This was first posted March 13, 2010.
Last year’s entry about today’s event was labeled “Herding Cats“. In it, I elaborated how much moving baby calves was a painful, frustrating process which let me lose my temper and get disgusted at anything with Angus blood and 4 hooves. And a few other moving things…Today’s version was…not like that at all!Again we had to move the cows to their new feedground/calving area.Again we had straggler mommas with ignorant babies…
Again we had to use low low low granny gear…Again calves were unable to follow their mommas and took the wrong way…
Again Brandon had to lend a hand to correct a calf’s journey…
But this time there was a calmness for 90% of the way…
Only a few head tried to lose themselves in the wrong direction…
The tail end moved along fairly quietly and fairly well… and Lucas was good at hanging back far from the pressure zone of the newborns and overprotective mommas.50 feet from the last gate, one calf decided his momma has to be behind us back in the field and tried to be insistent at returning that direction. I was not about to chase one little bitty calf all the way back so I grabbed hold of his tail and hung on… trying to steer him and get forward motion in the proper direction at the same time. We simply spun a few circles until Brandon came to assist… and he simply picked up the calf. Gee. Why didn’t I think of that technique? I turned over my four wheeler to Brandon and the captured calf…
A quick trip and the wayward calf was reunited with his mom and all was well. This year’s version of “Herding Cats” turned into “Nice, Kitty, Kitty”…I like this updated version MUCH better!
Find me here!
It’s always more fun when almost everybody cooperates! Dogs can’t help herding calves? Too much danger of the mommas taking offence?
Wonderful distance shot of those well behaved cattle.