Cattle chewing on wood

[Rising2KRanch]

Have a few head of cattle, occasionally they'll chew on wood, either logs down, wood posts, or the side of the barn. what causes them to want to chew on it? we have salt blocks out and mineral tubs out.

 

[coachg]

You feeding hay , have grass or both ? Small pasture sometimes seem to cause this behavior and I guess they get bored ? No pun intended bored( board )

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

My husband says that any possible way livestock can cost you more or make them worth less, they will do it. How can they chew wood? Unlike horses, they have no upper front teeth,

 

[Rising2KRanch]

You feeding hay , have grass or both ? Small pasture sometimes seem to cause this behavior and I guess they get bored ? No pun intended bored( board )

Feeding hay, and have grass that they are on. We're working on getting some more acres fenced in here soon. Just noticed their behavior and was curious if it's something to be extremely concerned about or if it's just bored. others said its because they are bored most likely. it's not daily or very often.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

bored is a possibility. Nothing to be overly concerned with is I suspect they are getting all the nutrition they need, but there might be a lack of volume. If cows are getting enough nutrition but are not keeping their gut full, they will proceed to consume every wood product available within a pasture given a chance to put volume in the rumen. Conversely, you can/are able to starve a cow to death with a full rumen when there is no nutrition available in the hay they are consuming. It pays to test your hay for nutritional content. It takes a very long time to starve a cow to death, but it can be done (all winter on no quality hay - NOT better than snowballs)

 

[bigcountryhl]

Your cattle have a major mineral deficiency, possibly phosphorus. Eating wood is a symptom.

 

[bigcountryhl]

Just as cattle poking their heads trough the fence and eating dirt is not boredom but a potash deficiency.
'Head pressing is a vitamin deficiency

 

[Rising2KRanch]

Your cattle have a major mineral deficiency, possibly phosphorus. Eating wood is a symptom.

That's what I saw on the Google search, and got a mineral bucket and a few blocks. Anything specific to help? Hay is from the neighbor, think fescue and wheat is what he said I believe.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

Do the cows always have hay available, or do they run out and you have to bring them more?

 

[Rising2KRanch]

Do the cows always have hay available, or do they run out and you have to bring them more?

We usually drop a round bale In for them, they'll eat and spread it out, but there's usually always hay out for them. They never not have any hay

 

[moses388]

Rising2KRanch - If you find an answer, I would like to know what it is.
My baby calves will eat wood shake shingles off the side of an old building. Never seen the cows do it. Haven't seen the calves at it for a while.... I did give the group a high magnesium tub a few weeks ago.