Moving Cows

We moved cows yesterday. Owen and Dad rotate the pastures, so each pasture has a chance to recover from being grazed. But not such a long recovery period that weeds and thistles take over the grass and clover. Moving cows happens depending on the height of the grass, but generally every two weeks or so during the summer. If it is dry weather, they are moved more frequently, since the grass doesn't grow as well. 

That is your farmer tidbit for the day.

I didn't have my big camera, so I just used my phone camera. Which is surprisingly good. Unless I zoom. Then it is awful. 

Elsie had Gilbert's Wild Thing and brontosaurus. 

The cows, grazing.

Then, Owen starts calling and they all come at a trot.

The kids love helping call the cows. "Co-boss!" Not sure why we say that. Works as well as anything else I guess. 

Crossing the road. 

Moving cows is generally a fairly easy operation, since the cows generally know what they are doing and they are rather attracted by the taller grass. Beef cows seem better behaved than dairy cows too. We always had one or two dairy cows that were troublemakers. Always the ones outside the fence, the ones that would suddenly bolt for freedom, the ones who would lag behind when you were bringing them in for milking... Pain in the necks. 

Then the calves. Calves are another matter all together. They have no idea what is going on and tend to be skittish. 

These two were almost in the new pasture, but then decided to go back.

The civilly disobedient ones. 

The kids went in to help and were told to not run or yell. So they walked like this. Until they got close to Owen than Gilbert ran to him, yelling "We didn't run!" 

Even with all this help, the calves refused to go over. 

And away they go!

These are the times that try man's soul. 

It was another hour or so of work before these calves went across.

Sweet girl

Letting her brontosauraus walk