Was a very long day, to say the least

[hopsingspond]

Thought I would share my day on the farm.  When I say it's never a dull moment, I mean it. 

Started off as a normal morning till a call from the sheriff's office. Cows out on the highway.  So out we go.  Amazing how two words, will kick your butt in gear. 

Well it turned out to be 24 Charolais heifers.  Not ours, but you have to get them off the road. Angus are black or red, Charolais are white or very light brown.  So we safely got them into our pasture.  The highway has semi's 24/7.   Poor babies went looking for water because the windmill wasn't working where they were at.  Then the calls to try and find the correct owners.  Now owner located, but we strongly urged them to let them settled down.  Get some much needed water  So the poor heifers got water, grass and a chance to rest.

First attempt to get them back to the corral went well till the train came past,  Spooked them and off they went again.  Second attempt with the owner here, did not go well till we got him to stop helping.  They move cows slowly and gently on this farm. So slow and gentle worked.  All his and our cows in the corral.  We have a loading spot we move them into, so we can put them on a trailer.

While the owner went to get his trailer.  Two women, me being one of them, gently sorted and moved his Charolais heifers.  He came back to them all ready to go.  He looked shocked, and we explained again slow and gentle works.

So while the heifers rested here,  his windmill was fixed.  I can happily report they are now back in their own pasture.  The cows here are happy as can be because they got two bales of alfalfa.

Edited out is some very blue air, words I could not post.  Edited out that I told a few folks off.  I do not tolerate attitudes, when all that was important was keeping the animals safe.  So SW Nebraska heard what a Philly girl sounds like very mad. 

Never mess with a crazy animal rescuer.     We can be very scary. 

[Kat]

Very long day indeed & hopefully the owner will have learned a few valuable lessons ... check on his cows, slow & gentle, & don't mess with YOU 

Put up your feet tonight & get some much needed rest.

[SueSTx]

The joys of raising livestock.

Some people will never that slow and steady will win the race.

[Kittyzee]

I LOVED your story!  I too am a fan ( as is my husband ) of slow, calm and steady.  We have together and separately put our cows back into our pasture and barns this way.  The frantic hollering, hand waving, whooping tends to scare already jumpy cattle.  I also laughed at your blue air description....as I've turned the air around here a different color also!     AND I won't tolerate meanness to an animal in anyway, shape or form, I don't care how big they are. 

Good job, and I love cows!   

[hopsingspond]

I LOVED your story!  I too am a fan ( as is my husband ) of slow, calm and steady.  We have together and separately put our cows back into our pasture and barns this way.  The frantic hollering, hand waving, whooping tends to scare already jumpy cattle.  I also laughed at your blue air description....as I've turned the air around here a different color also!     AND I won't tolerate meanness to an animal in anyway, shape or form, I don't care how big they are. 

Good job, and I love cows! 

Thank you,

What kind of cows do you raise?  I can't remember.  They are such funny creatures.  Best part was after we  had shut the gate one of the big bulls mosie up wanting to get in.   I have spoiled him since he was a yearling. I open the gate, let shamus in.  Of course he took his sweet time   He stopped for a scatch on the head.  I though mr. Macho was going to fall over.  He moved way away when the big boy got close.   I don't turn my back on a bull, but worked hard when they were small to bond with them.  This big boy who isn't close to full size is over 2000lbs now.

[Kittyzee]

We have feeders, mostly mixed breeds that we buy when we get a call from the stockyard and we will buy in a large lot.  They can be baldies, mostly black cattle, which they can be cross bred with anything.  We don't keep bulls anymore, we don't dairy now.  We just raise them as fats and then they go to market, buy them around 5-600 lbs. and when they leave they can be way over 1,000 lbs. but it varies due to body shape and height.  I'm amazed at the difference in them when we first get them, and how well they look when they leave with good feed and pasture.

We don't have as many cattle as in years passed, they price of corn, well, it's hard to feed cattle on corn priced that high!! 

[hopsingspond]

We have feeders, mostly mixed breeds that we buy when we get a call from the stockyard and we will buy in a large lot.  They can be baldies, mostly black cattle, which they can be cross bred with anything.  We don't keep bulls anymore, we don't dairy now.  We just raise them as fats and then they go to market, buy them around 5-600 lbs. and when they leave they can be way over 1,000 lbs. but it varies due to body shape and height.  I'm amazed at the difference in them when we first get them, and how well they look when they leave with good feed and pasture.

We don't have as many cattle as in years passed, they price of corn, well, it's hard to feed cattle on corn priced that high!! 

Yes feed price are still going up.  Alfalfa was $60 a ton only four years ago,  this year over $250 a ton.  We have reduced the herd last year, because of the drought.  Lucky if the farm breaks even for a second year in a row. 

[Jerry]

So well written. I got a huge kick out of it as did my wife. The clincher was  my wife being from Nebraska and me from Philly.   

[hopsingspond]

So well written. I got a huge kick out of it as did my wife. The clincher was  my wife being from Nebraska and me from Philly.   

Thanks Jerry.  Too funny so you definitely understand my Philly girl comment.  What part of Nebraska is your wife from?

[SueSTx]

I spent a couple of nights in Sidney, Nebraska once a long long time ago.

[Jerry]

Hi  Hopsing and Sue:

Sidney is the home of Cabela's
My wife was from Omaha, went to the renowned  Central High. We went to a reunion many years ago.
Wow to the steak!
I was from south and west Philly.  52nd and Parkside. I left in 1950. Should have much sooner.
Cheers!

[2vetts]

very interesting , thanks for sharing . forgive me madam but the '' i don't tolerate attitudes '' , makes it sound like you have aquired one .  .  . sorry about the ''aquired'' which is apparently misspelled  ..twice . . .peace

[Jerry]

I have the same attitude.  It is not to tolerate them unless they are positive. Lousy attitudes suck all the air out of a room.  Who needs that?

[2vetts]

acquired , figured it out while lunching , duh !!

[hopsingspond]

very interesting , thanks for sharing . forgive me madam but the '' i don't tolerate attitudes '' , makes it sound like you have aquired one .  .  . sorry about the ''aquired'' which is apparently misspelled  ..twice . . .peace

Attitude is not what I would call what I did to stop someone mistreating an animal. I won't apologize for standing up for what was right.