Feb. 28, 2003 ~ Cold cows
What is it about bad weather that makes cows such goofballs? If you find out, would you please let me know? When it rains, we get mud by the gates, lots and lots of mud. It's maybe six to eight inches deep, and is admittedly difficult to navigate. The cows, and especially the calves, are reluctant to step in the mud. Can't say as I blame them. But I stand there, and stand there, and stand there some more, waiting for the little darlings to make up their minds. Sometimes Suzy Cow will take the plunge, and the others will slog through eventually, but my hair turns gray while I wait. And then there's the question of the heifers. Such cute little things, those girls. But they don't have the brains God gave a turnip. Or do they?
Yesterday I let the heifers into the pen, then let the cows go into the heifers' pasture, so they could eat hay there. Think of it as musical cows. Everybody switches pastures. The next step was to take feed and hay out to the trough in the other pasture, so the heifers could have their breakfast. They followed me about halfway out the gate, then suddenly stopped in their tracks. They turned tail and RAN, bucking and snorting, back into the pen, where they stood by the barn door, as if hoping that their food would magically appear there.
It was cold, very cold, and the rain didn't help. I put the feed into the trough and called the heifers, who did not move. The OTHER cows, though, they all came running. Never mind them. I went back to the pen and tried to coax the heifers to come with me. But they just stood there, wide-eyed and goofy-looking, as if they had no clue what was going on. They cannot possibly be as dumb as they act. SURELY they are faking it.
"Arrrgggghhhhhh! It's the fake hay! Mom is trying to feed us fake hay and fake feed!" said Callie Rose.
"Pardon me? Why, whatever do you mean? You have reason to believe that Mother is serving us aritificial forage products, something not up to our usual standards of excellence?" said the unnamed heifer.
"No," said Callie Rose, grinning. "I just enjoy pulling her leg, convincing her that we're morons!"
"Oh, good one! Great idea! What say we act like we are afraid of mud, too? Think she'll buy that?"
Such is the life of a cow mom.
All rights reserved
_______________________________