No More Moo Juice!

“ Hey, look at  me! “

Oh, yes.  Stormy and Dodger had their Easy Wean ‘ Bling ‘ installed this morning!  They’re now 3 months old.  And we have several events coming up within the next few weeks.

Patty and Killian go to butcher in 9 days.  We wanted to get Dodger weaned while being able to continue spending some time with Patty before she leaves for good.

There are a lot of things my husband is just insisting on learning the hard way.  And choosing on his own – to release April into the paddock with Artist a couple weeks before she goes into another cycle around August 15^th…

HUGE lesson.  He learned about secrets building inside a single steer that’s always been nothing less than pure lovable mush.  Dwayne lured Bruce into the little yard before thinking about getting April out first.  All those hidden secrets of resentment came raging out of Bruce – toward April.

It was a fight.  It got downright ugly.  We were scared to death.  I saw the same in her eyes.  He was trying to rip up fences with her.  Thank God - even Artist helped.  April gave us no crap about squeezing through the gate when Artist yelled for her and she saw me open the gate enough to keep Bruce from coming through.

Never again – will there be another lone steer kept at our place.

Technically – it was supposed to be safe enough for Bruce to remain in the paddock with Artist.  They grew up together from the beginning.  However – Bruce became a forced body of submission to Artist.

Bruce found himself no longer being allowed to be brushed – by Artist.  He was no longer allowed to have treats.  Artist demanded having them all.  Come time for the girls going into season – Artist wasn’t even wanting Bruce to be touched.

Bruce was watching everyone else get all the love and attention through fences.

We got lucky.  Things have calmed down.  Dwayne got hot wire extended all around the little yard.  And Bruce is loving time spent in the little yard.  He’s eating up all the attention!  And he knows – Mom’s gonna go get him a flake of hay if she sees him standing up!

Come August 13^th – Bruce goes over to Killian’s pasture for better grazing.  He’ll be going to butcher in November.  And I’ll be having to go out there to spend a lot of time with him.  Fortunately – he’ll be safe enough away from Artist hassling him.  And he’ll be able to commune at the fences with everyone.

Cora will remain with Stormy and Dodger to help them adjust after Patty departs.  She’ll be going over to Artist when she goes into her next cycle – around the end of August.  And in the mix of all this – after witnessing the little debacle with Bruce – we’ve had to make a major decision about Dodger.

We’ve had so many negative situations come up at our place this year.  There’s only enough time in a day.  There’s only 2 people.  One is in the middle of 2 surgeries.  The other is now carrying both loads.  It’s just impossible to keep up with everything.  And so you have to pick your battles.

We decided to go ahead and band Dodger this evening.

We were not able to disbud these boys in the first week after they were born.  Dwayne had to learn that waiting until they’re 3 months old – does not work here.  The horns were already too big for the dehorner.  The fly problem everyone is having around here this year – just way too risky.

To have Stormy banded and try leaving Dodger intact is too risky for us.  It would put us right back into the same heavy pinch we’ve just resolved ourselves out of with Bruce and Killian.  And it really breaks my heart.  Because I know that Dodger would build into a gorgeous Bull with the right attention.

I get kisses from this little fart - as soon as I connect his lead rope!

I no longer go into the paddock with Killian unless Dwayne is with me.  Bulls left in areas alone with no other cattle become aggressive.  And we’ve learned that steers left in paddocks with Bulls coming of age can become just as angry and resentful.

Better for us to band both boys and give them equal leverage in a paddock together.  We gain some heavy harmony – which is desperately needed around here!

I’m not even seriously looking for another Heifer for Artist this year.  I need a break!  He’ll just have to be happy with 2 girls this first go-round!

They look like they're scheming to con me into taking 'em off!

I think our entire life around our place - the whole family - 2 legged and 4 legged - will be much more comfortable if these two go ahead and grow up together.