Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Red Poll Cattle Update For The End Of March

I had thought Rosella had been weaned a long time ago, but I was wrong. She's still nursing, though she's getting close to as tall as her mother:

The girls are sociable animals, enjoying each other's company and usually enjoying mine as well. Of course, knowing me as the source of their grain and hay helps incline them in my favor:

My first impression of Gracie was that she was too small, too coarse looking and quite a bully. But as time has gone by, I've decided that she's a lovely cow with a winning personality. I feel safer with Gracie than with any other. I believe she's far and away the smartest of the cows:

Jasmine may not be in the running for smartest, but she too has a lovely personality. In addition, she makes great faces for me when I'm taking her picture:

Here's Rosella nursing. I wish I could convince Scarlett to wean her, but I suppose I must let nature take its course:

Amy is also a tame and gentle cow, though probably the dumbest of the herd. I suspect that's why she's at the bottom of the social hierarchy. That doesn't seem to bother her, though. She's happy with life as it is:

I fed the girls grain twice per day while winter raged, but cut them back to once a day as spring began arriving. Besides the added nutrition, this is how I keep them tame and get them to come into the barn when called:

Rosella has been allowing me to touch her while she eats, so I ordered a collar for her. She was fearful of it at first, so I draped it over a rail by her food while she ate for a couple of days. Soon I was able to put it on her:

And here is Rosella, wearing her brand new collar and napping beside her mother:


In fact, napping is one of their primary activities. Their lives are mostly eating, pooping and napping:

Jasmine again, making her silly face. She seems to find it fun when I climb inside the hay bale feeder:


Gracie and Jasmine:

1 comment:

  1. There is a device that is used to stop a calf from nursing though my fater-in-law used a 2x4! RB

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