Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Keep an Eye on the Bull at All Times
I broke that cardinal rule today, and I've got a beat up body to show for it. This bull has seemed much more temperamental than the last one, but I didn't thin k of that when I climbed over a six-foot wooden gate to bust a non-working tank heater out of the ice in the water trough. After pounding the ice a few times with a wood post, I was trying to pry the heater up when the bull hit me in the crotch with his head. He knocked me off balance and pinned me against the gate. Each time he pulled back to hit me again, I scrambled to get better footing. It was a little worrisome waiting while he pinned me until another instant of freedom before he struck again. Finally, I was able to scramble up the gate and get to safety. I've got to keep him a few more months to get my cows bred back, but he's worn out his welcome at the farm.
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Be careful! Bulls are nasty creatures.
ReplyDeleteHad a roommate in college who grew up on a dairy farm. His dad got the bright idea that his Herefords could stand the services of an Angus bull. The bull was a magnificent creature. His offspring would make great steaks. Anyway, I visited the farm and because I thought the bull was a little dim, I started calling him Spiro after Nixon's VP. The name stuck—much to my amusement.
About a year later, I asked how the Spiro experiment had worked. I was informed that Spiro was good to look at but wasn't much of a bull. His legs were too short for his massive chest so had trouble mounting those big boney cows. So what happened? I asked. Spiro was set off to become Burger King Whoppers. For some reason, this pleased me a lot!
Good story. I had a surprise calf born on a cold January evening who lost her tail and the tips of her ears to frostbite. She got named Shrek. She had a couple calves for me, but she wasn't very good at accepting her calves after birth, so she got sent away to Bovine University.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I wrote herefords when I meant to write Holstiens. I have never known anyone who milked Herefords although I suppose it is theoretically possible.
DeleteI wondered about that, but didn't worry too much about it. Not too many people can name three breeds of cattle. The bull that came after me was a Hereford, though. My Angus bull that preceded him was extremely laid back.
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