Cattle Roundup – Fall 2013 – Part 3

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted. You must think by now that the cattle never did get to come home.

Anywho, after the cattle were loaded onto the trucks, the trucks headed on down the road towards our home farm. It takes over an hour to get there. It’s a nervous time to know that your cattle herd is flying down a busy highway over 60mph.  We’ve all seen wrecks involving cattle trailers. It’s ugly and heartbreaking.

But much to our relief, the trucks made it home ok:

After the cattle were unloaded, one of our bulls, the smallest one, wasted no time picking a fight with a bigger bull and they both crashed through a fence, snapping the posts off at ground level. They hadn’t been off the truck 30 seconds when this happened.

Bastards.

So Harland separated them, and then we watched as Little Bull continued to taunt the bigger bulls through the fence, tap dancing around, pawing the ground, and bellowing in their faces. I swear, he did everything but stick his tongue out at them. This is the same bull that earlier in the day had been shaking his head bad temperedly at Harland when he was trying to herd him in with the rest of the cattle.

When Harland told me this, my eyes narrowed, my jaw set, and I announced, “He’s got to go.”  Picking fights with the other bulls, damaging fence, and most especially, threatening Harland, are all behaviors that will earn you a 1st class, one-way trip to the cattle sale. And that’s exactly where he went later that week.

In the weeks since the cattle came home, the calves were weaned, and the cows turned out to the harvested cornfield to graze on the leftovers. The calves have adjusted fairly well to life without their mamas and are doing well. Two of them got sick and were treated by Harland with antibiotics, but both are now hale and hearty.

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UP NEXT:  Harland treats one of the calves. Poor thing didn’t have the energy to complain when Harland separated him from the herd for his shots.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

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14 Responses

  1. JB says:

    Love how the bull and most of the cows had to stop, check you out, and “smile” for the camera! Was hoping for film of the bull war but you were probably to busy sprinting for a seat in the pickup!

    • Suzanne says:

      Me too. 🙂 Never filmed them from that angle when their coming off the truck and I wondered how they would react. Most of them saw me and were startled. The funny ones to me were the ones who walked on by completely oblivious to the woman in the grass. They would be the first to be picked off in the wild. :0

  2. Tina says:

    Glad to know you are all well and the cattle and you all made it home okay.

  3. Pam says:

    Glad no one got hurt! Loved hearing the calves calling for Mama as they were trotting in their direction! Then the last Mama’s off were running and calling for their babies!

    I too would have ‘liked’ seeing the bull tussle…maybe! If I didn’t I know how to stop a video!!!!

    Hope the ‘breeze’ I heard was not a cold one….

    🙂 Pam

    • Suzanne says:

      It was actually nice weather then, 60s I think. No, sorry, no video of the bulls fighting. Even I didn’t see it, only the aftermath of broken mangled fence and Harland trying to fill the gap with a cattle gate while the rest of the herd looked on and planned their escape.

  4. Mary J Bergin Luse says:

    You and Harland has some very nice quality cattle. Great looking calves. One question? Did Suzanne get them all counted?

    Suzanne should go into business and film for Superior Livestock Sales. She really gets an “up close and personal” viewing of the cattle.

    We sold 26 head of calves December 3rd at Rezac Livestock in St. Mary’s and got more for them than we ever did in our lives. They averaged well over $1000 per head.

  5. katie says:

    Hope your Christmas is wonderful! We miss herring about you all and kitty.

  6. Tina says:

    Haven’t heard from you lately. Hope you are just taking a Holiday break and you, Harland and Kitty are okay. Have a blessed Holiday.

  7. Lorraine says:

    Hoping all is well with you and Harland and Kitty. Merry Christmas! Thinking of you here in Lexington. Happy and healthy New Year to all of you.

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