebody. The next day, the owner arrived and said he'd be right back to get them. Everything went downhill from there.

I'd go out of my way to help someone who showed me that they really cared for their animals. If a person tells you that they will come get their animals and then you don't see or hear from them again for a week, they don't care enough about their animals. When they come to get their animals and shwo that they know nothing about animal behavior or leave them in a trailer out in 95 degree heat with no water for 4 hours, they are bordering on abuse. When you offer to hook your truck to the trailer and haul the cattle to the owner's place and he accepts, you may be shocked to see dead carcasses in his pasture and a barn that is actually knee deep in goat excrement and animals all infested with ticks.

No Cyril, I'm not bitter, I was disgusted at how a human could do that. No wonder the guy's son wouldn't even help him. I called and reported him, but the animals were out again a month later and I would not put them back into my pasture. Those animals were better off away from this man than in his care.

Okay, maybe I am bitter, bitter at people who aren't responsible enough to take care of their animals. Just show me that you care about your animals and will take care of them and I'll be your best buddy.:thumbsup:

 

[dcyrilc]

Okay, maybe I am bitter, bitter at people who aren't responsible enough to take care of their animals. Just show me that you care about your animals and will take care of them and I'll be your best buddy.:thumbsup:

I figured there must be some kinda story behind it. It just wasn't your usual chipper response.

I care well for my animals, but have still had escapees. I put animals in the back wooded pasture one year to find them all out running the street. Finally discovered that some neighbors had torn down the old fences and thrown the wood over the bank onto my property and left a huge opening (100 ft) for the animals to just walk out. Three different houses have done this and I haven't had the time, energy, or money to replace the fences yet. Can't use that pasture right now. Have another pasture which I need to repair fences this spring before I will be able to use it. Spent nearly $4K on 21 tons of hay last fall and winter to keep everyone fed well. Just spent another $1200 to put another 7-1/2 tons in the barn. My hay guy had been holding it for me and even though I didn't need it yet, he needed to get it out of his barn so he can clean to get ready to put up new hay.

Just wanted to show that just because some animals get out doesn't mean that they're not cared for. We'll see what happens with the OP and the cattle that came visiting. Hopefully everything goes well for him. I hate hearing stories like what you ran across. Makes all of us look bad.

 

[jinman]

Just wanted to show that just because some animals get out doesn't mean that they're not cared for. We'll see what happens with the OP and the cattle that came visiting. Hopefully everything goes well for him. I hate hearing stories like what you ran across. Makes all of us look bad.

No, I never meant to indicate that having animals get out is anything but normal. However, if I am kind enough to put your animals in my 15-acre pasture with a brand new fence, I expect you to come and give daily care for your animals by checking on them and bringing water. I don't think that's too much to ask for somebody to do who lives less than a mile away as the crow flies. We told him there was no water for the animals and he just left. He had a van that had no trailer hitch, so he got a neighbor to haul over a trailer and put it inside my pasture. Then, he and two other idiots started chasing these bulls toward the trrailer like he thought they would run inside all by themselves when they are scared and at a full run. They almost ran through the fence at one corner. They finally quit and went away, not to be seen until the next weekend. My wife put out a washtub in the pasture and hauled water in buckets to fill it for those thirsty animals.

Then the fellow shows up at my house and tells me he is going to try and rope the bulls and lead them into the trailer. He said somebody was coming with a truck in a little bit to haul the bulls. So I told him to forget about roping the bulls and put some water and sweet feed up in the trailer and back off. When the bulls go into get water and feed, close the tailgate. Of course he tried it, and of course it worked. Then, he left.

Then they sat there for 4 hours. One of my neighbors saw the bulls on my property in the trailer and stopped to chew me out for abuse. I had to explain to her that the animals were not mine. I was getting ready to let them out when he showed up again to say it would be after 6 pm before somebody could come to get the animals. It was 3 pm when he told me that. So I told him that I was going to give him a choice. He could let me haul the cattle with my truck or I was going to let them out of the trailer. Of course, he took me up on my offer.

I grew up with animals and know they get out sometimes. There's nothing you can do about that. It's what you do after that which defines your level of decency and responsibility.

Then there's the next-door neighbor who had 8 goats including a billy goat and thought he didn't have to build any fence for them. . . sigh!

 

[Duffster]

My biggest fear abouts cows getting out (have about 30 now and fence is in poor condition) is someone hitting one on the road. When we do have some get out onto the road, people do not even slow down. 800 pound cow is going to do damage and possibly kill some one.

mark

Cattle have right of way here. You hit one and it is your fault.

 

[dcyrilc]

No, I never meant to indicate that having animals get out is anything but normal...

I grew up with animals and know they get out sometimes. There's nothing you can do about that. It's what you do after that which defines your level of decency and responsibility.

Then there's the next-door neighbor who had 8 goats including a billy goat and thought he didn't have to build any fence for them. . . sigh!

Wow. Hopefully you,ve lived there for a long time and this isn't over the span of just a few years?

I understand and agree with how you handled the issue with the cattle.:smiley_aafz: And hopefully the other neighbor figured out that goats aren't dogs.:mur:

BTW, your sounding like your old chipper self again today. Maybe it's just me and what I got out of it, but your writting just seemed bitter the other day. I really enjoy reading your posts. Hope I might have a chance to meet you someday. You seem like a great guy.:drink:

 

[jimmyj]

Jinman, some people should not have animals (or kids for that matter).