Springtime can be full of answers. Did we prepare well the winter before? Where is the water going to run this rain? How fast will the temperature warm/cool? Do we have enough hay?
Everyday Dear Farmer wakes up is a whole new day of questions to be answered. Our favorite question around here is: how many calves do we have? If you have livestock, you know the joy of this already. It is the daily count. Of course, healthy mothers and healthy babies is the desired outcome. Sometimes you find the sorrowful cow who dutifully watches guard over her cold-stillborn calf. More often than not, around here, we have a cute healthy little one who is greeting us in the morning with milk dribble hanging from the chin-hairs, and a mother who is giving us the warning eye "don't come one step closer". This is the favorite question asked at the table. The favorite story of the day.
(Story disclosure: our cow/calf operation is very natural. So imagine very little farmer intervention, and very little human socialization for the cattle.)
Today the story was about #241 and her calf (sex still unknown, untagged).
#241 is a Belted Galloway with a small portion of Holstein in her genes. She's one of our "nastiest" cows, but she gives great looking calves!!! When #241 isn't a nursing mother she's one of the cows that you'd think, "Don't think she likes me being here." She's one that pushes the herd. So with some authority she has the right to not like you being in "her" pasture. #241 and Dear Farmer have a relationship that usually ends with both of them not being pleased with the other. This was the day Dear Farmer noticed a bright white belt and a tiny little body next to a proud new mama, away from the herd a safe distance. At first, the joy overtaking him, Dear Farmer began to walk that-a-way to see the newborn and mother. Until the mother noticed him coming. With a glint in her eye and fire breathing out of her nostrils the mother bent her head down and began swaying it back and forth (this is the common language of bovine saying "not one step closer!"). Dear Farmer took note of the mother's stance and stopped. But calmly stayed where he was. However, the mother wanted him GONE, not just STILL. And so, she began to walk, then jog, then run his way. Dear Farmer, as she came closer, noticed exactly who it was! "It's#241!", Dear Farmer yelled, as he took off for the other side of the fence and onto the tractor. With Dear Farmer gone #241 was much happier and walked back to her calf. Dear Farmer's daughter (sitting on the tractor) laughed so hard she almost fell off the tractor. Still don't know what she had, male or female, but it is one great looking calf...as near as we can see.
No comments:
Post a Comment