My brother lives in Colorado.From here:
In Minnesota, a livestock owner is bound by the common law duty to keep the livestock restrained on the owner's land. Minnesota Statutes, sections 346.16, 561.09, and 609.605 strengthen this common law duty by making it unlawful for an owner or person having control of livestock to permit the animals to run at large.
As for suggestions....
I'd ask the cattle owner for money for repairs to my property caused by his cattle for a start.
I'd also mention that the cattle owner is most likely liable for anyone that gets injured by his cattle, car accidents and such.
I could think of worse things than a cow in my yard, but still, they should be kept in.
As I've said before, we were looking for either dexters or Belted Galloways when we started, and by chance ended up the belties. I like both.I remember the rodeos in the first couple of years. I'm sure you found that once the cows and you are on the same page life gets much easier. Now I can just call them from the main pasture and they'll come to get fed. The little ones will do all sort of crazy stuff but if I see them once a day (after the first 24--48) and they are alive I call it good.
I had my herd bull get sick and die on me, now to find a replacement Dexter and hope he will be half a docile as Norman was. You could anything with that boy with minimal effort.
When I was growing up we had a cow that was half Holstein, half Hereford.Interesting read...
I never really gave much thought to "open range" livestock and fencing in or out. We were surrounded by dairy cows growing up, but they never seemed to wander. We do get the occasional horse grazing in our small field.
Funny how that works we were looking at Highland, Belties or Dexter. Had deal for some highland fall through and ended up with Dexters. There is actually a couple of Galloway yearling bulls for sale near me but that don't help you. I'm in market for a yearling horned dexter bull. Red but black will work....As I've said before, we were looking for either dexters or Belted Galloways when we started, and by chance ended up the belties. I like both.
Yes, the first couple of times shifting paddocks was...interesting. We have a suspicious cow that was always the last do anything. In the early days, she wouldn't leave the paddock with the rest of the heard, and then she would get agitated and all wound up because she was alone. We ended up having to move her, quietly mind you, with us on horseback. Horses were less threatening to her and could gently pressure her toward the gate. Even today, she will always try to evade a human. Now that they know the routines, we just open the gates, and come back in half an hour and everyone has moved over quietly. No stress, no bother on either side. My former equine riding companion is now herd boss, and chief calf sitter. He loves it. It is a hoot to see him with five calves while the moms are out of sight doing something. Occasionally, it will be one almost awake horse surrounded by a bunch of calves fast asleep.
We lost our bull two years ago to bovine infectious lymphoma. It was a new to me disease. Apparently, it is spread by horse flies. He went very quickly. He was drooling a bit Thursday, "ain't doin' right" on Friday, but nothing in particular, not doing well on at all on Saturday, when I called around for veterinary care/advice. Sunday I had arranged for care, and had trailered him up to UC Davis for emergency surgery and care first thing. He was in surgery ten minutes, having quietly followed me through a maze of alleys and hallways in the vet clinic. I was amazed at how calm he was. The staff were thankful and impressed that he was so amiable. By early Thursday morning, he couldn't get up, and the veterinarian in charge called for permission to euthanize him. While we were speaking he passed. The vets had never seen anything like it before, and it took a necropsy to determine the cause. None of my big time rancher neighbors had heard of it when I have mentioned it, but their herds are generally younger.
Our bull was a real sweetie. My wife and he had a greeting going where he would grunt at her, and she would hold out a finger towards his nose. He would amble over and then she would touch his nose, at which point he would toss his head and pretend to be affronted. Every day. Often, he would lurk quietly in the shade of the six foot high mustard, almost completely screened in, rather like Ferdinand under his cork tree.
So, yes, we are also looking for a new bull. In our case, we are looking for low line Belted Galloway bull. The low line cattle do really well on our steep hillsides, and the hillsides do really well with lighter cattle. If anyone knows of any, I would welcome any suggestions.
All the best,
Peter
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Sounds like decent neighbor, made real effort to make it right.I have a few cows at my other farm. One of the neighbors has a lot of cows. One of his cows got through the fence and started hanging out with mine. They all calved and her calf became part of the herd. I told the land owner about his cow and he sent a guy over to get her, but failed. He tried several times, but she was too fast for him. I fend all of them over the winter. One cow didn't eat that much, but it was frustrating to feed the neighbors cow and calf. Eventually another neighbor got involved and they came up with a plan that worked in catching her. I'm an hour away and never put much time into catching her, so I didn't get to upset since they where trying. Once she was back on the neighbors land, he brought over 6 round bales as a gift for taking care of her and her calf. In my opinion, it all worked out satisfactory.
Herds that are easy to catch are nice. Do you have a coral that you can put all the cows in, then cut out the odd one?I have a few cows at my other farm. One of the neighbors has a lot of cows. One of his cows got through the fence and started hanging out with mine. They all calved and her calf became part of the herd. I told the land owner about his cow and he sent a guy over to get her, but failed. He tried several times, but she was too fast for him. I fend all of them over the winter. One cow didn't eat that much, but it was frustrating to feed the neighbors cow and calf. Eventually another neighbor got involved and they came up with a plan that worked in catching her. I'm an hour away and never put much time into catching her, so I didn't get to upset since they where trying. Once she was back on the neighbors land, he brought over 6 round bales as a gift for taking care of her and her calf. In my opinion, it all worked out satisfactory.