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Yes, I talk to the cows.

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Michael Soldan

02-26-2004 18:27:57

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I was thinking about what Hugh had to say about working around cattle and now I can admit it!! Cattle can be placated with gentleness and talking and they get to know what you mean, then they come close for a sniff of you and then its licking your sleeve and then pretty soon..you can walk up to them and scratch their backs or neck. My cattle have learned a call I have for them and they know it is worth coming for as it ususally results in corn or some other treat. When they got out last summer I had several people ready to help and I told them to stay back and I'd call on them if I needed them. I called the cattle and walked slowly and headed for the gate at the back of the barn...in about three minutes I had them in , by myself...there's nothing worse than a stranger or someone running..that can stampede cattle quicker than a cherry bomb, and since my kids think I'm nuts for bantering with the cattle....well maybe I am off a little..I got 11 cats in the barn I talk to as well..I agree with Hugh!... be careful out there farming Farmallers.....Mike in Exeter Ontario

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clint

02-27-2004 16:10:54

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

theres nothing wrong with it. Dad and i do it all the time. Just had our first calf today so the girls are really going to get babied. Heck we even talk to bulls one is just a pill likes to be petted and rubbed on. And they say angus cattle are mean.

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Puller504

02-27-2004 15:21:25

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

Michael, when I was a mere lad, we milked 30 head of Holsteins in a stanchion barn. When Dad turned on the lights the radio would also come on, tuned to an AM easy listening station. Dad would call out for the "girls" to get up and get ready for milking and they always stood up and stretched and waited for my older brother and I to scratch or pat them on the head while feeding them. My Grandad milked a herd at the same time, but no radio or talking was allowed in his barn as his cows weren't used to us teenagers! Thanks, guys for bringing back some fond memories! Don

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Steve from MO - yup

02-27-2004 09:15:17

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

I used to be able to walk out among my Dad's cows even several years after I had left home. The ones who were still there must have remembered who fed them in the winter, and we both talked to them.

My Mom, on the other hand, couldn't get within a hundred yards of the fence without the cows running off. She had lived on a farm with cows her whole life up until then.

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Jimmy King

02-27-2004 05:31:50

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

Michael if you have cattle and you didn't talk to them I wouldn't think much of you as a cattleman.

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02-27-2004 04:07:07

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

my dad always said that "talking to yourself does not mean you are crazy its when you hear answers that you need to start worrying"-applies to cows too

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ButchWI

02-27-2004 03:38:38

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

Nothing like having animals come to greet ME when I walk into their pen. After growing up on a 60 cow dairy (black & whites) to current (35 Years later) 1000 cow dairy in central WI, one thing does not change...treat them like you would like to be treated. From a gentle sniff to a scratch my head nudge, those girls need some attention to. Nice post guys!!!
It's too bad everyone doesn't get to experience these things once in their lifetime!

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Fawteen - Oh, good

02-27-2004 02:48:20

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

I'm not as much of a whack job as my grandkids think ":^)

I talk to all of my animals (even the chickens) all the time. Partly because I like 'em better than most people I meet, mostly because like others have said, it seems to form a bond.

I got a couple of new ewes to freshen the flock a bit, and they're wilder than coots. If past experience is any measure, they'll be coming up for a chat and a chin scratch by fall.

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Hugh MacKay

02-26-2004 22:30:00

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

Michael: I can vouch for you, I remember spending some time at your farm one afternoon, and one of the things we did was take time to talk to your cows. I can also tell the rest of these guys, it was not the first time those cows were talked to. They were very used to be talked to.

My friends there is no shame in talking to your livestock. I had 175 head of holsteins and there was time to talk with all of them. They also like music. I know farmers who have recorded music in their barns 24x7. I guess they know cows don't like commercials either. I always had a radio on in my barn. But then there weren't as many commercials back then.

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Stan

02-27-2004 07:54:15

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Hugh MacKay, 02-26-2004 22:30:00

Ever stop to ask yourself why the old time cowboys use to sing to the cattle at night while on cattle drives.

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riverrat

02-27-2004 01:57:02

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Hugh MacKay, 02-26-2004 22:30:00

Hugh - I don't think that many people realize that it's been proven that a dairy herd will produce more milk listening to classical music than any other kind of music as opposed to not having any music playing at all. Second on the list is country music, which is in our barn. Then comes the no music, then it goes downhill from there with rock, heavy metal, rap, etc. That stuff sounds like a machine about to break down when I hear it. Hate it. Anyway, anybody who thinks it's strange or weird when they hear about talking to cows don't know anything about it. You have to talk to them and touch them every chance you get. Makes for a much nicer and easy handling herd. When I walk down the mangers, most if not all of the girls have their heads up and I make sure I touch them on the side of the face or nose or whatever. They look forward to it, it's obvious. Anyway, to all the city folk out there who are confused - visit your nearest cattle/dairy farmer and you'll see a whole new outtake on things - mainly life.

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Paul in Mich

02-27-2004 07:26:32

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Re: Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to riverrat, 02-27-2004 01:57:02

Riverrat, Those city folks might even find out that chocolate milk doesn't really come from brown cows. If you're around cows long enough, you find that they exibit a lot of traits of humans. They love their strokes, they love being talked to, but hate being yelled at. They argue amongst themselves, they know in exact order that they are to come into the milking parlor, they know whose hand is massaging their udders, they even develop disgusting habits just like we humans. As well as we think dogs are trained, try getting 20 or more to come to the food dish in as orderly manner as cows will. Ain't gonna happen.

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DoubleR

02-26-2004 19:30:34

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

I finish about 10 steers at a time. I buy them small and take them up to about 1400#. Nobody is around very long but they all get to know my voice well. I walk in the barn and will talk to them the whole time while I fill the feed bunk and give them water and bed them down with straw. If a stanger or sombody other than me or my lab is with me I tell them not to talk as it will startle them and they will run out into the feedlot. Everyone laughs when I tell them about it but I have no problem selling the beef outright and have developed guiet a clintell for my home grown beef. It also helps me in releving the stress at the end of a day after working my REAL job!

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riverbend

02-26-2004 19:15:40

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

I'm always surprised when the neighbor lets me come in the barn when he is milking.

Is cow tipping still big at UCONN ?

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Bill B

02-27-2004 04:57:59

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to riverbend, 02-26-2004 19:15:40

I have not heard of any cow tipping in a long time. I think the kids may have learned some respect.

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02-26-2004 19:15:35

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

Mike, I understand everthing you are saying. I have a couple of examples from my farming past to go along with yours:
1)We used to share a pasture farm with a neighbour that was about 12 miles from home. During the pasture season we would take turns with the neighbor on Sundays to go check the cattle on the pasture farm. When we checked the cattle the neighbour's cattle would always stay a distance away and ours would come right up to us. One Sunday one of the neighbours cows had quills in its nose. No cell phones in those days so we had to drive to his place. I volenteered to go back with him and help remove the quills. As soon as his cattle saw him they came running right up to him. We had always thought his cattle were a bit wild but I guess they were just shy.
2)We have a farm a mile away from the home farm and would winter 2 year old cattle there. We would drive up there in the GM 1/2 ton every morning to feed them. They would always come to the barn when they heard the 1/2 ton coming. One day someone borrowed the 1/2 ton and we drove up with the family car. Well no cattle on their way to the barn. We had to call them. Did they know the sound of that 1/2 ton or was it just a fluke ?

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Bill B

02-27-2004 04:56:48

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to JB, 02-26-2004 19:15:35

Animals are not as stupid as we think. They have the same senses as us, and some of them are not as good at it, and some are much better. Imagine how it would be to see like a hawk, or hear like a dog. Before the white man came, the native americans spoke to the animals.

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Bill B

02-26-2004 18:55:21

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Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Michael Soldan, 02-26-2004 18:27:57

I have not worked on a farm in 40 years, but when I see a cattle in a pasture, I always call "hello girls". My girlfriend thinks I am nuts, but probably not just from the calling to the cows. I also talk to her cat, but use the cat's language. It responds very well, and always comes to sit in my lap. Anybody who talks to animals cant be all bad.
Here is a shot of my son and his heifer when he was in AG school at the university of CT.

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Farmallkid

02-27-2004 12:27:51

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Bill B, 02-26-2004 18:55:21

That's a nice looking heifer. I was in the dairy club when i was 10 or 11, my first project was a Comestar Leader, it was a nice looking calf. At the fair i won 1st for Showmanship and 1st for conformation. I haven't shown for about 5 years now, the dairy club shut down.

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Hugh MacKay

02-27-2004 03:06:47

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Bill B, 02-26-2004 18:55:21

Bill: And a beauliful lady she is, no question some quite fine genetics behind that one.

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riverrat

02-27-2004 02:02:38

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Bill B, 02-26-2004 18:55:21

That's a nice animal, mister! Good looking back and leg lines, nice shaped belly, good posture. Nice! Good blood in that one...

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steveormary

02-26-2004 20:36:22

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Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to Bill B, 02-26-2004 18:55:21

I was keeping a bull at my place for a friend untill he oculd take it to his summer pasture. When the day came to load the bull he had his vets assistant come out to help load the bull. This feller got out of his pickup with a bullwhip in his hand. He and my friend got in the pen with the bull and this fellew started cracking his whip. Bull wasnt used to that and would not go into the trailer. I told my friend to stop and to get a pan of feed. He set the feed pan right by the back of the trailer and the bull went right in. Feller left mad and my friend said I know one thing we dont need around here. And that is a bull whip I said. It is easier to lead an animal then chase them.

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riverrat

02-27-2004 02:05:56

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Re: Re: Re: Yes, I talk to the cows. in reply to steveormary, 02-26-2004 20:36:22

You are absolutely right! However, just like with humans, there's always that 1 or 2 that are unbearable. Won't do anything, anyhow. Those are the ones we get rid of for any excuse. Those bad ones will get the whole herd up at arms. No different than with people, ya know?

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