Horses and cows...

[Marnie]

Slightly odd question... are there any problems with horses and cows being turned out together? Mine are turned out with a herd and seem to be having a bit of an identity crisis and are usually found in the middle and cows and horse / pony seem happy with the arrangement! Horse and pony have no back shoes on. The horses are on restricted access to grass and the cows are not on any additional feed. I can't find anything about parasite issues across the two - is there anything I have missed?

Thanks!

 

[Brownmare]

No problem at all, except you may find the horse's tails get chewed! Having said that I would never turn horses out with horned cattle for obvious reasons.

 

[TPO]

Ditto Brownmare, of horses dont have hind shoes and cattle are dehorned then all good.

Cattle will eat the long grass that horses leave so your pasture should end up much cleaner too

 

[scats]

I think that would be Millie’s worst nightmare...

 

[Goldenstar]

The tails that’s the only issue the cows often eat them .
I got £500 off H because the cows has eaten off his tail .

 

[Keith_Beef]

Slightly odd question... are there any problems with horses and cows being turned out together? Mine are turned out with a herd and seem to be having a bit of an identity crisis and are usually found in the middle and cows and horse / pony seem happy with the arrangement! Horse and pony have no back shoes on. The horses are on restricted access to grass and the cows are not on any additional feed. I can't find anything about parasite issues across the two - is there anything I have missed?

Thanks!

View attachment 55977

Nice looking herd... are they Polled Herefords? Your horses, with their blue coats, look like they are the ones in charge.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Granny horse was living by herself except with cows when I got her.... which could explain a few things.

 

[Goldenstar]

Nice looking herd... are they Polled Herefords? Your horses, with their blue coats, look like they are the ones in charge.

Yes they look like cattle monitors .

 

[Marnie]

Nice looking herd... are they Polled Herefords? Your horses, with their blue coats, look like they are the ones in charge.

I know they are Herefords, not sure about the polled! They are very nice cows though and I think the horses are using them as windbreaks!

 

[Marnie]

Thanks everyone - really helpful ? And tails are so far intact!

 

[Marnie]

I think that would be Millie’s worst nightmare...

It's a 10 acre field and I thought they would stay very separate, but first morning found them all together!

 

[paddy555]

some of ours spent their formative years living with cows. We have none of the problems of people whose horses are terrified going past cattle. Ours love them and want to bring them home

 

[dorsetladette]

My old stallion was turned out with cows for a while. He loved his little dexter friends. I didn't have a problem with his tail getting chewed but was aware he could loose it.

 

[pansymouse]

Mine is turned out with a couple of cattle and she's still scared of cattle unless they're the same colour as her two field mates. She's not very bright.

 

[rabatsa]

Cattle hoover up horse worms and horses hoover up cattle worms - win win. They have different ones so no problems. Then horses will graze up to cow pats and cattle up to horse apples so nicer fresher grass for both species.

 

[J&S]

My ponies were on a farm with cattle and shared the hay feeder with them. The coloured mare obviously distinguished between her cows and other cows as she has always been wary scary of cattle in fields when passing!

 

[scruffyponies]

The only thing I would worry about is the grass itself. Cattle are usually put onto rich rye grass which is not ideal for horses.

That said, I had an arab who spent years out with dairy cattle... he used to follow them into the milking parlour and even ate silage without coming to any harm.

 

[irishdraft]

I think cattle can.pass ringworm to horses I remember years ago this happening on a farm/yard I was on x

 

[LEC]

Stick tea tree oil in their tails. A really simple way of stopping it early because once they start chewing the tails you are screwed.