Pony's Adventures in Cattle!

[Deleted]

Today, I learned that calves kick.

HARD.

<Pony limps off to find some ice>

[rocktowngal]

Ouch! yes they do. Also if your cattle has horns you have to be aware of where they are at all times. Be safe.

[bluejeans]

Yes they do !!!!   HARD.  

[mollymckee]

Have you heard of "cow kick"? Cows can kick forward as well.

[claytonpiano]

Ouch!!!

[Deleted]

I did not know cows can kick forward as well as back. Maybe I should train this little one for the Rockettes?

He did finally accept the bottle. This is fabulous, and this is annoying. He now has enough energy to yell at the top of his very ample lungs. Then Draighean the Ewe returns his yodel, so up and down the Ridge, we have cow and sheep song.

Lesson #2: calves have tremendously strong suction. It may be (though it is not yet proven) that a calf can suck a bottle inside out through the rubber nipple.

[Deleted]

[Muller's Lane Farm]

Aweeee ... jerseys are sooo cute!!

[Deleted]

He did much better with the bottle today, but we have to figure out a way to get the bottle to vent.

Little doober keeps trying to bump my leg to get it to let down more milk! Need to figure that one out, too, or I'll be lame before he's a month old.

[Muller's Lane Farm]

There are different sized holes in the nipples (or is that just human bottles??) Paul always made the hole larger. Does the nipple have a vent hole?

Try backing him in a corner & straddling him ... always worked better for me.

[mollymckee]

What a cutie! I got to the point I'd only buy heifers, then when they had bull calves we called them supper, hamburger ect., so everyone remembered what their purpose in life was.

[Deleted]

We haven't decided on a name yet. Definitely should be food-related, though.

Tired of him bumping my legs, thinking that milk comes from Muck boots! He tried some oats today, and didn't mind them one bit.

He must be part goat, though. Little beggar insists he is STARVING on ONLY a gallon of milk a day.... But I know better. A hungry calf is a healthy calf. I don't want a scouring mess that will up and die on me.

Going to have to make sure he doesn't hang out with goats. Must steer him toward the sheep..

[Deleted]

Apr 5, 2015 13:45:41 GMT Muller's Lane Farm said:

There are different sized holes in the nipples (or is that just human bottles??) Paul always made the hole larger. Does the nipple have a vent hole?

Try backing him in a corner & straddling him ... always worked better for me.

No vent hole, but Nick sliced the opening so it's bigger. He's learning to come up for air so the pressure equalizes.

Where would a vent hole go?

He's too tall for me to straddle. I tried that one. LOL. But we're doing okay now. Just have to make sure he settles down. He gets so all-fired excited when I bring the bottle out to him, and he's nearly as big as a full-sized Nubian doe!

[Deleted]

Awwww that cute little booger wouldn't kick anyone would he?

[Awnry Abe]

Sorry to hear it. It doesn't seem to matter how small they are, it hurts. I hate the deep thigh bruises and cracked open shins. I've had my bell wrung twice in my life where I saw birdies. One of those times was a forward kick to my face by a dairy cow when I was unhooking the claw.

[Muller's Lane Farm]

Right there.

[Deleted]

Apr 6, 2015 3:33:10 GMT Muller's Lane Farm said:

Right there.

We have the screw on type of nipple - like the kind our mothers used. I think I'll poke a hole where you indicate, using a turkey skewer.

[Deleted]

Finally decided on a "food" name for the calf.

There are so many T-bones, and Hamburger, and such, so we landed on Beef Bourguignon: Bogie for short.

[Awnry Abe]

Apr 10, 2015 15:02:38 GMT @pony said:

Finally decided on a "food" name for the calf.

There are so many T-bones, and Hamburger, and such, so we landed on Beef Bourguignon: Bogie for short.

Nice. I can hear him now, "You lookin' at me, kid?"

[manygoatsnmore]

Of all the gin joints.....

[Deleted]

"Here's lookin' at stew, kid..."

[Deleted]

We called our last steer Yum Yum, this next one is called Chuck.....Roast.

[Deleted]

We called our last steer Yum Yum, this next one is called Chuck.....Roast.

[Otter]

I didn't know you had a cow! Sweet! The girl child will be so jealous. I worked on a dairy and lambar-style feeders beat the heck out of bottles. Buckets are good, if you don't mind a week-long fight to get them to understand that's where the milk is.

Cows can kick in any direction, and never forget the ways you've seen a rodeo bull twist. 99% of the time, cattle are so stiff and lumbery that it's easy to forget that 1% of the time they are a ton of lightning fast, eel-like flexibility. Was I raising just one cow, I'd tame it down really well, even if I cried my eyes out when it went on the truck. Because you can get away with a lot with small livestock, but with big ones, there are 2 relatively safe ways. One, that it keeps a good, healthy flight distance between you at all times, like cattle raised out on range. And two, that you can walk up to anywhere, any time, get in their space and ask them to move and they will, like a horse.

What you never, ever want is the 3rd way, which far, far too many folks do - especially people with 1 steer who don't want to get attached. That is where the animal will approach you, get in your space, ask for food or attention, but move away when you reach for it. If the animal feels that he is allowed in your space any time, but you are not allowed in his without permission, that is asking to get hurt, and a cow can kill you with ease.

He's a cute little bugger!

[Deleted]

Thanks, Otter! I appreciate the input on handling Mr Bogie (or, as Ozark Jewels called him once she steered him, "Bogette").

I hope you and your lovely family can make it next month, so the girl/woman-child can meet the new calf - and the kids, and the lambs, and...