Brazen Bovine Brattiness

Now, if you have been reading my blog for any length of time at all, you know that I have a very special love for my cattle.  They are each special to me in their own way.  Some are easier to get along with than others and some are more bossy than others.  However, there is one thing they all have in common: THEY ARE SPOILED!  Did you know cattle could be spoiled and act like bratty kids?

For instance, if Mocha doesn’t like what is in her feed pan, she puts her big nose on the edge of the pan and tips it over.  Now, when they are down to the “crumbs” and it’s hard to get at the last of it, they will tip the pan up so t’s easier to clean up what’s left, but when they aren’t happy with the contents, they push even further until it tips over and spills on the ground!

Tonight, because they haven’t been eating the kelp meal as free choice like they are supposed to do, we began putting some in their feed. When I came out to milk this evening, Mocha’s bowl hadn’t been touched.  Jeff had put the feed, in her bowl, the kelp meal on top and then drizzled the molasses over that and then served it to her like that!  Well, to be honest, I did tell him last night that he would need to stir it up before giving it to her, but he must have forgotten (wink, wink!).  So, I found something and stirred it up and walked away and that Stinker (notice the capital “S”?) walked over and started eating it!!!

Another example, especially with Mocha and Jersey, is that if for one reason or another we decide that they can’t be in the pasture that day, Mocha (and sometimes Jersey) will moo/scream/screech/holler/roar at the top of her lungs!  It’s almost like she thinks we forgot and she is trying to remind us! And, OH!, if we dare take the calves out and not let Mocha and Jersey out, she will definitely raise a ruckus, letting you know that you have wronged her deeply!

But the most recent example has been with their hay.  Did you know that cattle have definite preferences and they will let you know what they like and don’t like? You probably thought hay is hay, right? Wrong! They have been eating hay from one source for most of the winter and they really liked it when we brought the load home.  They dove into eating it and were quite content.

Then we got hay from a different source and they weren’t very happy with that hay so we went back to the original hay. Now, you may ask, “How do you know they don’t like it?”  Well, one way is they throw it all over the stall so that it becomes bedding instead of feed. Another way is when the stack of hay is up to their brisket and they just stand and stare at you as if to say “You expect me to eat this?” and wait, hoping you will bring something else.

Then we introduced the third source of hay.  Oh my!  You would have thought we had offered them caviar (I’m not sure if cows like caviar but you get my meaning!). They devoured it and not only devoured their daily ration; they began eating more hay than before, to the tune of fifty percent more!

Well, the inevitable happened:  WE RAN OUT!  So we began giving them the hay from the first source.  It is then that we got THE LOOK: “You must be kidding! You expect me to eat this stuff?  Where is my hay? Bring me my hay! I’M HUNGRY!  I’M NOT EATING THIS! WHERE IS MY HAY????”  You get the drift!  So, what choice did we have?  We bought more of the hay from the third source and let the hay from the first and second source sit there!

Did you know that cows can tell time and they think they are in charge and are crazy strict time masters?  I am not kidding! When they are in the pasture and milking time is getting close, I will glance out toward the pasture and there the two of them will be standing, staring at the house.  If they don’t see any movement indicating someone is coming toward the barn, they will begin mooing…as if we don’t know what time it is.  And now that you know that, I’ll bet you can only imagine what happens when Daylight Savings Time moves 5:00 around.  Not fun!

I hope you have enjoyed these tales of our crazy, bratty but lovable bovine!  By the way, several of you have told me that you read my blog(s) and that you are enjoying them!  I am so glad!  Thank you for saying so! It is so fun to know that you like reading about what goes on here on de Good Life Farm!  Keep reading and I’ll keep writing!