Leaping Lena - Something you only find in the country!

Nothing like walking out your front door to find a cow grazing 25' from your house.

I screamed. She trotted off to the road ditch. Then across the road. Then leaped the fence & back in the pasture. I knew she was out - I walked out to take pics of her in the road ditch. She's very friendly - I can pet her (please note petting cows is not necessarily smart - I knew she was safe to go pet before I went up to her). Really, I should just expect to find her in the yard.

This blasted cow keeps hopping the fence. They fix it - she finds someplace else to go over.

Hey - the grass is always greener on the other side!

Many years ago DH had his car ran over by a cow. His parents had a farm outside of town, and a lot of land. They leased it out for a guy to keep his cattle on (ironically used to be one of our HS teachers). He could never keep the fence fixed, which was agreed to be his responsibility.

Well, one day his mother went outside and there was a cow right next to the front porch. She, like you, screamed. Only this was a half blind skittish cow. It panicked and ran... right up and over DH's little car.

As flat and bare as the background scenery is in your pictures - you could be in Kansas or Oklahoma. The winter wind must cut right through there. What little bit of Minnesota I've been through had more hills - it's been many years since I've been through the state... I remember having to stop at a rest stop and use one of the "restrooms".

Awww, how funny! Yep, I wouldn't be surprised to have that happen here....only I would have NO idea which person to call to come pick up their roaming cow!

Just for future info though...why shouldn't you pet a cow? I thought they were pretty much docile creatures (well, except for the bulls! If I see big horns, I'm going inside!)

I thought cows were pretty used to humans, with milking and all.

Originally Posted by calico2222

Just for future info though...why shouldn't you pet a cow? I thought they were pretty much docile creatures (well, except for the bulls! If I see big horns, I'm going inside!)

I thought cows were pretty used to humans, with milking and all.

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An unsocialized animal is still an unsocialized animal. They'll spook easily and you don't know what they'll do when scared... plus that's a lot of cow to risk it coming at you.

Those intended to be shipped off and slaughtered tend not to be that highly socialized - at least not the ones around here. If you look at them the wrong way they run.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

An unsocialized animal is still an unsocialized animal. They'll spook easily and you don't know what they'll do when scared... plus that's a lot of cow to risk it coming at you.

Those intended to be shipped off and slaughtered tend not to be that highly socialized - at least not the ones around here. If you look at them the wrong way they run.

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And that's what most of these cows are - strictly slaughter cows. This one used to be 4H cow, so she's social.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

This one used to be 4H cow, so she's social.

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So is she a pet or will she be sent off, too?

A lot of times the 4H cows around here get turned into pets - the kids get attached to them. That or the cows go on to other shows.
There was a bull in a parade a few months ago, sort of looked like a brahman or a cross. He had a young boy riding him and was better behaved than the horses that followed and the dogs some people had. Even he was a little uncomfortable if strangers tried to walk up quickly. The kid's grandpa stood off to the side holding the bull's lead while the kid went to get food. It was very obvious that he was a pampered pet.

When I was little I used to "tame" the neighbors cows. I would wait till they got curious enough to investigate, then give them small slices of apple and pull grass for them that was out of their reach.

LOL!!! On my BILs farms, the cows come when called.They are all very friendly.So, I wouldn't hesitate to pet one of them either.
Some new Mothers, are very skittish though.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

So is she a pet or will she be sent off, too?

A lot of times the 4H cows around here get turned into pets - the kids get attached to them. That or the cows go on to other shows.
There was a bull in a parade a few months ago, sort of looked like a brahman or a cross. He had a young boy riding him and was better behaved than the horses that followed and the dogs some people had. Even he was a little uncomfortable if strangers tried to walk up quickly. The kid's grandpa stood off to the side holding the bull's lead while the kid went to get food. It was very obvious that he was a pampered pet.

When I was little I used to "tame" the neighbors cows. I would wait till they got curious enough to investigate, then give them small slices of apple and pull grass for them that was out of their reach.

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I honestly don't know. The "kid" is now about 18 or so. I try not to think about it - I'd rather not know. I understand the concept behind raising them for their meat, but I'm still soft-hearted. A pet is a pet whether it's a cat named Cow or a big old cow!

Yeah.. once it crosses that line to pet and there's some sort of bond there I don't think it's really right to do anything else but keep it as a pet. Though we're lucky in the US, many people here can afford to keep cows, pigs, and poultry as pets. In some countries people are just lucky if they can even manage to keep themselves fed. Puts things in perspective a little.

She's a beauty! I love cows! Years ago when I was around 8 or so I used to spend the summers out at my cousin's dairy farm. It was great fun. I absolutely loved the cows. The pigs, not so much! There was this one mean sow that I swear was out to get me! Every time she saw me she chased me up a pole!

Nat - look at the pictures! The grass IS greener on the other side!

We were driving home about a month ago from the grocery store and there were five cows standing in the middle of the road. The farmer had just figured it out and was on his way. We offered to help corral them - and between our two vehicles, we managed to "herd" them back up the driveway. He was able to manage it from there.

I'm glad all the cows around here are for dairy farms. There are also a lot of goats - also for milk & cheese.

I found a big pile of cow poop on the patio at my old house one day when I returned from work. Never saw the cow (which probably escaped from across the road), but did have to clean up after him. I fed the ferals on the patio after all. I bet they were surprised by their visitor!

When I lived in Texas, the big longhorn from across the street (Gus) busted thru the fence one day and tried to break into the field next to our property (there were Brahmans in there headed by Carlos). He walked up and down that fence line for a couple of hours (after a rain so it was near swamp) before they finally herded him back home. It took about 2 years for that ground to settle back to normal, which was a pain cause it was our back yard.

Yup - things you only see in the country.

My OH and I are dairy farmers (he does the milking) I deal mainly with the sheep, but guess what I was doing yesterday morning at first light, yep you got it chasing after escaped cows. In fact they were heifers that had got out and as they are not so tame as the milkers they can be a right pain to get in, it sure keeps you fit. It is so nice to hear that it happens to farmers all over the world and not just us here is one of the young ones.

I love the stories! The pics of the Angus are funny, she looks very much at ease being separate from the rest! She is part of a heard, right?
I grew up on a 100 acre farm and we raised angus cows, but had a couple pet, Angus-Dairy mix, One was Betsy and she had a daughter, Margie. They were both very sweet cows. We had one bald faced heifer who was crazy! She charged me when I was 8-9 yrs old while I was petting Margie when she was a calf standing by her mother, Betsy. She knocked me down and then went to charge me again and Betsy turned and blocked the crazy heifer from running me down! I'm sure she was protecting her calf primarily, but she just have very well saved my life that day!
I can't tell you how many times the cows jumped the fence! Our neighbors were a dairy farm, and their cows escaped all the time......so many times I was woken up by my father screaming from outside, get my but down here the cows are out again! I had horses and was the cow girl who herded the cows back! Memories!

I could never understand raising something from birth, becoming its friend and selling it for meat. I honestly think something is missing in the human make up to do that.

Originally Posted by farleyv

I could never understand raising something from birth, becoming its friend and selling it for meat. I honestly think something is missing in the human make up to do that.

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Either could I, and honestly have only seen this situation exploited by Gordon Ramsey on The F Word.......

I love cows and wouldn't hesitate to pet one - bulls on the other hand are a different story.

We had one cow that we could ride when we were kids.

Originally Posted by farleyv

I could never understand raising something from birth, becoming its friend and selling it for meat. I honestly think something is missing in the human make up to do that.

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I completely agree. But I think over time, and as we (I hope) eradicate hunger in the world, humanity will gradually lose that part of the survival instinct that tells us it's right to commit such acts.

Right now, raising animals for slaughter has been done for so long that it seems perfectly okay to most people, which is why I try not to pass judgment. It's hard to break loose of ancient practices... but I hope we eventually will.