Surprise! Neighbors cows came to my house...

[andalusn]

It has not digressed to something that would need animal control. This is a very private neighborhood where folks have known each other for many years. I am one of the newest but have known people in the neighborhood for 20 years or more. Right now I am doing what I would hope someone would do for me. It's just not easy and I can take some inconvenience. It for some reason things change and they can't go home, then yes I have no problem starting the ball rolling with animal control or sign them over to me and I sell them to someone who can load them. They don't look mature enough to finish for slaughter so not sure they would even taste good at this age they just look big but still sort of young/growing.

 

[dewey]

When a steer would get out my neighbors would drive over from several miles away to come help me round 'em back up. Sometimes through ankle or deeper mud and rocky cholla fields, lol. We'd be a hurtin' muddy mess

afterwards and would have a good laugh over it, but were never fussed by it.

I'd be the first one there to help them with any of their livestock and such, so it was mutual. Just something neighbors did. It's kinda odd the owner of the cows has people there but doesn't send them for them. Maybe several people, a couple of cattle panels, and a hot shot would do the trick for loading while you sit back and video it for later, private laughs.

 

[AHappychick]

must be a pain but maybe they would let you keep the cows then your dreams of T-bones may come true

I cant imagine having a farm and not living there to maintain it. Can you get pics?

 

[Baymule]

I have chased neighbor's horses down and put them back up in the neighbor's absence. I have had neighbors call to let me know my cows were out. It is all part of being neighbors. In this instance, your neighbors should show a little more concern and gratitude. If I were away and my stock was out, I would be freaking out. If someone was good enough to take them in and take care of them until I got back, my gratitude would be unmeasureable.

I once had a Longhorn bull that could jump the fence like a deer. I grew tired of chasing down that &%$##^&* bull, and grew tired of the Sherrif's dept calling me to go catch him, not to mention the liability if someone hit him in their car and was injured.
I got rid of him. At his next home, he jumped the fence and went down the road and serviced a neighbor's registered Angus herd. There was almost a killing over that one. He was promptly sold. I no longer have cows, but have horses and take great care to keep them in their own area.

These people might be new to cows and have a lot to learn. You are a very good neighbor to help them.

 

[michelle43]

Wow...I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who lost some livestock temporarily. OP....keep up the good work. Great neighbors are worth their weight in gold!

 

[welsummerchicks]

Pretty much, neighbors help each other out. Stock gets out fairly easily and not necessarily because someone is clueless.

How would you feel if some one butchered your animals?

 

[Julie08]

I laughed too.......

sorry, thanks for being a great neighbor but the story was funny

 

[KristyHall]

i did not know they were so hard to keep in. Are small tame cows harder to keep in a good pasture than large horses? I was temped to get a couple of small dexter cows for milk and the occasional hauling.

 

[herfrds]

We had a bull that would put his head under the fence and lift it completely out of the ground.
Ours cows got out and one of our neighbors threatened to shoot our cattle because of it.
He never did and karma got him back for the threat.

Bull is gone and we ran a hot wire along that stretch of fence so they all stay in.

Keep a record of all the work you did taking care of their animals.

 

[andalusn]

The owners wanted me to cut holes in the fence at the back to make a opening that would be close to their back fence. I explained we did not share any common fences and even if we did we were not cutting holes of any kind..... I requested they come over and take a look at the setup and figure out a way to use a trailer and load them up.... they never stopped by. Later in the day my neighbor to the south fence line stopped by with stock panels on his tractor forks and made a sort of chute that could be swung over to contain. The owners arrived with a very old horse trailer (not wide or tall even) the divider was welded in place and it only had bottom doors.. made me very worried. We walked the meeker of the two into the enclosure and he was run into the trailer.. the other cow.. turned to the right and went right through the woven wire fence into my other pasture. Had them finish securing the one caught cow and get it the heck home while we moved the hard headed one back into the pasture we were loading from. I could not leave her in then pasture as my cross fence by the house only was 3 strand smooth wire for my horses.

She was a smart escapee..ran right for the corners and was checking them.. she knew weak points from another time I bet. Walked her back into the pen area closed it and she wheeled around and made a new hole next to the prior one. Moved her back again into the correct pasture. Wired shut the gate between the two. Every time we would walk her back to the gate area she was walking the fence line with her head down and testing... we kept her moving. This cow even ran to the other fence line on the opposite side and was trying to lift the wire there and we ran her back to the right side. Getting very cagy and becoming a royal pain. The trailer arrived back, was positioned into place and we got her into the pen, stationed people by the hole that was temp patched to keep her off...made lots of noise and she loaded but you cold tell by the look on her face she was not staying. Had them lock the doors hit the gas and get the heck out of my driveway... as they drove past my mailbox I heard a BANG! Then I could hear him driving all the way home on a rim. I guess just as he pulled into his yard she managed to turn around and lept out the back ... but it was his yard now...

They are gone, I am thrilled and I have two holes to patch ... the did apologize as they drove away.... some people never get it but they're gone and my daily routine can get back to normal and my DH should manage to calm down by next weekend and I'll just hand him the tools as he builds fence and not say a word.