The Biting Cow
- February 4, 2025
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- Jan Swan Wood
Posted in: Featured, Ranch Life
There was a veterinarian that I inevitably had to have dealings with who wasn’t at all pleasant to work
around. He was arrogant and always talked down to any woman around, so you can imagine I didn’t
enjoy time with him at all. But, he was the local vet and it was a long way to another, so I’d have him do
preg checking of cows and bangs vaccinating of heifers and such things that required a vet come to the
place.
At the time of this event, I had a Brahman cross cow who, when under stress in the working alley or chute, would bite. I’ve been around other Brahman cross cattle that bite, so it wasn’t a big shock to me,
but sure was to folks who had never seen one do it. Cows only have bottom teeth, as you know, but
regardless of that, can really pinch hard when they bite.
I was running the head catch, writing down numbers of the open cows and pouring the cows as they
were called bred by the grumpy vet. While doing this, I’d observed that Doc would put his hand on top of the gate that blocked the alley while he pregged the cow in the chute with the other arm. It was a logical place to rest the hand, for sure. When I saw my biting cow in the alley a few cows back, I took the high road and warned him that the Brahman cow that was coming up after the next cow would bite and that putting his hand on that gate was probably not a good idea.
He snorted with derision and in his best bovine authority voice said “Cows don’t bite!” and sneered at
me. I shrugged my shoulders and let the next cow into the chute. While waiting to hear whether she was
bred or not, I stood where I could watch my cow. Sure enough, the very agitated cow was fairly trembling with anxiety and as I watched, Doc hung his hand on the top of the gate right in front of my Brahman cow’s face. I waited with expectation, knowing my cow.
Sure enough, she grabbed his whole wrist in her mouth and crunched down. He yelped and drug his
arm away from her, tearing his shirt in the process. He glared at her and she balefully returned his glare,
fairly daring him to put his hand up there again. He didn’t, but instead turned and cussed me for having a cow like that. I poured the cow in the chute and let her out, then let the Brahman cow in for her turn. I
said “Well, I did warn you.”
He called her bred, surprisingly as he was a rather vindictive man, and I poured her and let her out,
chuckling inwardly about the incident. He asked me if there were any other cows that would bite and I
assured him that she was the only one.
I kept a straight face as we worked the remaining cows, but as soon as he left I had a big laugh. I can’t
remember for sure, but I might have gone and found my biting cow and gave her some cake. I choose to
reward reliability and it sounds like something I would do.

Posted in: Featured, Ranch Life
About Jan Swan Wood
Jan was raised on a ranch in far western South Dakota. She grew up horseback working all descriptions of cattle, plus sheep and horses. After leaving home she pursued a post-graduate study of cowboying and dayworking in Nebraska, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota....