Cows In Your Yard

We have been looking at small tracts of land for several years. We hope to find one that we can buy and live on for a long time. One of the things we have had to think about is do we want to live by animals. Particularly, do we want to live by cows. If you are looking for land, you to will have to decide if you want cows in your yard, or at least, around your yard.

Cows are fun to look at and talk to. Yes, I said talk to. The don't usually talk back, except for an occational moo. But they are excellent listeners. Are you willing to move next to cows so have a little fun and talk to them.

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Proximity

The issue is not simply do you want to live by cows. The question is, how close do you want to live to cows? Cows are everywhere in the rural areas. Some plots of land belong to large farms and have hundreds of cows on them. Other pieces of land belong to a small family with one cow that they use for their own needs.

There are, of course, areas that have land in the country that don't allow cows on them. These areas are usually zoned to be residential neighborhoods. If you like the restrictions of neighborhoods and would like to pay higher prices for the land, then you can live in the country without any cows close to you.

We don't really like the restrictions we have seen on many country neighborhoods, so cows will probably be in our future.

Sights

When you encounter cows in the country, you see them first. They are actually a joy to look at when driving down the highway. The kids smile and laugh at them. Even when we first start to look at a piece of land, it is pleasant to see the cows.

But after you start to think about it a little, you realize that those cows probably aren't going anywhere. You have to decide can you live with looking at them all the time.

Smells

The smell of cows is probably the biggest deterrent. We noticed when we were on land right next door to cows, it smelled like the elephants at the zoo. The smells are due to their frequent use of the bathroom on the ground. They also pass gas a lot.

Sounds

Cows don't make very many different sounds. Their general mooing is fairly subtle and is pleasant to be around. But there is a deep guttural sound they make sometimes that is rather annoying.

The last time we visited had to a parcel of land we were looking at we heard this sound coming from the area the cows were in. We couldn't tell which cow was making the noise because there were some trees and brush between us. But we were pretty sure the sound was coming from the cows. The sound was like a dog howling, but deeper.

Bugs

Bugs are one thing we definitely worry about if we were to move next to cows. Whenever you pass go around cows, you are sure to see a lot of bugs. It seems that some bugs like to just fly around and land on the cows. And then there are the bugs that like the cow manure. Flies are everywhere when the cows have just done their business.

We also are concerned about fleas and ticks. I don't know if cows get treated for fleas and ticks. But we don't really want fleas and ticks around. Particularly because ticks can carry diseases.

Manure

Cows like to go the bathroom a whole lot. If you have ever walked through a field where cows have grazed, then you will know just how much they like to leave piles all over the ground. Recently we walked a 30 acre tract of land that cows lived on. They were not living there when we walked it, but it was unmistakable that they had been there. We had to bob and weave our way through pile after pile of manure.

I don't kind that the manure stinks once it is dry. Nor does it seem to attract flies after it is dry. But when that stuff is fresh, it gives off a foal odor and the flies love it.

We saw a unique thing on television one day. A Kazak woman and her husband lived on some land near Mongolia. The husband would often leave to sell or buy things. This woman was left to take care of herself. She didn't have lots of trees around her to use for making fires. So she would take fresh cow dung and spread it all over the ground to dry. Once it was dry, she would pick up the pieces and bring it into her yurt. Then, whenever she wanted to make a fire, she would take some of the dry dung, place it in her oven, and burn it. No that is a pretty cool use for dried cow dung.

Are cows in your future

You may own a piece of land or are thinking about buy a piece of land. You may also look around that land and see that know one owns an cows near you. That is good if you don't want cows around you.

But you also have to consider that just because cows aren't there now, they could be. If the local government restrictions or some other restrictions don't limit your neighbor from putting cows on their land, then there is a possibility cows could end up being your neighbors property.

I don't know if living next to cows is a bad thing. I've never really "lived" next to them. I have seen and smelled what they can do on land. I don't think they would be extremely bad to live next to. They definitely seem friendly.

I would, however, suggest that you keep a little distance between your house and the cows. And it is a good idea to make sure a fence is in place. Though, I doubt a cow owner would not put a fence up.