Ponderings on cows.

Slave2Magic

Slave2Magic

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God I think of some random things on a sunday morning! My youngster is in a large field with 8 horses, 2 foals and a herd of charolais cows. I know horses have a herd hierarchy and communicate with subtle body language but where do cows fit into this? Are the horses higher than cows and do they use the same body language? Would the horses move the cows or vice versa? They live together fine so someone must be in charge?
 
Sorry have silly images going through my head....

Horse " Excuse me Mr Cow, but would you very much mind moving, I'd quite like to eat that blade of grass there"

But failing that, interesting point! And I've no idea as to the answer....
 
I know b**gger all about cows, but I think the view that someone needs to be "in charge" is a very human construction.
 
Caol Ila said:
I know b**gger all about cows, but I think the view that someone needs to be "in charge" is a very human construction.
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I think I probably agree with this. I'm not sure there's enough social interaction between different animal species to develop a hierarchy. In the wild the only reason one moves away from the other is avoid being injured (or eaten).
 
Whenever my pony was out with cattle he was way above them in any pecking order. They knew to move if he gave them the look.
 
Gloi said:
Whenever my pony was out with cattle he was way above them in any pecking order. They knew to move if he gave them the look.
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Have had horses out with cattle and sheep - they all tend to be racist and just hang out with their own species. The horses do chase the cows and sheep from food, but otherwise they stay apart. Have found cows sometimes eat horse tails though...
 
When mine have been with cattle, they all rub along together quite peacefully but I think the horses tend to call the shots more. Even cows with new calves give way to them.
My horses have always been in a herd though. A lone horse might interact differently with cattle as its needs would be different.
 
Slave2Magic said:
God I think of some random things on a sunday morning! My youngster is in a large field with 8 horses, 2 foals and a herd of charolais cows. I know horses have a herd hierarchy and communicate with subtle body language but where do cows fit into this? Are the horses higher than cows and do they use the same body language? Would the horses move the cows or vice versa? They live together fine so someone must be in charge?
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They are both prey animals so would both use pressure and release -- but horses are generally higher than cows and cows tend to be more 'flighty' in nature. I think it's great though that they live all together. Some of your questions can only be answered by watching how they interact with one another. I should think it's fun to watch :D
 
My cob lived with a bull and his heifers for a while last year, the bull (Jim) and my cob were always together and the heifers used to follow them around. Once I went and Chico and Jim were stood together and the heifers were stood around them licking them, on another occasion I saw a heifer try to mount Chico but that was a step too far for him! I would love to know what they all thought.
 
Several years ago, my o/h and I entertained a French business friend who live in the USA but had been brought up on a farm in Normandy which years ago had working horses.

He told us that horses were always top of the 'pecking order' on the farm.

I heard something similar from owners of a wild animal park on Speyside. They have deer, wolves and wild horses from the Steppes of Eastern Europe.
 
I've kept lots of horses with cattle over the years and no matter the size of the horse/pony or breed, the horses have always always been top-dog. I work cattle with some of my AQHAs nowadays and the horses have no problem pushing the cattle around. It's a rare cow that will stand up to a horse, and normally not for long even if they try to.
 
I am so relieved that horses are higher than cows. I am petrified of cows and always poo myself when they start looking at you then all rush over at once. I now know i can hack through the fields without bricking it so much. :o
 
Cattle and horses organise themselves very differently. Horses seem to be extremely 'bothered' about pecking order and who's doing what and you have the whole banished-from-the-herd-and-beg-to-be-let-in thing. They are also much more demonstrative. Cattle are less bothered about what everyone else is doing, except for when it comes to resources and then a lesser animal will just get shoved out of the way without any running about/ceremony about it. therefore, I can imagine cattle see horse behaviour as very extreme and would be quick to remove themselves.

However, the tables can be turned. My ox has a different outlook to most cattle, is much more sure of himself, and will stand his ground around horses and if they at all start racing about acting scared, he's learnt a toss of the head gets rid of them and he seems to enjoy the power!!
 
Horses definitely boss cattle and sheep, no doubt about it. Horses have far more weapons as well as speed and stamina at their disposal. My cows have a pecking order but its 99% food orientated. They don't really fall out otherwise, except when in the pens for handling, then the boss cows can be quite hard on the lower ones.
 
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