Should I be worried for my safety?

[Kristen D]

So, I have a bred jersey heifer that I'm worried about. I recently purchased her, and she's been an amazing girl. She's super friendly, likes being petted, likes being brushed, and has a great attitude. I've been spending soooo much time with her. Yesterday I started noticing she kept bellowing every single time I would leave the barn. Of course I thought she was scared or lonely and I would go pet her, talk to her, and comfort her. I brushed her for a few hours today, and spent a lot of time with her. I then made dinner, and played with my kids.....the entire time she was bellowing. I went back out and brought a bucket of fresh water and petted her for a little bit.....when I turned to walk out of the stall she kind of stood on her hind legs. I'm not sure what she was doing but it really did make me nervous to be honest. She never touched me or hurt me but I turned around and stuck my hand out. It happens so fast that I'm wondering if anybody knows if she was just happy or excited? Was she trying to mount me?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Sounds like she's spoiled & wanting alot of your attention. I had a steer that was that way, they're dangerous only cause they don't know their own strength. He'd run at me, luckily never ran into me but my brother scolded for making him too tame. Came in handy when we had to load him onto the trailer, they had to come & get me to get him in the trailer. She's happy & excited but you need to be very careful cause she may want to play and doesn't know her strength.

 

[Kruchti]

Is she the only heifer on the place?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

.when I turned to walk out of the stall she kind of stood on her hind legs. I'm not sure what she was doing but it really did make me nervous to be honest. She never touched me or hurt me but I turned around and stuck my hand out. It happens so fast that I'm wondering if anybody knows if she was just happy or excited? Was she trying to mount me?

Did she act like she would have mounted you?
Are you certain she is bred? Has she been preg checked?

It's not uncommon for a heifer/steer to do this. We have a bottle fed steer who is in with our yearling heifers, and they're all very tame because of him. He would try this if we let him and I wouldn't put it past our heifers since they come up and lick us.

They're animals and a person should never let down their guard around any type of livestock; tame or not. It can be the tame ones who will go after a person when they have a calf. They know no fear of humans. Please be careful and protect yourself. If she is bellowing and causing issues when you leave, I'd stop the extra attention. Otherwise, you may be creating a huge problem.

 

[Kristen D]

Sounds like she's spoiled & wanting alot of your attention. I had a steer that was that way, they're dangerous only cause they don't know their own strength. He'd run at me, luckily never ran into me but my brother scolded for making him too tame. Came in handy when we had to load him onto the trailer, they had to come & get me to get him in the trailer. She's happy & excited but you need to be very careful cause she may want to play and doesn't know her strength.

What do I do to not spoil her and make her too tame? Stop petting her so much? Tether her when I bring water in? I don't want to have a problem. I feel like if something happened it would definitely be because she didn't know her own strength. I want her to know boundaries. Like I said, she didn't jump on me, but she did bounce up on her hind legs when I turned around....when I turned my back on her

 

[Kristen D]

Is she the only heifer on the place?

At the moment yes....I have another heifer she grew up with coming this weekend.

 

[Kristen D]

Did she act like she would have mounted you?
Are you certain she is bred? Has she been preg checked?

It's not uncommon for a heifer/steer to do this. We have a bottle fed steer who is in with our yearling heifers, and they're all very tame because of him. He would try this if we let him and I wouldn't put it past our heifers since they come up and lick us.

They're animals and a person should never let down their guard around any type of livestock; tame or not. It can be the tame ones who will go after a person when they have a calf. They know no fear of humans. Please be careful and protect yourself. If she is bellowing and causing issues when you leave, I'd stop the extra attention. Otherwise, you may be creating a huge problem.

The first impression I got was maybe she was trying to mount me? I'm really unsure what to make of the whole situation. Apparently she is pregnant, and she the first week of June. I purchased her bred, but have not pregnancy checked her yet. I definitely don't want to create a huge problem. I like her s lot and maybe I'm giving her too much attention? What can I do to be a responsible cattle owner? She does lick me all the time. She follows me everywhere too. She's very sweet. I don't want to mess this up. What precautions do I need to take? Should I tether her when I go to bring the water in?

 

[cassie]

It sounds to me like she was in heat. When cows are in heat they mount other cows and stand to be mounted by other cows. This is called bulling. Since there was no other cow around and she evidently views you as a herdmate, you were the target. Watch yourself and don't turn your back on her. Cows are big and they can injure you even though that is not their intent.

 

[res]

Is she confined to a stall 24/7?

How long have you had her?

The bellowing and rising to mount sure sounds to me like she is in heat. I would be suspicious that she didn't take when bred...

 

[ChickNanny13]

The first impression I got was maybe she was trying to mount me? I'm really unsure what to make of the whole situation. Apparently she is pregnant, and she the first week of June. I purchased her bred, but have not pregnancy checked her yet. I definitely don't want to create a huge problem. I like her s lot and maybe I'm giving her too much attention? What can I do to be a responsible cattle owner? She does lick me all the time. She follows me everywhere too. She's very sweet. I don't want to mess this up. What precautions do I need to take? Should I tether her when I go to bring the water in?

I only raised one steer, my brother's project that he gave me, like the 14 chickens he ordered that ended up at my house I was thinking she wanted to play but then again I don't know cattle. Yup, you need to cut back on the attention, you're expecting another so she'll have company. Feed & water, less TLC ... Don't think it's safe to let her follow you unless you got eyes behind you.

res & cassie seem to know cattle, it's best they advise you. Just be careful, the steer I had loved running at me but would stop about 5' from me. I'd yell a loud, firm HEY, my brother ended up tethering him to a long run for my safety. He would not have hurt me intentionally but he could have not knowing his strength. It was funny when the guys went to load him, they couldn't get to the lead. I walked up, undid it and loaded him on the trailer. Knew where they were taking him, cried all the way home & told my brother to loose my number