Tag Archives: animals

Integrating Cattle: Lessons in Herd Dynamics

Assimilation, Cattle behavior, Integration of Outside Cattle into the Herd, What Cattle Can Teach About Assimilation March 31, 2026 1 Comment

A cattle trailer opened its back gate last week at our ranch and out bounded five recently purchased black baldy cows and their calves. The animals proved docile but stuck closely together. The next day I opened the gate to the adjoining pasture where our resident herd grazed. The immigrant cattle slowly were drawn into the adjoining pasture. I observed the wary interaction of the new cattle and the established larger herd of black baldy cattle and their smokey calves (cross between black baldy and Charolais). The intermingling of the new and old herds then took its familiar course that I’ve witnessed from numerous episodes of introducing new cattle to the resident herd.

A new black baldy mother with three of the new calves

Several of the cows from the older herd approached the immigrants with a certain intent. Before long several minor altercations broke out between members of the older herd and the newer one with head to head pushing taking place. Even several of the immigrant calves became challenged to shoving matches by calves from the established herd. The smaller new cows were first time mothers and were over matched by the larger resident black baldy mothers. Likewise the calves from the resident herd were on the whole larger than the immigrant calves.

Foreheads pitted against foreheads, the pairs pushed and strained. Muscles bulged in their necks and hind quarters, eyes stared balefully. Eventually some slight movement began to occur with a dominant bovine shoving the other several paces backward. It seemed that no intent existed to harm the other cow (calf) but rather to demonstrate dominance. A new order of dominance was being developed.

For the majority of the cattle from the established herd (lets call them the citizen herd), avoidance seemed the order of the day. The separation of the lesser and newer herd from the older, larger herd developed over the next several days. The immigrants as a group initially wandered away into a nearby pasture, avoiding members of the older citizen herd. There they seemed content, languidly munching on green grass or chewing their cuds and maintaining close proximity with the members of their small herd. No doubt previously established dominance within this group continued unchanged.

On day four the larger herd wandered into the pasture occupied by the immigrants. No more shoving matches occurred and instead the cattle ever so slowly and tempted by nearby green grass began to intermingle. The immigrants still herded together but maintained position on the periphery of the citizen herd. Tolerance was being developed.

A smokey calf intermingling with the older citizen cows

As the saying goes all behavior has meaning, but the question arose as to what meant the behavior of these bovines. Did the new herd represent a potential threat to the established herd? Did their positions of dominance within the herd feel threatened. Did competition for grass bring about the shoving matches? Did the citizen cows sense competition or fear that their usual circumstances or prerogatives might be affected?

Whereas the cows were all black baldys and looked much alike, major physical differences did not divide them. Their vocalizations also sounded very similar to this observer; however, clearly calves could differentiate their mother’s call from that of the other cows. Might the immigrant cows have a different vocalization (dialect) that was perceivable from the citizen cows? Was competition for available grass (jobs) the source of concern- the greater number of cows with the same amount of grass?

A week has passed and now the cattle have intermittently integrated without signs of disagreement or competition. While still identifying with their original herd, the negative behaviors appear to have stopped. Based on prior experience integrating cattle into the resident herd, I expect no further shoving matches. And if the combined herd follows true to form, before long the cattle will pay little attention to which herd they derived. If only people could adapt to immigrants as quickly, as it appears to take years and even generations for this assimilation to occur in our society.

Intermingling of the mothers from both herds and a smokey calf with several of the black baldy calves

Admittedly, people have far more complex social behaviors than cows. But are there not similarities? Don’t citizens feel threatened that jobs or societal expectations might change with an influx of different folks with different customs, dialects or languages? Is that really different from the behavior shown by my cattle when confronted with immigrant cattle? Might the uncertainty of place in society or herd be threatened by newcomers? The immigrants may possess skills greater than the residents and therefore ascend in dominance (wealth) in society or within the herd.

Perhaps, just perhaps, cows can teach us something about assimilating faster with immigrants.

Why Dogs Sniff Crotches and How to Discourage It

animal behavior, Crotch Sniffing in Dogs, dog behavior, dogs, Dogs and Humans- A Special Relationship January 30, 2025 Comments: 2

We have a new dog at Medicine Spirit Ranch about whom a future post will be written. Duke our new Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix who despite many good qualities turns out to be an inveterate crotch sniffer. His nosy behavior (pun intended) is awkward when friends drop by for a visit, as clearly Duke doesn’t respect human boundaries. His nose to the groin behavior prompted me to review why dogs sniff crotches and what can be done about this embarrassing doggie trait. Perhaps you have had a similar experience and wondered as well?

Duke our new Border/Aussie  mix

It is common knowledge that all dogs have a keen sense of smell, but did you know that a dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 times as sensitive as humans? It is this keen sense of smell that makes it possible for them to sniff out drugs, bombs, cancer, bed bugs, insulin levels and even Covid-19 infections. That’s quite a good sniffer!

Mary Beth McAndrews writing for the American Kennel Club also describes how dogs have a special olfactory organ termed a Jacobsen’s organ or vomeronasal organ that is located in the roof of the mouth. It plays a vital role in the dog’s superior sense of smell. The scent-dedicated part of the brain in dogs is forty times as large as in humans. But what is it that dogs are sniffing for?

Dogs sniff for the scent put out by sweat glands also termed apocrine glands, as they release pheromones that convey tremendous amounts of information for canines. The highest concentration of apocrine glands in dogs is found in the genitals and anus, explaining why dogs sniff other dogs’ butts. Apocrine glands in humans are especially prominent in armpits and crotches. Whereas most dogs are too short to sniff human armpits, most focus their keen olfactory attention on crotches for gaining information.

These pheromones inform them for example whether a person has recently had sex, given birth, or if menstruating. In each instance a sniff reveals a higher level of pheromones. These higher levels of pheromones also explains why many dogs tend to steal underwear since these undergarments carry the owner’s scent. Talk about awkward when your pooch parades through a social gathering at your home with your underwear clenched in his teeth!

While dogs love to introduce themselves to other dogs by sniffing the other’s rear end, something gets lost in doggie decorum when they do it to people. To better understand why dogs sniff crotches, it is helpful to understand why they are doing it in the first place. When meeting humans, we can ask relevant questions, but of course dogs can’t speak and must rely on their superior sense of smell. They instead will rush in to do a nose scan of the private areas, leaving behind their wet nose spot on your nicely laundered garment.

According to Rover.com and Dr. Sperry, it is improper to discipline your dog when they get nosy with a guest. The dogs won’t understand your concern, understand what they did wrong, or comprehend what you would wish for them to do differently. Dr. Sperry instead advises a more polite outlet by redirecting their sniffing behavior.

One example of redirecting is to teach your dog to sit when guests enter the house. By doing so your guest will have time to extend a hand for sniffing (plenty of apocrine glands in the palms of hands exist) rather than providing an unguarded opening for a crotch sniff. Another more guest friendly approach is to teach your dog to a High-Five. This is a particularly cute trick that will undoubtedly invite praise from your guests.

To train a dog to give a High-Five, place a dog treat in your fist and hold it out head high to your dog. Eventually your dog will paw your hand and allow you to reward him/her with the treat hidden within your fist. By rewarding your dog with praise, a treat, and a verbal “High-Five”, the trick can be learned. Our new dog Duke, learned the trick in only three repetitions (a little bragging here). A verbal cue can usually be learned quickly, making the trick both diverting and praiseworthy.

Of course taking your dog on a long walk with ample time for nose work may also prove helpful. Gaining opportunity to sniff will reduce the need for crotch sniffing. Myriad objects in the outdoors will tantalize your dog’s Jacobsen’s organ and allow for more socially acceptable nosework.

And please keep in mind that when your dog sniffs a crotch, it is not trying to be rude. Instead it is only trying to learn more about the person. Crotch sniffing is in the doggie world is more like a handshake or introductory human banter. Let’s be gentle with our pouches and redirect crotch sniffing in a more socially acceptable way.