Ranch Journal
Cows Love A Good View
When cattle lie down in the morning sun and chew cud, I read that as comfort, calm, and a pasture setup that is doing its job.
A cow lying down in the morning with her head up and jaw working slow is not doing nothing, she is resting, chewing cud and telling me quite a bit about that paddock.
Cattle see almost all the way around themselves and with that kind of field of view they pay attention to where they settle. If they can see the herd and movement around them, pick an open and comfortable place to lie down, they are much more likely to relax.
A settled herd will lie down long enough to ruminate well and good rumination is part of how grass turns into beef.
This ties back to how we move them. Short grazing periods, decent herd density and enough rest before they come back mean the pasture stays usable as both feed and living space. If we push a paddock too long, both the grass and the cattle start to show it.