Gas company let cows out.

[J&T Farm]

Well we went to town today and on our way home the sheriffs dept. paged us out ( we are on the vol. fire dept.) and said all our cows were out on the road. We flew home to find all 80 head out in the road. It took 7 people to get them up. The lady that found them and called the sheriff said that a gate was open. The gate that Global went thru laying 2 more lines of cable today. We had it put in our agreement with them that all gates were to be closed and they were only to drive in the fields if they had to. Well they are going to be getting a call in the morning. Has anyone had any experience with this type of thing? They also agreed that extra compensation would be paid for any trouble with the cows fences and hayfields. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

 

[MikeC]

If there is no damage, then no compensation is due except for time gathering them.

Send them a registered letter with a warning in case there is damage in the future.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

Put a big sign on the gates, "CLOSE GATE". Big red letters. ;-)

 

[Crowderfarms]

Take that written agreement and get some people to make statements in writing on your behalf and then take all this to an attorney and see what you can do. This sounds like possible breach of contract to me and sounds to me like you can get paid pretty good for your troubles.

Like this type incident needs to clog the Legal System.Give them a shout in the A.M. and let them know what happened.

TN Master, I got bumped into and Boot toe mashed by a good lookin' gal at Church this morning. How much $ can you get me? :shock:

 

[J&T Farm]

We just wanted to make sure it did not happen again, we have had a couple small problems with them in the past. We talked to the boss this morning he came to our house when we called and told him what happened. He said he was sorry, and we told him we weren't looking for money but he said that we would be compensated for our trouble. They let our neighbors cows out about 3 weeks ago and a girl hit one, totaled her truck and killed the cow. They cut another ladies fence 3 times in 1 week. She let them have it. I don't think they will do that anymore :shock: Her and her shotgun made it pretty clear that she was mad. Anyway hopefully it won't happen again thats the main thing. Thanks for the info.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

Read the front and back of the check they give you before you cash it. Could have a release clause printed on it from any further liability. ;-)

 

[Brute 23]

If there is no damage, then no compensation is due except for time gathering them.

Send them a registered letter with a warning in case there is damage in the future.

This is true unless you have it stated in your lease a fine or penalty for leaving a gate open.

In our leases if a gate is left open the lease terminates immediatly and they will need to contact our lawyer to set up a time to get their equipment out or to negotiate another lease. Wether or not damage was done... or even if cattle actually got out.

Also.. I would make up a bill for someting close to the going rate of what it would cost if you had to hire some hands to come and put the cattle back in. Type it up like a business and send it to them. As long as it is not a rediculous amount alot of times they will pay it as a good gesture. You may be able to get a couple hundred dollars our of them.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The gas companies have been pretty good about everything. The problem with have is with the contractors. Bull dozer on a low boy cut the corner too close and took out the corner post leaving the fence down. Of course, they don't tell anyone. This is the fourth time that post was taken out. There is plenty of room to swing in, the trucks just get caught not swinging wide enough.

Called the gas company and they had someone on it immediately. If the contractors would just call someone and let us know, it wouldn't be so bad.

 

[cowwrangler]

can you get them to maybe install the concrete cattle guards in the gates?? then they could be left open might benefit them and you

 

[backhoeboogie]

can you get them to maybe install the concrete cattle guards in the gates?? then they could be left open might benefit them and you

So how do you drive your cows across the cattle guards? It doesn't make sense to me. County road splits up the property. You put in gates to rotate cows in and out of pastures, and if cattle guards are placed you cannot do it.

Gas companies wanted to install 6 cattle guards on me, which would have kept me from driving the cows to the working pens and from rotating them through pastures. I told them they could put in cattle guards and leave my gates alone but they didn't want to build roads.

 

[cowwrangler]

good point, would be tough if property is split,but maybe they can use guards where they enter property and you can still have gates to move the cattle threw,i am just starting to go threw this with the wind towers, gonna depend on everyones pasture though as to how its broke up

 

[backhoeboogie]

good point, would be tough if property is split,but maybe they can use guards where they enter property and you can still have gates to move the cattle threw,i am just starting to go threw this with the wind towers, gonna depend on everyones pasture though as to how its broke up

Don't get me wrong, where my property splits from the neighbors, cattleguards are a good thing - unless his cows get on my place through the fence etc. When that happens, we are likely going to have to load his up in a trailer and truck them back across.

 

[Brute 23]

So how do you drive your cows across the cattle guards? It doesn't make sense to me. County road splits up the property. You put in gates to rotate cows in and out of pastures, and if cattle guards are placed you cannot do it.

Gas companies wanted to install 6 cattle guards on me, which would have kept me from driving the cows to the working pens and from rotating them through pastures. I told them they could put in cattle guards and leave my gates alone but they didn't want to build roads.

Its easy...

If they wanted to install them let them. You tell them to install a cattle guard right next to your existing gate. You have a gate for moving cattle or for large equipment and a cattle guard for every day in and out.
;-)

It works out very well.

 

[msscamp]

can you get them to maybe install the concrete cattle guards in the gates?? then they could be left open might benefit them and you

So how do you drive your cows across the cattle guards? It doesn't make sense to me. County road splits up the property. You put in gates to rotate cows in and out of pastures, and if cattle guards are placed you cannot do it.

I don't know about Texas but, up here, county roads are always on the periphery of the ranch, and cattle guards would work very nicely to solve this problem. If interior gates were left open the cattle would mingle with other herds, but still be confined to the interior of the ranch - and not be on the county roads.

 

[Brute 23]

can you get them to maybe install the concrete cattle guards in the gates?? then they could be left open might benefit them and you

So how do you drive your cows across the cattle guards? It doesn't make sense to me. County road splits up the property. You put in gates to rotate cows in and out of pastures, and if cattle guards are placed you cannot do it.

I don't know about Texas but, up here, county roads are always on the periphery of the ranch, and cattle guards would work very nicely to solve this problem. If interior gates were left open the cattle would mingle with other herds, but still be confined to the interior of the ranch - and not be on the county roads.

They cut through a ranch or property here some times.

 

[backhoeboogie]

can you get them to maybe install the concrete cattle guards in the gates?? then they could be left open might benefit them and you

So how do you drive your cows across the cattle guards? It doesn't make sense to me. County road splits up the property. You put in gates to rotate cows in and out of pastures, and if cattle guards are placed you cannot do it.

I don't know about Texas but, up here, county roads are always on the periphery of the ranch, and cattle guards would work very nicely to solve this problem. If interior gates were left open the cattle would mingle with other herds, but still be confined to the interior of the ranch - and not be on the county roads.

They cut through a ranch or property here some times.

The county road cut mine in half. Practically all of Texas is privately owned and I can go into great detail of how that happened. But anyway, when they build a road, they have to go through someone's property.

 

[Brute 23]

Do you have it fenced down both sides of the road or is it open with cattle guards on both ends.

I would still take them up on their cattle guards if they want to install them.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Do you have it fenced down both sides of the road or is it open with cattle guards on both ends.

I would still take them up on their cattle guards if they want to install them.

Both sides of the road are fenced. Both sides of the old road are fenced too. All the old neighbors who live down there are really good about helping each other get cows across the roads. The problem is outsiders. A neighbor lady crossed 50 head or so on Saturday and called me to help. We had one up the road, one down the road, she was leading with a bucket, and her husband was tailing.

Generally we just go straight across the road when we swap pastures.

 

[backhoeboogie]

When they built the new loop here, I noticed they put an under the road crossing on some of the big ranches they split up. I wish I had one of those.

 

[Brute 23]

Ya.. I work with a guy who has his place split also. We would park a truck right after the gate and we could drive them down the ditch.

There wasn't much traffic then and if cars came by they went slow... even lended a hand now and then. :lol:

Then he went to just crossing them straight across.

Now he fears if one gets out through a fence.

Traffic has picked up on that road and it has gotten flat out dangerous. Its all mainly oil field traffic and the county cant keep up with the road so it has gone to crap also. :x

We use to could drive 10 miles down that road and maybe see 1 car... now it is pretty stready all day and night.