# escaping cattle



## Guest (Apr 18, 2004)

Today i had 4 of my cattle get into the neighbors property.ive never met these neighbors,there are 4 houses right in a row back there.My question is What is the prevailing thoughts on cattle getting loose?Ive been told by some that its hard to prevent and sometimes it happens. That cattle are going to get out its part of living in the country.Personally i feel horrified that they got loose even though i couldnt have forseen it.Im just glad i was able to get them back in thru the hole they got out and that there werent any children out at the time .So what is the prevailing wisdom on these kind of situations?


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

In my part of the world, it's assumed that you will do everything you can to ensure that your livestock stay at home, make the time to walk your fences regularly and check your gates. That being said, things will happen occasionally and be prepared to make restitution if they should cause damage. Start now and go visit the neighbors, tell them who you are, make sure they have any and all contact numbers, in the even they do see your livestock at large. Be honest with them and let them know what you've done to prevent it from happening again and offer your apolgies for any inconvenience they may have had. Most neighbors are pretty gracious, as long as it's not happening all the time.


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## Jena (Aug 13, 2003)

There is nothing worse than someone who won't keep their livestock in. It does happen sometimes and I agree with wr as to what you should do to for that. Make sure the neighbors know who you are and how to contact you in the event of an escape. If you work or something, make sure you have someone you can in turn call to get the cows back in if necessary.

check and repair your fences regularly, use hot wires, make sure your cattle have plenty to eat and drink all the time. That will keep them in.

Jena


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## Happy Jack (Apr 14, 2004)

.
There is an old saying most farmers would always use....
Good Fences Make For Good Neighbors.

Remember any damage your live stock cause you are responsible for and you could be sued, and some one else could get hurt or killed.

Or some one might just shoot your livestock and say nothing or eat it.

It is the owners choice and responsibility.

Hope you solve the problem.
.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

I don't know what your fencing setup looks like, but in most cases the fence is half and half. The property owner is responsible for the right half of the shared fence as he stands on his property facing the neighbor. Not sure that applies in your case, but check it out. Your cattle may have gone through their end of the fence.


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## Jena (Aug 13, 2003)

uncle Will in In. said:


> I don't know what your fencing setup looks like, but in most cases the fence is half and half. The property owner is responsible for the right half of the shared fence as he stands on his property facing the neighbor. Not sure that applies in your case, but check it out. Your cattle may have gone through their end of the fence.


We have the same law here, but...

when the cows got out last year through the neighbor's side of the fence, our insurance paid him. We didn't even question that we were responsible since he doesn't have any cattle over there.

On top of the fence laws, there are usually laws about owners being responsible for keeping their livestock in and having sufficient fencing to do so.

Jena


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## Happy Jack (Apr 14, 2004)

.
No one is responsible for keeping your livestock out of their property.

If I have a bad fence and your live stock come on to my property you are still at fault and your responsibility even if my stock stay on my side of the fence.

I do not have to keep up or fix my fence to control you stock and keep them out of my property.
If my fence does not control your stock you mite build another fence or fix mine to suit your problem, at your own expence. Best to ask the other neighbor about fixing a line fence first.

Never build a line fence. 

Always Hold your fence back on your own property or the fence will belong to you and the neighbor equally because you put the fence on his property too.

And he will not have to pay you for it either. He may even make you move the fence off of his property at your own expence by law. And you will pay for any damages you do to his property.

I would never work on a line fence until I talked to the other land owner.
This will show respect for your neighbors property, and will go along way in making good friends.
.
.


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

Happy Jack, What state do you live in? You view of a line fence is far from what is required by law in Indiana, and many other midwestern states.


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## mamagoose (Nov 28, 2003)

Here in Ohio I believe the most recent info I read was that both landowners are responsible for the fence, half and half like said before. The state Farm Bureau should have resources handy on this issue. I have never dealt with damages before, though.

Just an added note on building the fence back off the property line (and of course, in this case when it is completely on your property all the expense is yours), a permanent fence should be recorded as to the location and distance from the surveyed boundary at the county recorder, cross-referencing on your deed. If not, the next surveyor may just follow the fence line and GPS is not accurate under tree cover.

DH has driven steel T-posts along all the boundaries even though our temp-type fences aren't on the line. Our grown kids know about this for future reference. This way he can mow both sides, although the goats take care of the brush on both sides in their field. They know when we don't have the electric on it. There is just vacant land adjacent, but our first pair of horses and mule got scared one night (bear?) and took off running, downed 4 strands of barbed wire (they were in a rather small paddock area at the time next to the woods), and we met our "neighbors" at 0200! It was scary because they had gotten down to the highway 1 1/2 miles away. They woke the dogs, the dogs woke the valley up and someone got our number...how embarrassing.

I think it helps to have tame livestock too. The girls I have now seem to want to come to the barn or house if they get out. I have awaken to find my two mares and my cow in the rose garden!


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2004)

Thanks for the thoughts,i do feel like most of you do and think it is my responsibility to keep my animals in .It seems like around here you are expected to be nonchalant about escapees,for example some months back i went out to the paddock( that is unescapable ) after it snowed and found cow poop all around the outside of my fence.It couldnt have been my cows,they could not have gotten out,then i followed some tracks back towards my neighbors.So i called him to tell him i think he has a cow loose,his reply was "well cows are going to escape from time to time".So not being from a farming family i just thought that may be the general thought about it.
Frank


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## vtfarma (May 6, 2003)

When I was growing up my family had cows some for beef, some milkers and we kept them in. They got out occaisonally. (If it was a problem cow then that was usually the one to go that year.) I was around 5 and the neighbors had a really nasty bull. They could never keep it in. We could not go out if it was loose. It had rained for days and the weather finally broke. Mom kicked all of us out of the house to play. It lasted only moments that mean son of a gun was loose. Mom called the neighbor 4 or 5 times and kept telling him to come get his bull. After all this time (Over 2 hours) she gave up, called and said "Martin, you have 10 minutes to come get this thing before I shoot it" He didn't ... she did and all the trooper said was in the future Mrs ... please call us BEFORE you shoot the bull. They actually gave us some meat off the thing. I think it was a relief to have it gone.

Now that I rambled on... the thing we have found is if people know you and have the contact numbers for you and something happens it is the neighborly thing to do to call and let them know their animals are out. We do that for our neighbors they come help us when ours are loose. THat is what neighbors do in Vermont. (Usually). You are responsible for the animals but people tend to want to help those they know and like. There is one neighbor that no one wants to help because of their attitude. 

Introduce yourself, bring over your contact numbers and apologize for any damage if any.


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## Stray Cat (Jan 25, 2004)

Unregistered said:


> It seems like around here you are expected to be nonchalant about escapees...So i called him to tell him i think he has a cow loose,his reply was "well cows are going to escape from time to time".So not being from a farming family i just thought that may be the general thought about it.


We are what you call Nonchalant about Escapees too... It happens and that is just the way it is.. as long as everyone is doing their best with their fencing I don't see the big deal.. 

I bucket train the cows to come when they hear me..true, lol. I'm a SAHM and I can check my fencing often so that helps. My biggest fear is if one gets hit on the road, now that's a big problem. 

My neighbors are farmers too and they know things like an Escapee happens and we take care of each other without asking.. I have never had any trouble when I had to walk on my neighbors property to bring one back home.. Ofcourse there's nothing more exhilarationg than to be shot at without any results..never had a problem though. 

Right now I only have heifers but when I get the bull this spring, I will have to keep a better eye on things. My neighbors bull is mean and likes to fight. Pain in the rear when two get into trouble together.. that's tought!

I think the real problem here is if two farmers claim to own the same cow.. I've heard that one before...lol.. or how about those neighbors who keep the Escapee for their own consumption...really happens!

Just keep one eye on things and you'll be fine.. and love thy neighbor always helps too..


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## Necie (Apr 4, 2004)

[We've only had our cattle get out once. I'm not a panicky type but I called by husband home from 100 miles away. Nothing like having a dozen registered charlaois wandering around and not being able to find them. Luckily the teens from up the road a piece brought them home over the mountian and through the woods. They made it home before my husband did. I mended the fence that they went though and it hasn't happened again. But my opinion is if they tear your fences up and get out too much, it may be time to trade them in for some new stock.


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## BeeFree (Feb 23, 2004)

Missouri changed their fence laws. Used to be you stand at the fence joining the other people and your side was on the right and theirs was the left. You could make them pay for their half. Now the sides are still the same but unless the other person also has livestock you are responsible for all the fence. Anyway, that is the best I can understand the new law. 

We have cattle and sometimes they get out. Last time was a couple years ago, when a trespasser tore down a back fence gate. DH was 3 hr away from home and DD was an hour away. I was on the ph to DD breaking down as I was not well enough to chase cattle. I called the local police after talking to DD. She in turn started calling my neighbors and in the mean time, I pulled myself together somewhat and got the 4 wheeler out and rode down the gravel road. When the cattle saw the 4 wheeler they just got in single file and started toward it. I turned it around and went and parked it by the front gates and they just all went into the front yard. At that time the neighbors started arriving and they then put them in the corral by the barn. 

I still think there was a higher power leading them cattle that day to go single file into my front yard. We had about 30 cattle and about half of them had gone through the downed gate, the other half had run to the other side of the back 80. 

Lately, another neighbor has had 8 of his cows getting out. I see them when they get in the gravel road and start eating the grass along the shoulder of our place. I call them and they come and start rounding them up. I am afraid some idiot is going to hit them the way they drive on this gravel. 

I hate it when my livestock gets out, but sometimes it does happen.


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