senapol cows in cotton valley

This won't probably be of any help to you but several years ago cattle started roaming loose in Smith Bay, St Thomas. Down the main road they'd come in a herd, totally tying up traffic and causing many an unwary visitor to cower in fear behind the steering wheel as they lumbered by. Their turning point was the parking lot of my restaurant which abutted a side road which in turn took them up and around the back roads and paths to their pasture from which they'd apparently exited via a broken fence.

I'd run out there in my apron waving a broom to chase them out of the lot and of course in response they would, as they were leaving, raise their tails and dump cow plops all over the lot in readiness for the evening diners to step in as they exited their cars. This went on sporadically for a few months. I called the police, I called agriculture, the humane society, and nothing worked until I placed an ad in the personal column of the weekly Island Trader which read as follows:

"To the person who owns the herd of cattle which continuously breaks out of its pasture and roams Smith Bay, tying up traffic, trampling over people's property and eating their plants, please be advised that (my restaurant) serves Roast Prime Rib every Saturday night and your herd is likely to be diminished in number if you can't contain it."

It was probably sheer coincidence that the rampage stopped right after the ad appeared but I like to think otherwise.

OldTart. creative awesome, that is taking the law into your own hands---and if the ad was not the reason it stopped, no-one knows but the owners of the cow, however, you have satisfaction and a great story for many many years to tell.

Hotwire fencing is cheap and quick to install and can run quite well on solar. It will generally contain any herd of domestic cattle under normal conditions of adequate food and water. Bulls, not so much. They can and will go through or over "average type" fencing to get to cows in heat and require bull proof accomodations. I personally think the owner is taking full and overbearing free range priveleges to save up their own pastures for when the dry season hits. Sounds like intentional free ranging to me. If there was an impound lot for stray livestock that was adjacent to the abattoir, with a seven day "claim your animal and pay a fine or forfeit" policy, people would be much more likely to contain their animals. All unclaimed animals could be auctioned off every week, and those that remained unsold get processsed and the meat go to school lunches or what not.

Onthespot,
Please give it a rest!(td)

What? The owner can keep his cows in if he wanted to. He doesn't want to. You don't take care and confine your animals, you should lose 'em.

onthespot,
You don't live on the island, we have cows,horses,sheep, goats, chickens, deer, turtles, iguanas and dogs, that's island life, most end up in the street or your front lawn/sand no one is looking to confine, set bail, fine, destroy or eat an animal so I would suggest you stay out of it.(td)

Okay I will be sure to graze my animals on your property so I will be sure to fit in when I come there.

Good!

How many should I get that would be able to comfortably graze your place without inconveniencing you. I would not like to overstep my welcome.

Edit to add: Sight unseen, I can suppose that your place is overgrazed and your fencing is inadequate to contain livestock. I will politely decline your offer and go with my prior arrangements. I like mine well fed and kept up. Thanks anyhow.

good