Momma merge and fight

This morning I let Momma and Rose out of the loading corral and back with the rest of the cattle in the corral.  The rest were eating fresh hay I had put out for them.  I am not positive but I think when Momma went to the feeder she either started a fight or pushed to get at the hay and, instead of making way for Momma, a big fight broke out.

Here is a short 18 second video of the fight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0rTaSiB__4&feature=youtu.be

Shortly after I stopped videoing and prepared to intervene Momma got up and ran off.

The cows fight dirty.  Each cow tries to reach the other cow's udder and drink milk.  Momma is at a little disadvantage is she is smaller than the other cows. When a cow latches on a nipple the other cow tries to kick it off before she can relax and just stand there.

Momma was outnumbered for a little bit as a second cow joined to fight her.  Mostly an all black cow fought Momma.  Momma gave up and tried to leave as she was outmatched by the large cow.  But the black cow was having none of it.  She followed Momma all around the corral and tried to pick a fight.

Then Momma made the mistake of going into the loading ramp part of the corral, which was a dead end.  I got a stick and from outside the fence waved it at the black cow who then turned around and left. Once Momma and Rose left I closed the gate to the loading ramp so no one could get trapped in a dead end again.

The fighting was for the most part over, but Momma wasn't able to join in to eat hay as some other cow would push her away from both feeders when she tried to join in.  Momma didn't get much hay.

Later I pulled some tall green grass and fed some to the cattle.  To ensure Momma got some green grass I closed the gate by the barn to temporarily separate Momma from the other cattle.  Her calf was nearby and Momma charged towards me as I worked the gate.  She backed off when I shouted at her to back off and tapped her on the head.

I then went and got more grass and gave it to her.

Rose ran around and around the corral and got some of the other calves to run with her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-o3XzZSo38&feature=youtu.be


Rose got into a few fights with some of the other calves which got the other mothers upset. I'm not sure if Rose or the other calves started it. For a minute I thought Beulah was going to hurt Rose when Beulah bawled, jumped and bucked and ran towards Rose.  When Rose moved away from Beulah's calf Beulah settled down.

I don't know if the black cattle are discriminating against Momma because she is red and not one of them.  Or if Momma got too over protective after her calf was born and got 'bitchy' and wanted to fight and now the other cattle don't want much to do with her.  I'm looking forward to releasing the cattle to the pasture within the week. Maybe with more room there will be less fighting. I don't know.  I remember heifers in the past who held a grudge with other heifers and would fight and fight for the longest time.


I watched the activities from the top of the loading corral fence.  Daisy came and joined me.  Here Daisy is watching Rose.

This is how Daisy got up to me and then back down.  From the stack of railroad ties she climbed to the top of the fence then walked the narrow fence - without falling.  She made me nervous though.