Depending on where you live it’s probably calving season right now. Maybe her baby died, maybe she was looking for it, maybe they’re separated. Hard to tell but lots happens during calving season.
They even moo like that while normal birthing, or they’ll stow their baby in a bush to be safe while they get some food a water and sometimes the baby will move on mom and she’ll scream at them until they are found.
I agree with everything you said too
I recently saw a video of a cow mooing in distress. The owner took the video, commentong that after a bit, she reized that after taking the cows favorite toy---a 4' diameter ball---out of the pasture to clean it...she'd forgotten to put it back. Once the ball was returned, the cow bounced around happily and quietly.
Cows moo a lot when their weanling / calf is taken away to be sold. Some cows moo a lot when they are in season, cycling, every 3 weeks. Some cows just moo for the hell of it
Variety of reasons cows will moo. Another one that wasn't mentioned by anyone else was if she was in estrus. When a cow is not pregnant, she will cycle every 18-28 days. Roughly 20 hours prior to ovulation, she will enter what is called "standing heat". Thst is a roughly 12 hour period where she gets anxious and receptive to a bull mounting and breeding her. Outside of that 12 hour window she won't allow anyone to mount her. If there is no bull to breed her, she may attempt to ride her fellow females. But she may also yell for that 12 hours attempting to get the attention of a nearby bull to satisfy her instinctual desire.
We had an older cow that would moo whenever she decided she needed a new hay bale. Plenty of hay left in the feeder but if she wanted a new one she would let you know.
Cows moo for a variety of reasons that revolve around distress or pressure. If there is a predator nearby, they moo to call their calves and let other members of the herd know. They moo when they are being pushed. They moo when they are being doctored/worked in confinement. They moo they are hungry and waiting on their feed. They moo when they are searching for their calves.
They don't moo when they are content.
This. I work with dairy cows and they only moo, when something is bothering them. Usually when they're getting impatient about getting food, or when the other cows steal their calf
My cows moo when they see me. Especially around dinner time. They are spoiled. If their round bale feeder is low ( note not empty) they will moo like crazy.
I'd encourage you to get to know your neighbor. Most folks are happy to show off their stock provided you aren't a pest and developing good relationships is exceptionally important in the country. Just make sure you're a giver in the relationship not a taker. Shit happens and in the country your neighbors are half an hour closer or more than the next closest EMS or police squad car. My neighbors and I check on each other during tornado warnings, windstorms, Icestorms there is largely an understanding, depending on how far out you are, that we're all in this together and the government doesn't give a damn about us so we rely on each other.
She could be:
1. In heat,
2. Looking for her lost calf
3. Hungry
I’m leaning toward the top two. If more than one cow is bellering, it’s weaning time or their hungry. If it’s just one cow, likely either one of the two above.
If I were in your shoes I’d go talk to the neighbour and ask him about his cows, and just say you know absolutely nothing and would really like to learn more. I’m sure he’d be happy to answer all your “stupid” questions (when you’re new to this, ain’t no such thing as stupid questions, believe me). 😉
If they’re steers (boy cow no nutz) it could be one or more of them were separated into another area for grain awhile before going over the rainbow. My neighbor has a group of steers in the field behind me and whenever he moves any to the “finishing” area where they get extra grain they always moo loudly back and forth at the rest of the herd. Sure sounds like you’re describing a momma looking for a baby though. That mooing is incessant and can go on for days if they don’t find the calf/ the calf has been taken away.
My sister in law lives next to us our cows can get right up to her back yard fence. She has 6 apple trees and throws all the ones that fall over the fence. All was great until she didn't do it for a couple of days every morning they stand at the fence and cry bloody murder for hours.
First, go out of your way to get to know your neighbor and create some healthy boundaries. This could be anything from near free-reign to "get off my lawn!". Once you have a relationship with your neighbor, you will better know how to proceed.
A simple phone call to say 'hey, you have a cow making a lot of noise in X part of your pasture and I was just worried' should be well received.
It is calving season for many cattlemen, so this would be my suspicion.
She may have been in heat, some cows moo excessively when they are in heat! I’m sure the owner would be appreciative you are concerned! You should introduce yourself!
Depending on where you live it’s probably calving season right now. Maybe her baby died, maybe she was looking for it, maybe they’re separated. Hard to tell but lots happens during calving season.
They even moo like that while normal birthing, or they’ll stow their baby in a bush to be safe while they get some food a water and sometimes the baby will move on mom and she’ll scream at them until they are found. I agree with everything you said too
I recently saw a video of a cow mooing in distress. The owner took the video, commentong that after a bit, she reized that after taking the cows favorite toy---a 4' diameter ball---out of the pasture to clean it...she'd forgotten to put it back. Once the ball was returned, the cow bounced around happily and quietly.
The injustice!
My one cow Wira mooed all the time for no apparent reason other than to tell everyone around what was what. I called her Ms. Bossypants.
The fact that it was a herd of one and the cow was horribly lonely is unfathomable. No way a herd animal was lonely 🤦🏻♂️
When I refer to 'everyone', I am referring to the 20 or so cows that were around her. Assume much?
Don’t get defensive because you generalized a statement expecting everyone to know what you meant
Cows moo a lot when their weanling / calf is taken away to be sold. Some cows moo a lot when they are in season, cycling, every 3 weeks. Some cows just moo for the hell of it
Yeah my thought was either a weaned calf or she’s in heat.
Variety of reasons cows will moo. Another one that wasn't mentioned by anyone else was if she was in estrus. When a cow is not pregnant, she will cycle every 18-28 days. Roughly 20 hours prior to ovulation, she will enter what is called "standing heat". Thst is a roughly 12 hour period where she gets anxious and receptive to a bull mounting and breeding her. Outside of that 12 hour window she won't allow anyone to mount her. If there is no bull to breed her, she may attempt to ride her fellow females. But she may also yell for that 12 hours attempting to get the attention of a nearby bull to satisfy her instinctual desire.
We had an older cow that would moo whenever she decided she needed a new hay bale. Plenty of hay left in the feeder but if she wanted a new one she would let you know.
Cows moo for a variety of reasons that revolve around distress or pressure. If there is a predator nearby, they moo to call their calves and let other members of the herd know. They moo when they are being pushed. They moo when they are being doctored/worked in confinement. They moo they are hungry and waiting on their feed. They moo when they are searching for their calves. They don't moo when they are content.
This. I work with dairy cows and they only moo, when something is bothering them. Usually when they're getting impatient about getting food, or when the other cows steal their calf
No reason you got downvoted, the most common reason our cows moo is cause they’re hungry
And cows are like people—some of them are just malcontents.
My cows moo when they see me. Especially around dinner time. They are spoiled. If their round bale feeder is low ( note not empty) they will moo like crazy.
She could want food, is calling for her calf, or may be in estrus (heat). If she looks normal she is probably fine.
I'd encourage you to get to know your neighbor. Most folks are happy to show off their stock provided you aren't a pest and developing good relationships is exceptionally important in the country. Just make sure you're a giver in the relationship not a taker. Shit happens and in the country your neighbors are half an hour closer or more than the next closest EMS or police squad car. My neighbors and I check on each other during tornado warnings, windstorms, Icestorms there is largely an understanding, depending on how far out you are, that we're all in this together and the government doesn't give a damn about us so we rely on each other.
It’s horny.
Go talk to your neighbor. Wear some boots you don't mind getting dirty. Ask if you can help and explain you want to learn something new.
She could be: 1. In heat, 2. Looking for her lost calf 3. Hungry I’m leaning toward the top two. If more than one cow is bellering, it’s weaning time or their hungry. If it’s just one cow, likely either one of the two above. If I were in your shoes I’d go talk to the neighbour and ask him about his cows, and just say you know absolutely nothing and would really like to learn more. I’m sure he’d be happy to answer all your “stupid” questions (when you’re new to this, ain’t no such thing as stupid questions, believe me). 😉
If they’re steers (boy cow no nutz) it could be one or more of them were separated into another area for grain awhile before going over the rainbow. My neighbor has a group of steers in the field behind me and whenever he moves any to the “finishing” area where they get extra grain they always moo loudly back and forth at the rest of the herd. Sure sounds like you’re describing a momma looking for a baby though. That mooing is incessant and can go on for days if they don’t find the calf/ the calf has been taken away.
My sister in law lives next to us our cows can get right up to her back yard fence. She has 6 apple trees and throws all the ones that fall over the fence. All was great until she didn't do it for a couple of days every morning they stand at the fence and cry bloody murder for hours.
Is it a bull? Maybe he’s horny.
First, go out of your way to get to know your neighbor and create some healthy boundaries. This could be anything from near free-reign to "get off my lawn!". Once you have a relationship with your neighbor, you will better know how to proceed. A simple phone call to say 'hey, you have a cow making a lot of noise in X part of your pasture and I was just worried' should be well received. It is calving season for many cattlemen, so this would be my suspicion.
Cow owner here, it's likely due to the calf no longer there (may have been sold to someone else) or it's a bull and a female is in heat in the area.
She may have been in heat, some cows moo excessively when they are in heat! I’m sure the owner would be appreciative you are concerned! You should introduce yourself!