Post by mrskk on Oct 8, 2007 6:49:25 GMT -5
AI didn't work the first time and our neighbor offered the service of his young Jersey bull, so we decided to take him up on it. He lives a quarter of a mile up the road so our main issue was how to get her there...
Hubby wanted to try to get her into our horse trailer. I've gone through hours of trying to load horses that are halter trained, you can lead them anywhere - except into a trailer. A heifer that won't lead? I couldn't face the thought.
I then remembered a friend told me that they used to tie new adult cows to their tractor to teach them how to lead. Buttercup wears a collar and gets hooked into her stanchion at feeding time, so I thought that should work just fine.
It did, after the first few moments of her trying to figure out how to get away. There was one really bad moment when I ended up between her and the tractor - she was throwing her head around, trying to get loose and caught me under the arm with her horn. I have a three inch long scrape with a little bruising - just enough to keep me more aware and on my toes for the rest of the trip. I don't think she even knew I was there, she was so frantic to get away.
She settled down once she realized that there was a pail of good grain and apples for her to follow. I used two ropes to tie her, just in case one broke. Every once in a while, she would lurch to the side, but for the most part, she followed the tractor along. My daughter on one side, me on the other. She stayed close to me (not too close) and we both learned a lot on that little walk.
I used a stick to tap her forward and to tap her chest when she was starting to speed up. I nudged her side with it when she was getting to close to me. My shopping list now includes a cattleman's cane!
It will be ten days before Buttercup comes into heat again so she and the bull spent the afternoon getting acquainted. He is about six months older than she is and, due to her 1/4 Holstein, she is just a little taller. He is much heavier, but when they were "playing bully" as my hubby calls it, she was pushing him back...Maybe he was just being a gentleman and letting her win!
I miss having her here at home. Evening chores were a little sad without my cow to feed, but I already have little calves and milk pails dancing around in my brain. Won't be until the end of July, but I've already got plans, plans, plans!
I'm so happy I found all of you here and can share my excitement with you!
Hubby wanted to try to get her into our horse trailer. I've gone through hours of trying to load horses that are halter trained, you can lead them anywhere - except into a trailer. A heifer that won't lead? I couldn't face the thought.
I then remembered a friend told me that they used to tie new adult cows to their tractor to teach them how to lead. Buttercup wears a collar and gets hooked into her stanchion at feeding time, so I thought that should work just fine.
It did, after the first few moments of her trying to figure out how to get away. There was one really bad moment when I ended up between her and the tractor - she was throwing her head around, trying to get loose and caught me under the arm with her horn. I have a three inch long scrape with a little bruising - just enough to keep me more aware and on my toes for the rest of the trip. I don't think she even knew I was there, she was so frantic to get away.
She settled down once she realized that there was a pail of good grain and apples for her to follow. I used two ropes to tie her, just in case one broke. Every once in a while, she would lurch to the side, but for the most part, she followed the tractor along. My daughter on one side, me on the other. She stayed close to me (not too close) and we both learned a lot on that little walk.
I used a stick to tap her forward and to tap her chest when she was starting to speed up. I nudged her side with it when she was getting to close to me. My shopping list now includes a cattleman's cane!
It will be ten days before Buttercup comes into heat again so she and the bull spent the afternoon getting acquainted. He is about six months older than she is and, due to her 1/4 Holstein, she is just a little taller. He is much heavier, but when they were "playing bully" as my hubby calls it, she was pushing him back...Maybe he was just being a gentleman and letting her win!
I miss having her here at home. Evening chores were a little sad without my cow to feed, but I already have little calves and milk pails dancing around in my brain. Won't be until the end of July, but I've already got plans, plans, plans!
I'm so happy I found all of you here and can share my excitement with you!