PremierLonghorns
Member
I recently read about a steer that had eaten a plastic trash bag blown into his pasture and now his well-being was in serious jeopardy. So, I thought I would reprint the following information. Regardless of what breed of cattle we own, this info can and likely will save some body's life. This is off our website at
www.premierlonghorns.com/INFORMATION-LINKS.html
MAGNETS: Longhorns like to eat, seem to do so on cruise control and can easily ingest foreign matter, like bits of metal (wire,screws, etc) found in the pasture or hay. Many a favorite cow has tragically died prematurely & unnecessarily due to "Hardware Disease", including one legendary Texas Longhorn sire. You can prevent this from happening by giving each cow an inexpensive 1/2"x3" cattle Magnet, inserted at the back of the tongue w/ a balling gun. Available at the feed store for a few dollars each, it looks like a silver bullet.The calf must be old enough (about one year old) for the rumen to be fully developed. One magnet will last a lifetime.
BALING STRING & PLASTIC BAGS: Hay bales usually come wrapped in either plastic netting or plastic string also wire. It keeps your bales securely contained till ready to be consumed. However, it is important that extreme care be taken that ALL the string/ netting be completely removed, not just from the bale but from the entire area that cattle have access to before ever exposing your cattle to the bale. String carelessly left either are the ground or concealed in the midst of the hay is easily consumed. You may even find old partially chewed string around your pasture. More than a few cows and calves have died unnecessarily from ingesting string,something that could have been very easily prevented. Plastic bags and other trash thrown alongside roads often get blown into the pasture. Besure to pick up any hazardous material that if ingested could seriously jeopardize the well-being of your cattle.
ROUND BALE RINGS: For most breeds, open tubular Rings work fine-But Not Longhorns! If they can get their head through the rails,they can easily get their horns hungup. Open rings are suitable Only for weanlings. For all others use SOLID wall construction designed hayrings. Owning Longhorns is exciting but the excitement of seeing your best cow or bull running hurt & confused through a fence with its head entangled dragging a hay ring possibly breaking a horn or worse-we can do without! We're not saying it will happen next week or next month but it will happen with open design. Don't let it happen to you. Thanks to Curt Winters (www.redhillsranch.net) for this wise advice.
PERIMETER FENCING: Good fences not only make good neighbors but keep your Longhorns safe. Where possible, use woven field fence to the ground with a hotwire over top-to keep the critters out and your cattle in. In rural areas, Coyotes hunt in packs, Big Cats range along rivers & will try to kill your calves for dinner. Longhorn Moms are
protective. In suburbia, they will want to "eliminate" the neighbor's dogs who get in the pasture and think its fun to chase & terrorize their babies.
www.premierlonghorns.com/INFORMATION-LINKS.html
MAGNETS: Longhorns like to eat, seem to do so on cruise control and can easily ingest foreign matter, like bits of metal (wire,screws, etc) found in the pasture or hay. Many a favorite cow has tragically died prematurely & unnecessarily due to "Hardware Disease", including one legendary Texas Longhorn sire. You can prevent this from happening by giving each cow an inexpensive 1/2"x3" cattle Magnet, inserted at the back of the tongue w/ a balling gun. Available at the feed store for a few dollars each, it looks like a silver bullet.The calf must be old enough (about one year old) for the rumen to be fully developed. One magnet will last a lifetime.
BALING STRING & PLASTIC BAGS: Hay bales usually come wrapped in either plastic netting or plastic string also wire. It keeps your bales securely contained till ready to be consumed. However, it is important that extreme care be taken that ALL the string/ netting be completely removed, not just from the bale but from the entire area that cattle have access to before ever exposing your cattle to the bale. String carelessly left either are the ground or concealed in the midst of the hay is easily consumed. You may even find old partially chewed string around your pasture. More than a few cows and calves have died unnecessarily from ingesting string,something that could have been very easily prevented. Plastic bags and other trash thrown alongside roads often get blown into the pasture. Besure to pick up any hazardous material that if ingested could seriously jeopardize the well-being of your cattle.
ROUND BALE RINGS: For most breeds, open tubular Rings work fine-But Not Longhorns! If they can get their head through the rails,they can easily get their horns hungup. Open rings are suitable Only for weanlings. For all others use SOLID wall construction designed hayrings. Owning Longhorns is exciting but the excitement of seeing your best cow or bull running hurt & confused through a fence with its head entangled dragging a hay ring possibly breaking a horn or worse-we can do without! We're not saying it will happen next week or next month but it will happen with open design. Don't let it happen to you. Thanks to Curt Winters (www.redhillsranch.net) for this wise advice.
PERIMETER FENCING: Good fences not only make good neighbors but keep your Longhorns safe. Where possible, use woven field fence to the ground with a hotwire over top-to keep the critters out and your cattle in. In rural areas, Coyotes hunt in packs, Big Cats range along rivers & will try to kill your calves for dinner. Longhorn Moms are
protective. In suburbia, they will want to "eliminate" the neighbor's dogs who get in the pasture and think its fun to chase & terrorize their babies.
