We had a busy day
today! Our daughter, Jen, came out to
spend time with us and helped us get over half of Artist’s paddock cleaned up –
which was quite a task!
Jen handled being out in
the pasture with Artist and The Girls quite well! Of course – our Bull and Cows are very well
behaved when they’re not being ramrodded through a tunnel and into a
chute. And I’m sure they appreciated
what we were doing for them today!
We’re able to spend time
brushing everyone but Patty and Cora. It’s
that time of year. The temps are warming
up. The sunshine is coming out now. And they’re all ready to shed that winter
coat!
Artist has the thickest
coat I have ever seen on a cow. I use a
finishing comb on him. It’s the only
thing that works. I’ll bet I’m getting enough
to fill a gallon-size Ziploc bag every morning.
And it just never seems like I’m making a dent. But he loves every bit of the brushing!
Take a look at Mr.
Killian! I took this shot to help size
him up against Bruce. Hard to believe our
little ‘ Chondro King ‘ Bull turned 1 year old on March 31st! Bruce is now 17 months old!
Killian looks so tiny with
Dwayne standing beside him!
He loves his
brushings as well! Just show him the comb or
brush and he’ll come running clear across the paddock. He’s lost quite a bit more of his coat –
compared to Artist. But even he has more
to go before it will be gone for this summer!
My angst over the girls’
pregnancies is moved beyond, “ Whatever “ these days. I’m in no hurry. I guess I never really was. More than anything – it was concern over
miscarriage or premature births. Our Vet’s
exam on Patty calmed me down a great deal.
Knowing we have a plan in place that should be really comfortable for
the girls helps a little as well. We’ll
be moving them to the other paddock on April 13th. A portion will be cross-fenced and a shelter
will be constructed – at the same time - for Killian. Bruce will be going back in with Artist –
until the girls are ready to go back in with Artist for being bred.
My anger about Cora
jumping out and over me is teetering toward a second chance. Still up in the air. I am willing to try – 1 more time – as long
as Dwayne is willing to construct temporary pen and alley for the chute inside
Artist’s paddock whenever we have Vet Care.
His paddock is hot-wired. If they
get out – they’re still in. And nobody’s
gonna be tempted to jump the hot-wire around the paddock – especially when there’s
a second line running the top of the fence as well.
Cora's looking very nice these days. She’s not due until May 3. It’ll be interesting to see how she carries over the next month. Inside the paddock with
Artist – she’s been quite civil. The ‘
don’t touch me ‘ disposition remains.
However – she and Patty – both – will come up and eat cookies and hay
out of my hands. They have no qualms
about coming up and standing right beside me when I’m loosening hay for them.
Patty is looking great –
and beginning to swing to and fro at this time.
Dwayne calls her the ‘ School Bus. ‘
She is downright rock solid like a rectangle! She’s not much into a social world right
now. I’m thinking she’s reaching that
point of wishing she could hurry up and drop that load! But nothing can keep her away from the
cookies – hay – and the feeder bunker!
I get excited every
morning that I go out to see Miss April!
My Girl is becoming absolutely gorgeous!
She’s staying in the
Little yard right now. Killian became so
frustrated being there – enough that he even thought about trapping me inside
the tack room! I didn’t even wait for
Dwayne to come home. I went after April –
put her into her stall – and put that boy out into the other paddock with Bruce
without a second thought.
April seems to be more
content in the Little Yard. She gets
more cookies. And she gets to “ go out
for Clover “ twice each day. She has no
problem reminding you when it’s time to go get that lead rope so she can go eat
her Clover!
I’m so proud of how she is
turning out! She is almost finished
losing her winter coat – already! The
summer coat is coming in very nicely!
Lots of swirls showing up in that coat – along with a long – sleek –
shiny strand!
She keeps me bouncing back
and forth over what I hope we get with these next 2 calves coming during this
next month! Somehow – I’m feeling like
we won’t be disappointed – either way – boy or girl – shorty or not! But if we get another one like April out of
Patty – I will be thrilled to the Moon!!
3 comments:
I'm never sure which I want out of our girls either...boys or girls are good either way...actually I usually want at least ONE boy a year, just cause that's our meat in a couple years. LOL Loving spring here too! I think we are a little further behind on the grass than you are, but it's really greening up and some may even be starting to grow! :-))
They are beautiful! It's just wonderful to see green "stuff." April is incredible - be proud....
lol they sure are all your babies.
are you breeding to sell bulls or to get a bigger herd?
As the herd gets bigger, you won't have time to give everyone such personal attention.lol
It's much harder to kill or sell once you get so attached.
I am one to get attached.
But I visit many farms and no one I see goes through so much trouble.
But mostly they were the black and white milking cows.
Thats all we had around where we lived.
Maybe with other cattle it's different.
But at Park safari african, we had this huge white bull come to the car and he was too friendly. Just the nicest bull but very very big.
and the buffalo were even nicer.
I couldn;t get over it. But strong.. like a wall standing beside you.
You would not be able to budge them even with a small car.
but a ring through the nose did it easy. lol
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