Are Holstein Cows Aggressive? And How To Deal With It?

Cattle have awareness and sense their environment with their different senses, ears, eyes, nose, and touch as well, so dealing with them is not just about providing fodder and water only. but getting to know their mood and characteristics is very important.

It is useful for dealing with them in the best way appropriate to their temperaments. Which saves many accidents and injuries for cow breeders. It also puts the cows in a good mood, which is reflected positively in their productivity. 

So let’s get to know more about the mood of Holstein cows and whether it is aggressive or not.


Are Holstein Cows Aggressive?

black and white cow

Holstein cows are not aggressive in general. It is easy to deal with Holstein cows most time. They can be fixed without problems because they are of good nature. Holstein cows can become aggressive if they are under pressure or stress. Certain situations can cause the Holstein cows to become stressed and tense.

Holstein cows are high-milking cows [1], so they are used to dealing with humans, as they go out to milk about three times a day and do not intimidate others. They are social animals and deal well with the herd and do not like to be isolated.


What Causes Cows To Be Stressed?

  • Temperature change, Holstein cows are heat intolerant and They are very poor at adapting to temperature changes.
  • Changing routines, owners, or moving to a new place.
  • Poor pasture and little care as they are somewhat luxurious animals.
  • Dealing with it harshly by the owners or inexperienced people.
  • Feeling the pain from illness or injury.
  • If your Holichen cow gets angry, try to calm her down. The following things can help calm your cow down and make her more relaxed.

How Do You Help A Stressed Cow?

Here are 5 ways to practice when trying to relieve your cow stress:

1. Remove The Cause Of The Stress Immediately

You are the most knowledgeable person in your cow and the only one who can know what annoyed her. if there is any change in her routine, try to make it gradual, and not be contrary to her nature. you also have to remove any reason that makes her stressed.

2. Treat Them Calmly

Cattle have a perfect sense of hearing and can distinguish the tone of your voice if you speak to them quietly or are angry. Speak to them in a quiet and low voice, they can hear you well when you speak in a low voice, this greatly contributes to relieve their tension.

All animals, not just Holstein cows, respond best to good handling and a quiet voice. Also, the quiet voice does not only make them calm down from their anger. but it will also make them get used to it, which reduces their tension and panic in most cases.

You need to know that cows are very sensitive and they derive their calm from your calmness.

3. Give Them A Sense Of Security

Cows are very sensitive beings and they are very attached to the people they love. They can smell people from a distance and understand if they are friendly or threatening.

So if the cows are used to approaching you and they feel safe with you. they may try to approach you and smell your scent because they are naturally curious beings. allow them to approach if they are used to that, but the approach must be within the range of safety and not represent danger.

4. Let Them Vent Their Anger

Some may try to quell his cow’s anger in every way and insist on that, and he may not succeed in that. If you are sure that there is no stressful reason for your cow to make her do this, you can leave your cow to calm down a little while leaving them food and water. they may calm down on their own after unloading the nervousness.

5. Leave Them in Their Own Areas

It is preferable to stay away from the cow’s resting area and flight area in order to remain calm. Getting too close to the cow’s flight area, especially if it is angry at this time, may lead to accidents and unrest.


FAQS

Is Holstein Friendly?

Yes, Holstein is friendly, They are curious and very social and get on very well with their owners who coddle them.
Related Articles:
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Holstein Cows.
Do Holstein Cows Make Good Pets?
Are Jersey Cows Friendly Or Aggressive? Your Perfect Companion.

Do Holstein Bulls Get Mean?

In general, Holstein bulls are not mean by nature, but the conditions of their upbringing cause the emergence of undesirable behaviors. The most important of these reasons is the presence of an environment of low care, lack of food, and ill-treatment.

You can learn about how much food you should feed you holstien from our article here about how much Holstein cows eat.

How Can You Tell If A Cow Is Aggressive?

There are many signs indicating that your cow has entered a state of anger and aggression. Signs of cow aggression include ground scratching, side turning, erratic movements, pinned-back ears, grunting, and tail flicking.

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Doaa Salah
The shy one (too shy to put her photo) and the only girl in our team! Doaa is a veterinarian who is passionate about writing content. She knows a lot about animals and birds, as she has been studying them for many years now. Her goal? She is researching and learning to convey to you all the knowledge she have and what's new about farming.