Saw this in a pasture and was curious!

[DB]

I was walking past a pasture and saw a cow down on its front knees and she was like rubbing her head and neck in a spot where there was no grass and it was just dirt.  I have never seen this happen before what would some reasons be for this?   I walked over closer to the fence to look at her because I thought she might have had a touch of mange or lice but didn't see any patches of hair out of place or anything like that.

Any ideas?  I am just curious about the Why's.........
Thanks!!!

 

[Show Heifer]

I have seen my cows do this quite a bit. They are scratching the old hair off, shedding. Think about it, dirt is a rough surface, grass is not. Cows are smart, so they use the dirt (rough surface.)  So, I guess cows are pretty smart!

 

[SeannyT]

Most likely just a grooming process or maybe just for fun as bulls do this often too. Either way I've seen it lots as well.

 

[lowann]

Ours do this all the time. I think if they were able to roll like a horse, they would. This is the next best thing for them. They love it.

 

[knabe]

i have one cow do this all the time on squirrel burrows.  it's almost as if it's pheremonic.  she gets all glazy eyed and intense about it.  one of the calves is like this in manure once in a while.  the cow really gets after it besides the chin.

and the dogs, well, they love the manure.

 

[vc]

You want to see them get just plain stupid, dump a load of DG or plain dirt in their pasture. We dumped 5 yards of DG to spread around the gate area, by the time I got back to spread it out, the darn things had it half done for me. plowing through it on their knees, driving with their back legs, jumping and snorting it was quite a sight.

 

[ROMAX]

I have a simmixangus heifer that does that every time i untie her and try to lead her around.