Beef cows are not stupid!!!

JD Seller · Jan 5, 2014

Just was out checking the beef cows over. They are back in the pasture down in a valley/hollow. They have a shed with bedding in it they could get into but not a single one in the barn. They are all down in the valley. I walked down to them. It feels 20 degrees warmer down in that valley. The wind is starting to really blow up top but not hardly a stirring down where they are at.

The Mommas are all laying down and the smaller fall calves are laying right beside/against Mom. The bigger calves are out running around playing.

They are comfortable and have full bellies too. I did feed them down in the valley this morning. I also unrolled some bedding down there yesterday too. They usually go there if we have much wind. They only have to walk up in the wind for some water. The springs are a little hard right now. LOL

So who is the boss around here??? They have someone catering to all of their needs. Who is the smarter one???

Stay warm fellows!!!

JayinNY · Jan 5, 2014

I agree most animals are pretty smart! I'm not sure I remember we're your located, but were gonna get a winter mix tonight into tomarrow, been a bright clear sunny day here in NY so far, and we got out of the last few days of single digits and hit 29*! Lol

Dick2 · Jan 5, 2014

We always watched the behavior of our animals; they are sometimes great predictors of incomimg bad weather, especially in the days before the weather people had computer models to predict what was on the way into the area.

Always interesting to watch the cows find a sheltered spot out of the wind where a little sun could reach them. Liked to see them get to their feet and do a contented "stretch" before heading to the feed.

Except chickens of course; they aren't smart enough to watch the weather.

tbish · Jan 5, 2014

Amazing how tough they are as long as they have enough to eat they make it just fine

JD Seller · Jan 5, 2014

North-East Iowa Jay. It is going to get way below zero with falling temperatures all day. Tomorrow the high is supposed to be -15 with 20-30 mph winds out of the north. Just a nice cool day. LOL

oj · Jan 5, 2014

you are right JD... woke up to temps of -30C this morning (-22F) with 40km/h winds and gusts up to nearly 60km/h (25mph)... the wind chills were down in the -50C range(-60F +) the cows were down in the trees in a valley, and weren't overly keen on getting up this morning... i had two bales unrolled before i even saw a cow coming to eat, i did manage to find a sheltered spot to feed them in, not as sheltered as the valley bottom, but better than the wide open, they'll eat for an hour or two and then go back to the trees.

Mike (WA) · Jan 5, 2014

Dad built a 60 X 100 barn back in the early '50's, and part of it was to be a "loafing shed" for the dairy cows (in the days before free stalls). Had just a few odds and ends to do to get it ready, and one day we had a big storm coming, so he worked all day to have it ready. Hard, blowing rain all night- when he went out in the AM, one yearling heifer in the loafing shed, everybody else out under the trees. So much for the loafing shed- they never would use it- so it got converted to hay storage the next year.

Wheat Farmer · Jan 5, 2014

If you had a flat pasture that had horses and Cattle and the storm came from the Northwest. MOST of the time the Horses would have their butts into the wind in the Northwest corner, and the Cattle would have there butts into the wind and in the Southeast corner.

Grampy · Jan 5, 2014

Nope, not dumb at all. I have one bunch that 'hole up' in a place I can't get to with the feed truck. Not only do they know what time I feed but they know the sound of that truck. It was -13 w/20 mph wind this morning. Soon as I got close, they came on the run !

JayinNY · Jan 5, 2014

Ok, I thought you said Iowa, than I thought Illinois. Lol, we only hit -9 or so, lucky we dident get the wind they were predicting, I remember you posted some nice pics of your driveway one time, and your area. If I remember right you had a really long driveway! And it looked like nice area out there.

tomstractorsandtoys · Jan 5, 2014

You have given your cattle the choice of shelter.The farm to the west of me has 100 beef cows in a 160 acer feild of cornstalks with no shelter or wind break of any kind. There is no valley for protection.The cows crowd the north fence where the neighbors building provide some wind break.I wonder how those cows will take the cold -50 wind chills of the next few days.I am sure the small stream they drink from is frozen and will stay that way for awhile. Anyway I now need to go start mixing feed for my cattle,so keep warm the next few days and don't forget to check on friends and neighbors as this cold spell is going to be hard on many.

Goose · Jan 5, 2014

I had a bunch of hogs once that dug a depression in the ground in the middle of their metal shelter. They all laid in a pile in that hole to keep it warm. They'd go out in groups of two or three to eat while the rest kept the hole warm.

They maintained that routine as long as the weather was cold.

Spook · Jan 5, 2014

Our goats seldom leave the barn, so maybe they are smarter?

bison · Jan 5, 2014

No offence but since humans got involved in raising and breeding them these cows got actually dumber than a sack of hammers.

Bison are a lot smarter :wink:

farmerwithmutt · Jan 5, 2014

mine are outside laying on some extra hay can go in 2 barns and 1 shed they would rather be outside. in earlier barnstorming days pilots used cows butts to check wind direction

Anonymous-0 · Jan 5, 2014

Warm this morning but after 48 years on this farm I know where to find my cattle the next two cold mornings, in the cedars. I do the same thing in a big snow and wind they slow the wind and filter the snow, kinda peaceful.

730 virgil · Jan 5, 2014

yea those ol girls are smart alright they heer the ollie 88 and skid loader start they know it"s time to put hay in bale feeder they are all standing next to the gate. no need to worry if thet get out they will follow bale back in their lot.

bigboreG · Jan 5, 2014

Up here in NW IA, the heat was on this past fall to get all the stalk bales rolled up. You should see all the stacks of them being used for wind breaks on the fat cattle lots. Some are half mile long and two or three bales tall. A guy can stand on the south side of those bales and it will feel 30 degrees warmer. Its good to see that most guys care about the animals, of course some don't but when half of them freeze to death in the next few days maybe they will wish they had cared!

fixerupper · Jan 5, 2014

I had a batch of hogs once that did their dunging in the barn where they had to sleep instead of going outside. I was constantly pitching manure to keep a dry place for them to sleep. Finally I sat right down with them for awhile in that place, trying to keep them from chewing on me, and it didn't take long for me to feel a cold draft. A windbreak by the door is all it took to solve the problem. I already had a mudflap hanging in the door but that wasn't enough. I didn't feel the draft when I was hustling around pitching the stuff, but they did feel it and didn't like it at all. Jim

farmerwithmutt · Jan 5, 2014

that sound yup cattle know what tractors mean what helping a guy put up hay stuck the ford on we took it off real fast see he feed the hogs with that and 500 +pigs screamin for chow thats a sound you dont want to hear

Texasmark1 · Jan 5, 2014

Story on my farm is that animals are a lot smarter than most people. They just keep proving it over and over again.

Mark

wisbaker · Jan 5, 2014

I observation from my previous job, you're beef cows are smarter than the average county judge. When I was the courthouse keeper I'd get complaints from the judges that it was hot in their chambers and "You better do something" went up to check it out, they're sitting by their windows in the full sun and won't draw their blinds "well I want to see what's going on outside!"

Billy Shafer · Jan 5, 2014

I deliver liquid feed to many ranches around the county. It was 25 one morning. All the cows are in the barn. Looking at me. Like look at that idiot. Filling a feeder we are not going to touch until it gets warm.

Beef cows are not stupid!!!

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