• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

hangin tuff

Andy said:
Those look pretty tuff. But I don't think we need to be calling the state vet after seeing a picture of 4 cows during a storm. I have seen some pretty good looking cows look bad during a nasty storm. Ussually there is more to the story than just what we see in a picture. I am not saying that we shouldn't turn in those how neglect there cattle, but we should atleast find out the whole story before we go calling the state on someone.
Click to expand...

There could be a shelter and bale feeder somewhere in the field. If they had tanked up on water and feed I'll bet none of you would say a thing. I also agree that there is no excuse for abuse but I would never hang someone without a little due diligence. If they were horses my thoughts would be the same.
 
little bow rancher said:
I don't think we sound like peta ,I ve seen this to many times before and it justs p***** me right off there is poor cattle then there is right out lazyness
Click to expand...

I hear you but we are looking at a grainy picture taken in a snow storm. It just might not be as bad as it looks. First recommendation shouldn't be to call the State Vet. A little more investigation is in order.
 
alacowman said:
you folks would break the bank trying too fatten a longhorn .....
Click to expand...
Exactly!!!!! We looked after some Longhorns for a friend one winter,couldn't feed the beggars into shape,its how their built,and add the storm into the mix even hardy cattle that are used to our winters hunker down and look bad.
 
Well I certainly won't be posting pics of my bottom end anytime soon, yikes! As for these critters in question, I don't see anything out there that looks like feed. The one is licking up some dormant grass, which won't have much to it for feed value. But, I agree with Per, we don't know the story, so none of my business.

I will say that from a genetics standpoint, maybe these are the bottom end of this particular outfit's herd. If they are, they ought to be culled for not holding condition, assuming the rest look respectable. Obviously if they all look like this, there's some managment issues. But if they are the bottom end, someone should have seen them losing weight and sell them to someone who likes feeding......alot.

We can't compare them to every cow in North America, just compare them within their contemporary group, and you'll get the rest of the story, as Mr. Harvey would say.
 
PureCountry said:
Well I certainly won't be posting pics of my bottom end anytime soon, yikes! As for these critters in question, I don't see anything out there that looks like feed. The one is licking up some dormant grass, which won't have much to it for feed value. But, I agree with Per, we don't know the story, so none of my business.
Click to expand...

I was trying to think positive :-) ... apparently the snow was gone in a few days, and I'm sure they have access to protein tubs to better utilize their dormant forage, probably located in the same place as their shelter and water source :D. Let's all hope for their sake anyway.

Apparently some on this thread have seen mismanagement up close like myself, and it strikes a raw nerve. Of course we all have bottom end cattle, but hopefully you manage to sell them or manage them differently before they reach this stage. I think it's cruel to do otherwise. 5 out of 5 animals pictured look terrible, so I'm assuming it's a management issue :D.
 
Bottom line.....Longhorns are NOT built to weather like that.

It was blizzards that killed them on the long drives North to the rail heads in ages past.

It'd be like putting a Highland, hair and all, in our hot Southern temps....it's a killer and just wrong.


Just cause they look ' neat' or whatever don't mean they should be everywhere.

I'd be putting blankies on them :wink:
 
Cool your jets, folks! THere are the old style longhorns which do look rather like that, and have not been 'fouled' with genetics from other breeds. They are quite tough, and don't get fat looking easily, maybe not at all for some.

Sort of like calling the child welfare folks if we see a forlorn looking little kid in ragged looking clothers, that just got scolded for playing in the mud dragging himself away from the 'treasure' and moving reluctantly toward a mother with a 'mean' look on her face!

They could be recently imported roping cattle. Or any number of things could have happened to present that sad picture. Give a chance to learn the facts before hangnig the owner!

And no, we don't have anything that looks like that, but they sure don't look happy this evening in the snow and cold. And the little calves out in it don't look so great, either, but they will probably be ok until we can find them and get the warmed up if needed. Good natural shelter is hard to beat, but these spring blizzards can negate that, too. Sure praying for a quick end to it and hoping people remember to place the proper value on the human lives over the animals when push comes to shove.

mrj

mrj
 
kolanuraven said:
Bottom line.....Longhorns are NOT built to weather like that.

It was blizzards that killed them on the long drives North to the rail heads in ages past.

It'd be like putting a Highland, hair and all, in our hot Southern temps....it's a killer and just wrong.


Just cause they look ' neat' or whatever don't mean they should be everywhere.

I'd be putting blankies on them :wink:
Click to expand...

There is not a lot of cattle in North America north of me, but Longhorns have been here since the first cattle showed up. They make out just fine, without blankies. Like all cattle, they need to be fed and have access to reasonable shelter.
 
My Dad used to tell me - "it sometimes pays to feed cattle, it sometimes doesn't but it never pays to hunger them" I think that's very true - that left hand cow in the second picture is a disaster waiting to happen - a walking skeleton.
 
Those Corriente and Longhorn Cattle look skinny to me when thier well fed.A guy i know runs them for the ropers,and even if thier belly deep in grass they don't quite have the same gain as regular beef cattle do,that coupled with the fact that it's been drought conditions down south,with minimal feed available &,throw in an few unexpected but needed storms and you've got a pretty dire looking picture.We should'nt play cattle police or chastise a fellow producer,till we know what we're looking at in real terms.Kinda like a city person seeing calves born in winter on range conditions and taking pics to show all the bleeding heart animal welfare people who know nothing about cattle,they would assume the worst.And probably would'nt contact you to ask the real story before making a campaign against your outfit.I hate neglect also,and the last sale i was at there was some pretty sorry looking Corrientes.
 
Quite a difference between thin and weak-if they were in dire shape they wouldn't be out grazing like that-I've seen alot of Longhorn cattle and they never look especially shiny-why don't you take a picture of them now if they are along the road.
 
I've been around a lot of Corriente cattle (wish I owned some Corriente cows, they are neat cattle) and I can tell you, for whatever reason,
those pictured are damn thin.

And nr, you are correct. There is a big difference between thin and weak.
I don't like the way these are humped up, they are thin and perhaps
weak, but they certainly are darn cold.

Corriente cattle don't have a very thick hide nor do they have a lot of hair.
Longhorns would beat them there.

It seems the women here want something done with them besides the situation they are in. The men generally seem to be more complacent.

I'm sorry to say, some people just don't care if the animals in their
care live or die. If it was me, I'd call someone to go out and take a look, just to check out the situation. Can't hurt and might help.

FWIW
 
I would'nt say anyone's complacent here,just want to establish facts beyond a picture of thin longhorn cattle in a winter storm is all,we've all said we hate to see a bad situation.Owners are generally the best place to start for information,it's hard to tell from 1000 miles away what a person is or is'nt doing.imo.
 
Hey NMHighdessert, where at in NE NM are you? I am in the Maxwell, Springer area and I was trying to place your photos.

Folks if you were here last Friday when that storm came through you would have been humped up and misserable as well. Most of the day was spent with white out conditions, at one point the radio station was calling wind speeds anywhere from 20 to 40 mile hour winds with gusts into the 60's. With the wind chill the temp was well below zero, for the most part a very miserable day for man or beast.
 
That picutre pisses me off :mad: The last storm that we had here in Colorado I have a neighor that has cattle across the road from our cows. And the whole storm they never put up any windbreaks or feed them before the storm or during the storm. Me and my dad the day before made sure we had had out and we also put up some other windbreaks up and put beding out for everything. THen during the storm we went out every 2 hrs to check and make sure everything was fine. Thankfully our cows are right at our place and it made it easier to check everything. But if you dont really have the facilities to keep cattle do you really need cattle in the first place.
 
tenbach79 said:
That picutre p***** me off :mad: The last storm that we had here in Colorado I have a neighor that has cattle across the road from our cows. And the whole storm they never put up any windbreaks or feed them before the storm or during the storm. Me and my dad the day before made sure we had had out and we also put up some other windbreaks up and put beding out for everything. THen during the storm we went out every 2 hrs to check and make sure everything was fine. Thankfully our cows are right at our place and it made it easier to check everything. But if you dont really have the facilities to keep cattle do you really need cattle in the first place.
Click to expand...

Exactly, none of us can control the weather, but we all can control how we feed and provide shelter for our animals... if you can't provide those things, don't own cattle. Losses happen, but most of us try our best, and it's not out of complete neglect. Still hoping those NM cattle have a good explanation for their apparent condition. Any new pics? I was going to try and take pics of my neighbor's longhorn cattle to show folks they can live up here, in good shape, with proper care, but haven't made it out of here yet :-).
 
:lol: :lol: :lol: Poor ol' nmhighdesert......he'll never post another picture here!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

Latest posts

Back
Top