Red Poll News

The red haired ladies have been getting friendlier since I began giving them grain again. Rosella, of course, was always pretty friendly and not afraid to get up close and personal. She'd rather not be touched, though I can lean on her to keep my balance as I move around the cattle:

 I've made sure they have plenty of hay, moving the bale feeder and bringing out a new bale before the old one is totally gone. This leaves a soft, dry place to sleep and hay to eat which they couldn't reach when it was in the feeder:

 Of course there is a lot of wasted hay, but it should slowly compost and become rich soil. Heaven knows they've added PLENTY of manure:

 Amy and Gracie:

 Little Rocket exhibited the amazing ability to pick his own nose with his tongue:

 Gracie has developed two bald spots on her left side. I treated them all with Ivermectin in case the spots were caused by lice, and I've been spraying the two spots with fungicidal wound spray in case it's ringworm. The problem is the Gracie HATES to be sprayed and runs from me. It makes it hard to treat her:

 Amy was lying down when I went out to photograph little Rocket. I snapped her picture and then walked on, standing behind her. While I was aiming the camera at Rocket, she stood up and farted the biggest, foulest fart I've ever had the misfortune to experience!:

Violet has long been my least friendly cow. She is making progress, though I don't suppose she'll ever be like Rosella or Gracie - and certainly not like Jasmine, who is downright cuddly:

Rocket is growing so fast that I am amazed. I caught him nursing this morning and noticed how tall he had grown:

All the cows watch out for Rocket and the horses get along with everyone. It's a peaceful scene most of the time:

On the other hand, look at this photo. It might appear that Scarlett, on the right, was about to butt little Blue. Indeed she was, though it was gentle and more of a push. Scarlett can be crabby with Blue sometimes, and now she has a calf she worries about: