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What a day!

E

eatbeef

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Jul 10, 2011
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Kansas
At day break i noticed some calves in a pasture east of house that were not supposed to be there. Further investigation, a pen of 64 got spooked last night hit 6 wire barbed wire fix with a hot wire and only 15 left in pen. 13 in pasture and the other 36 gone.

As of now we have found all but 3. Got 23 back home and 11 in a neighbors pasture. Following the calf tracks it was 7 miles from the house they ran. And the 11 in a neighbors pasture ran about 9 miles to get where they are.

Pry ought to just bite the bullet and put all continous fence up. Had them locked in a corral for 3 days until started on feed, then kicked out on the fenceline bunks and on day 6 this happens. Have all continuous fence but the back of pen and that is where they busted into the calving pasture, but of course all the gates where open. Had pens on both sides of them and they are all fine.

Well i better eat and start fixing fence.
 
What a mess. I hope you find the last 3 in good shape. The thing I hate the most about breakouts or strays in the trouble they can make on the road. I always figured getting them all back without incident in a big bonus.

It's hard to have things breakout-proof when something spooks them that badly!
 
If they are the ones from this part of the world, they were just missing the trains!!!!

Sorry about the stressed out calves. Good luck.
 
We had that happen a few years ago. Pheasant hunters across the road started shooting and spooked calves, ran right threw a wooden windbreak.
 
If had them hit the precast feed bunks and tip over about 6. Lucky they were then in a high wire feed yard and didn't get away but over the years have had numerous break outs. Doesn't seem to matter the fence sometimes.
Had some go quite aways when a load of calves was tipped over turning into the ranch. :?
 
All accounted for tonight. 11 still in a nieghbors pasture. Rest home. Medicating water and hoping for the best. All came to bunks tonight.

Had a guy tell me the moon is wrong, with a full moon there shadows spook them, any truth to this???
 
That reminds me of the time I had a couple dozen steer calfs backgrouding in a trap seems like everytime I would leave they would run through a good fence some of em cut pretty good.
One time i seen where they tore down the fence in one place then tore down another piece to get back in, that's about when i figgered out that a blue heeler pup I had was practising workin cattle when i was gone and she was bored.
good luck
 
when we used to keep cal;ves and run yearlings , March -April the snow here is right to the top wire on the fences. Sunny days and cold night the snow crust hard enough to hold up a team and sleigh with a full load of hay. The yearling would be miles from home on top of the crust. We had to get them back before the crust went out or they were stuck when the snow got soft.... :mad:
 
HAY MAKER said:
That reminds me of the time I had a couple dozen steer calfs backgrouding in a trap seems like everytime I would leave they would run through a good fence some of em cut pretty good.
One time i seen where they tore down the fence in one place then tore down another piece to get back in, that's about when i figgered out that a blue heeler pup I had was practising workin cattle when i was gone and she was bored.
good luck
Click to expand...

That is the very reason cowdogs are unwelcome on the Spearhead Ranch. :wink: :-)

Sorry about your bad luck, eatbeef. Hope the calves are all well and have settled down by now. We've had it happen, and know what you are up against.
 
There was a newly weaned group of calves that spooked in this area a few weeks back. When they found the ones that were left, they were a fair few miles from home. Unfortunately, to get there they had to cross a major highway. Two semis and three pickups connected with the herd as they crossed. The last count I heard was about 23 - 25 big calves dead. They had them separated steers and heifers, and wouldn't you know, it was the steers that got out.

It isn't free range up here. They figure farm insurance will cover the damages to the vehicles (big bucks!) but the rancher is out the loss of the calves. Fortunately, no people were physically hurt in the mess.
 
I used to background light calves and found if you have an old cull cow you want to feed up before getting rid of her just let her run with the calves and she will influence the attitude of the herd.

One old gentle cow will teach 100 flighty calves to be calm.
 
George said:
I used to background light calves and found if you have an old cull cow you want to feed up before getting rid of her just let her run with the calves and she will influence the attitude of the herd.

One old gentle cow will teach 100 flighty calves to be calm.
Click to expand...

And she will show them how to eat. Believe it or not, calves do not know how to eat grain or pellets at first. :shock: That old cow will get them on feed faster.
 

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