What are cows behavior?

Answer 1

She can be quiet and docile, or she can be crazy, high-strung/nervous, flighty, or very irritated at you. Attitude depends on breeding from the dam or sire's side, breed, how they are treated and handled by the owner, how they are managed, how much exposure they've had to human contact, and whether they have a new calf at side or not. Her attitude can reflect your feelings towards cows: if you are nervous or scared then she will react towards you accordingly. But if you are calm and hold yourself like a leader, then most likely she will relax and listen to you.

Answer 2

Cattle actually have a wide range of body language and vocal signals they use among each other. Cattle are flight animals, by nature, since they are instinctively, prey animals. But when the chance offers, they will also turn and fight. They can be quite unpredictable both because they are prey animals, and because many people don't know nor understand their body language.

They have what is called a pecking order, where the strongest and smartest bovine (often the oldest cow in the herd) is the leader and it goes down from there. They establish dominance with each other by first giving each other the view of their sides, shaking their heads at one another, even pawing the earth. All these body language signals are signals that are warnings to either keep away, or challenging each other to a fight. If both parties are equal in size and strength, dominance is established by pushing around with their heads. The winner herds the loser around the pen or pasture until the loser surrenders by a submissive posture of having the head lower than the more dominant bovine and constantly moving away from the more assertive source. Bulls often establish breeding rights and dominance towards other bulls by lots of posturing, growling, pawing and head-tossing. If push comes to shove, then the fighting starts.

When bulls challenge humans in this way, this is a signal that it is time to get rid of the bull before anything serious happens.

Cows when protecting their calves will also paw the earth and toss their heads at the source that is, to them, posing a threat. Cows will also wrinkle their nose back like a dog baring its teeth, visible only by noticing the lines formed on the muzzle. This is also a warning to a threat to keep away. Cows that also have an intent glaring look when they stare at you and with their ears fixed on you is also a signal that she is about to charge. Very often many people don't know this until it's too late.

Nervous cattle are those that tend to carry their heads high, their ears perked up and forward and their eyes wide open, staring at the source that is bothering them. They tend to walk or trot in quick, rapid movements, much like a deer would, then stop suddenly and stare some more. If any sudden movements are made, then the nervous ones will take off at a run away from the source that is intimidating them.

Cattle that are more calm and docile tend to have their head level with their neck, their ears are more level with the top of their heads, and they often only have one ear towards the source that has their attention, and another twisting off in another direction. Some will even have their ears flicking back, in a causal manner, to other sources of sound. They move slower too, and their eyes won't be as wide open as nervous or flighty cattle will. Often they will throw their heads back to lick themselves, or bend their heads down after studying you for a little bit to continue grazing, or, if their really relaxed, start chewing their cud. Some will even feel comfortable enough around you that they will find a place to lie down and catch some shut-eye for a little bit, while others just will keep an ear on you but other wise pay you no more attention.

Often people don't understand when a herd of cattle suddenly comes running up to them. Most think that their being charged, and will run away in fright, or just plain get scared. A herd of cattle that are running scared is called a stampede, and is often hard to stop. Stampedes are often caused by dogs bothering them or a sudden noise which startles them. But a herd of cows that are running or simply trotting up to you are often ones that are not scared, but ones that have been conditioned to expect something to eat from you. Cattle are food-oriented animals, and will do just about anything for something yummy to eat, including running you over. Many farmers will tell you that cattle always come running from wherever they are when they hear a bucket or a tractor starting up, or even see a person walking toward their food source, because they like what they are given and are eager to get it.

But be cautious when entering a pasture, especially where there are bulls and cows. Often a bull will come up to you, if he feels you are threatening his herd, and challenge you with a direct stare, or even turns his side towards you. Head tossing, growling are also signs to be aware of. But if he pays you no attention, don't take this as a safe sign, as he could also be sending signals you are not aware of that he may decide to charge.

Answer 3

This varies depending on stressors, environment, where they are raised, how they are raised, etc. Generally cows use body language and eye contact to communicate amongst each other and other animals (including humans) more so than they use their voices. A simple look or the shake and/or lowering of the head from a dominant cow will send another more submissive cow or calf moving the other direction. A stare is often one that is threatening, especially one that looks like the cow or bull is looking right through you. Pawing the ground and exposing the side is also a threatening gesture, more expressed by bulls than by cows. There are a lot of other body language gestures that cows have to communicate among each other, but these are just a few of the primary examples.

Answer 4

yes