Confessions of a cow spoiler

[red]

Yes, I am a cow spoiler & I will admit it. My cows a primarily made up of former show heifers. They still come running to me if they think I have a treat for them. Right now w/ the garden in full swing, we have lots of treats! Last night I was giving them tomatoes that were too ripe. It was so funny seeing those cows fighting over the tomatoes. The one heifer had 4 in her mouth at one time. Some won't take them out of my hands but will eat them if I put them on the ground.
Other things they like are: zucchini, carrots, melons (sorry Cowz), sweet corn & apples. It takes a rare cow to eat green peppers. Must be an acquired taste!  ;D

Does anyone else spoil their cows?

Red

 

[knabe]

sweet corn stalks, crow eaten cobs, apples, grapevine trimmings.  i don't view it as spoiling, but carbon cycling and carbon:nitrogen ratio reduction. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[shortyjock89]

we're the same way...we feed our old show heifers all that junk...not that often, but they really like it...even the herd bull wants the occasional corn cob!

 

[farmboy]

there are several apple trees out in the pasture...

 

[OH Breeder]

Red I am right there with you. When I go to the farm the kids hollar at me because I sneak the show calves the really good alfafa hay. They love it. Its pretty rich. I also feed my cows probably little more grain than they need, but all they have to see is my vehicle pull in and they come in the barn. I treat them like my kids.

 

[shortdawg]

If you want to see a cow enjoy something, you should see mine eat cull watermelons. They eat rind and all in no time.

 

[garybob]

Does it give 'em loose tails for  a day or two?

 

[SKF]

We spoil our show calves. Our very first heifer that my son showed is the most spoiled because the first two years of her life she was with people only and she was a bottle calf. Now that she has been out to pasture for 5 years she still comes when you call her and she loves peanuts. She likes being with us instead of the other cows. My daughter is the worst at spoling all her show calves and they act like big ol babies. All they want to do is be pampered.

 

[red]

(lol) Shortdawg

They love left over pumpkins too! I tell everyone to bring me their old jack o- lantern's (without candles) for my girls. They go crazy over those.

Red

 

[garybob]

My grandfather rented a place in the early eighties, that used to have a large orchard on it. There were, maybe, 25 trees left standing on this property during this period of time. I can remember an ol' freckle-faced Polled Hereford bull. He would butt his head against the trees to get the apples or pears to fall. These were not the "dwarf-type" fruit trees currently in production in modern orchards. Those cattle, mostly Herefords, stayed in good flesh, probably a full body-condition-score higher than the cattle at other places we ran.

 

[red]

I can remeber at my grandparents, they used to have the old fashion pear trees called Keefer pears. We had sheep & had a ewe get drunk from eating too many rotten fremented pears. She tried to climb the tree.

Red

 

[garybob]

I can remeber at my grandparents, they used to have the old fashion pear trees called Keefer pears. We had sheep & had a ewe get drunk from eating too many rotten fremented pears. She tried to climb the tree.

Red

Probably wanted more pears. Those, if I remember right,the fruits  were yellowish with dark, mottled areas.

 

[red]

yep, those were them exactly! No good eating & also had to fight the wasps.
Speaking of wasps, I got stung yesterday on the wrist by one. Man, did it hurt!

Red

 

[garybob]

yep, those were them exactly! No good eating & also had to fight the wasps.
Speaking of wasps, I got stung yesterday on the wrist by one. Man, did it hurt!

Red

I can also recall the funky shapes! They weren't perfectly shaped, and, often times not even pear-shaped. "Firmly fleshed" didn't describe them well enough. Hard as a rock. They canned quit nicely, though. I think that's why the old-timers had them.

Was it a !@$%%#@@ red wasp? hate those things.

 

[shortdawg]

The melons don't really get them loose, maybe a little more urination. A melon is 95% water.

 

[justintime]

I don't pamper too many of my cows unless they are in the show pens. I try to feed them pretty good hay, as we grow lots of alfalfa. They seldom see grain , but I will supplement with some lower cost screening pellets if the weather is adverse. I have never seen a potential buyer drive out of my yard because the cows were in too good shape, but I have seen them drive out of yards if the cows are too thin.  My cows are run pretty commercially as it is one way to select for some durability and easy fleshing qualities. I have found that when you are working cattle by yourself, a pail or two of grain is oftentimes the "best dog I ever owned".

 

[Jill]

(lol) Shortdawg

They love left over pumpkins too! I tell everyone to bring me their old jack o- lantern's (without candles) for my girls. They go crazy over those.

Red

One of the pastures we rent is a Pumpkin Patch, we didn't even realize a cow would eat a pumpkin.  They are open to the public until Oct. 31st and after they shut down we take the cows back in and open up where the pumpkins were grown, it is absolutely amazing, it only takes them about a week to completely snarf a 10 acre patch they love those things!

 

[DL]

I don't pamper too many of my cows unless they are in the show pens. I try to feed them pretty good hay, as we grow lots of alfalfa. They seldom see grain , but I will supplement with some lower cost screening pellets if the weather is adverse. I have never seen a potential buyer drive out of my yard because the cows were in too good shape, but I have seen them drive out of yards if the cows are too thin.  My cows are run pretty commercially as it is one way to select for some durability and easy fleshing qualities. I have found that when you are working cattle by yourself, a pail or two of grain is oftentimes the "best dog I ever owned".

I'm with you JIT - I start training my cows with grain as babies - by the time they are yearlings they line up to go thru the chute - makes like so much easier when you are working cattle by yourself - most come when called, the rest when they see /hear the bucket - I grain the calves and the yearlings but rarely the cows - they need to get along on forage - I don't like 'em fat, but I really don't like skinny cows. I have one that weaned an 800 lb bull calf who is a titch thin - hoping she puts it back on now that the calf is weaned (if not maybe a titch of grain) but otherwise everyone looks good for a year with no rain and no pasture  ;D