Local tragedy

[Mobuck]

Last Thursday a local woman died as a result of injuries involving a protective Mama cow. I sort of knew the couple but hadn't actually seen them since 2019. This the second acquaintance who has died as a result of a farm related accident in 6 months. The incident reminded my family of a similar accident in 1998 that left me with 2 broken ribs, a ragged tear across my ribcage, dislocated jaw, and an assortment of lesser injuries. I walked away but it doesn't always happen that way.
This business is dangerous especially for us older operators. We cut corners, take risks that we got away with in the past, or just aren't as quick and agile as when younger.

 

[wolfsong]

I had my shoulder dislocated by a pissed off mama cow during spring calf branding s few years back. Shoulder has never been the same...but at least I lived to walk away.

 

[krw]

I’ve been stomped, ran over, hemmed up in corner of the lot, and had to get under tractor one time. When I get old I’m gonna retire. Not work part time here and there and durn sure not farm. Crappie fish, turkey hunt, camp 50% of the time. Enjoy JB ever night

 

[smoke-eater]

Dairy farming is a tough and dangerous life. My cousin Ray had a dairy farm most of his life. Most years he barely broke even. Cows put him in the hospital a few times, even lost a finger. Finally sold the whole operation and opened a feed store. After all that, it broke his heart to see the livestock being trucked away.

 

[blume357]

Did not have a clue... But, I was at a friend's farm a number of years back visiting and he had about 20 or 30 cows... son came in and said some one left a gate open and they were all out in the side yard... So we went out to shoe them back in... no big deal just walk toward them and they turn away and head back over toward the pasture.... I'm helping and all is going well but there is one rather large cow off to the side and I go over to make it move along.... I get sort of close and it turns and looks at me... this was big bill the bull... he gave me a look I still remember and did not move... I slowly backed up and got behind a good size oak tree..... but then he realized all his girls were headed back toward the pasture and decided that was more inviting than me.

 

[Mobuck]

I used to be the guy folks called when they had a rogue cow. Had a couple of good horses and was a decent hand with a rope. Older 1/2 Brother and I made a little money in the cow catching business but it was hard earned pay for darned sure.
I went out of the cow business in 2004 when my health took a turn and it appeared I was going to require surgery that would debilitate me for a long time or possibly permanently. By the time that was behind me, I no longer had either the funding or desire to own cows. Probably just as well.

 

[CLAYPOOL]

Rode back wards on the head of the same cow in about 5 minutes. Quit fooling around and got the 4 wheeler....

 

[Jeepnik]

I grew up around dairies. Most folks think cows a docile critters. Truth is they patiently wait for you to loose focus. Got myself kicked that way. Got very lucky. No broken bones or internal injuries, but I was gimped up for weeks.

 

[hittman]

Very sad event. Pretty uncommon considering how many interactions there are though between humans and farm animals.

We had a few head of feeder cattle when I was growing up. Was always good to keep your guard up. In the 70s we had an elderly neighbor who fell in his muddy hog lot. That was a sad ending too and a pretty grisly scene.

My son answered a “wellness check” and found a middle aged man deceased with the imprint of a horseshoe on his forehead. He’d grown up around horses and raised and rode them his entire life but still ..... a momentary lack of concentration or something and the worse happened.

 

[powder smoke]

Carpenter been building Homes my entire adult life, the chances I use to take just to save a small amount
of time was crazy! As my old friend Eddie use to say I'd rather be Lucky than good! Well I guess I was
lucky never had a serious accident. Looking back I have been very lucky! Doing reno work on my older
home, funny I'm in no hurry anymore! It takes what it takes!! ps

 

[caryc]

I've never personally been around cows. But, I do watch Dr. Pol's show. He has to deal with some very cantankerous cows once in a while. Nothing to rig for TV, those cows are not actors, they do or not do what he wants them to do. But he seems to always get his job done.

 

[GA Cracker]

Around 1990 Booth Galbreath, a man that I worked with, had just retired a couple of months. Wayne Dubberly had raised a brahma bull on a bottle and a neighbor bought it for a herd bull. The bull got out and was in Mr. Booth's older sister's garden and she called Mr. Booth for help to run the bull off. There were small pieces of firewood laying around that Mr. Booth apparently had thrown at the bull. The bull broke Mr. Galbreath's neck and killed him. Humans get hurt by domestic animals that don't fear and respect humans.
I recently helped a close friend preg check and work 225 cows. A few weeks ago we weaned the calf crop and the cows were pretty touchy with their calf crop by their sides but no close calls when no longer with their babies. If you work with domestic stock it's best to be able read their animal behavior and know when you see the signs "DONT PUSH ME"! A close call can still be funny as long as you are not caught! But at 61 I don't take the risks with cattle anymore.

 

[daveg.inkc]

I read this in the news this morning. Report said they were ear tagging a new born calf. Cow ran over this woman. Farming, raising cattle is not an easy job. This couple lived around Harris, MO. Just q few miles from my home. Sad news indeed.

 

[WendyZXZ]

My mother in law was a farm gal and my husband always told about the warnings him and all the grandkids were told about the animals and equipment around that could main or kill you if you weren't careful. Both my mother in law and her dad who farmed all his life would agree with this comment from The Cowboys:

"You got to figure you're dealing with the dumbest oneriest critter on God's green earth. The cow is nothing but trouble tied up in a leather bag - and the horse ain't much better.".

 

[Don Lovel]

Friend of mine was trying to get a bull loaded into his trailer and ended up getting clobbered by the bull, one of his ranch hands punched the bull in the nose and slapped it's face with his cowboy hat and got the bull off of him. He was in the hospital for several days, and last year another local farmer was killed by a cow while he had his hands full of a calf he was doctoring

 

[Mobuck]

One of the horses I had back in the 70's was "the real deal". My niece and the horse were the same age and he followed her like a puppy. She was about 3-4 years old and this gelding was in a corral with 5 young Angus bulls not far from the house so the little girl goes out to pet him. A few minutes later Grandma noticed girl was missing and was looking around the yard when she heard the horse squeal like a fighting stud. There was the girl up to her knees in mud with the horse standing over her one front leg on either side with teeth bared and ready to take a chunk out of any of the bulls that dared approach "his girl". I dragged many a calf under him for tagging or doctoring while he kept Mama cow at bay with teeth or hooves. He never stepped on me nor did any cow make contact although a few of them came up short a few chunks of hair. I watched him load a fighting Charolais bull in the trailer and the bull seemed happy just to get away from the horse. You don't find them like that often.

 

[GA Cracker]

Nice Mobuck! That good horse and ones like that stay with you forever. I see You Tube videos of a lot of mules protecting their riders and enjoy it. Those vaqueros and gauchos are crazy braze and do what I call stupid actions but they are dang sure top hands. Same with a dog that has stood by you when you counted on him and the dog counted on you. They stay in your heart and you don't ever let them go. I went with a friend to catch a big Charolaise cross cow that was out and hiding with long horns positioned to check your oil. The cow busted out almost invisible in the cover to T bone my good mule and me. My mule and two Catahoula/black mouth curs I raised saved my butt. You don't ever forget the good ones. I would have loved to have seen your gelding in action!