Boss Cow

[Star Creek Dexters]

We have had our Dexters for about a week now and I am completely in love! Now that they are at home, have figured out there is no going back, and that I = good stuff to eat + good scratches and rubs, they are showing there true personalities.
Kooper is a 'good ol' boy. He just loves everyone, but doesn't want to be messed with to much. He's exactly what I would want/expect from a bull.
Lana, though, has shown her true colors. She is the tamest, will let me do anything to her. But she is also the BOSS, Alpha cow.
Together her and Kooper push Callie, who is much smaller, away from the food, away from the water, away from me. They won't let her 'participate' in the herd. Callie is always hanging behind, and just looks kinda sad about it =( Any suggestions as to how I can help this?
They push her around alot with their horns, not hurting her, but keeping her in her place. Lana and Koop are going to the vet to have their horns removed in a few weeks, after Lana calves. Hopefully that should help some.
Any help is appreciated!

[ctownson]

This is very typical. When I feed, the cow(s) on the lowest rung of the pecking order always seek me out as they know they will get a treat! It makes them some of my tamest.

charles
beavertree farm

[copperhead]

Thats the way mine are, I put cubes in the trough and the lower placed cows come find me because I keep some back for them. When I don't have time to play, I use two troughs and the more timid ones eat at the second one. workd good...

[Star Creek Dexters]

This is such awesome info. Thank you for your responses!

[copperhead]

Take good care of Ms Fermoy, I'm looking for another calf from her line...........P.J.

[Star Creek Dexters]

Hi ya'll,
Just wanted ot give you an update. I follow your advice about feeding callie from a bucket while the other two were busy eating their food. At first she was stand offish and not real sure what was going on, but after she relized that their was good food in there and it was hers, she dug right in. She let me rub all over her shoulders, neck and head, and didn't even flinch. When she finished off the food, she followed me back to the gate and let me scratch her head some more. Tonight she was the first one up for her hay. =) Thanks for the tips! It seems to be exactly what she needed!

[ctownson]

that is great. watch, observe and be willing to try different approaches with them. sometimes the smallest thing can make a huge difference.

charles
beavertree farm

[copperhead]

I've had more that one timid or stand offish cow become my new best friend, just like that.