Cows
Though, we might be entertained by a cat playing a fiddle, or a cow jumping over the moon, for the sake of learning about cow care and common health concerns, let’s stick to non-jumping cows, this time. 😊 Planning to care for a large animal takes preparation and quite a few coins. Cows— in particular— serve many purposes, but maintaining an adequate and safe environment and paying attention to their health can attribute to them living long and remaining strong.
As herd animals, cows need several acres on which they can reside. We see from time to time; cows are raised in a barn for rodeo shows or if they are an FFA (Future Farmers of America) cow. However, for the most part, cows engage with other cows in a large space.
What’s Needed?
-Several acres of land where they can graze
(As ruminants—animals with four chambers that release nutrients from food by fermenting it before digestion— cows vomit and chew regurgitated food from their rumen.)
–Proper enclosure/fencing
(Or, if you’re raising a single cow, FFA cow, or rodeo cow, they can utilize a barn.)
–A feeding croft
(They eat hay and pelleted food.)
–Large fresh water source
(especially if you have a herd because they drink gallons, daily)
Just like humans, cows require a certain amount of electrolytes. So, generally salt licks are placed near their food and in the pasture. It’s simply a big block of salt they can lick, for the natural ingestion of salt. Other ways to ensure cows have adequate salt intake is to add it to their feed and pelleted food, or over flakes of hay. There are different sources of salt that can be given in various ways, but the salt lick is most common.
Pros vs. Cons
Pros– If your cows are used for production, milk or beef/meat, you have a source of natural food that is healthy and high in protein. Milking cows produce drinking milk, which can be used for butter, cheese, ice cream, and other dairy items.
Unlike goats, cows are rather self-reliant. They don’t tend to become as sick with parasites and they can protect themselves from predators, due to their size.
Cow are also good source of fertilizer.
Cons- Cows are large and need a substantial amount of food and water, especially if there is not a lot of fresh water nearby or acres on which to graze. They require large areas for being housed, which can be costly.
There are potential dangers when dealing with large animals because of their size. Cows generally weigh a half-ton to a ton. Though they can be docile, they can also be aggressive and dangerous, especially when they have offspring. Mothers are protective, and bulls can be rambunctious. So, it is extremely important to have the proper facilities to handle them, including a place to corral them, a separate place to examine them, and squeeze chute with a head gate.
You want to be able to corral them safely from being in the pasture. Some farmers have even trained their animals to respond to certain calls. Cow calling—as they refer to it– is a term of endearment. Traditional farmers would have a certain call, early in the morning, to signal their cattle— alerting them it’s time to eat or gather. Every farmer has their own cow call and way of communicating with their herd.
Once you establish your own routine, and create the best environment for your animals, you are on the right path to keeping a safe and happy herd. Look out for my next blog where I’ll discuss keeping your herd healthy through proper care and treatment.
