As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
Every time I think I have Baby Belle and Baby Daisy figured out, they do something like this...........
Each morning I have a routine, in carrying water to the goats and chickens, then graining Belle and Daisy, leaving the door open so they can come out and get out of the way, doing goats, doing chickens, feeding cats, and then feeding hay to Belle and Daisy and their night ration of cracked corn, in getting everything ready.
Most days I put a halter rope on Belle as Daisy follows, but Belle needs to be led. Today I did not have time, and figured, I would get things done and then put the lead rope on. I was finishing up chickens, and had to take eggs in the house, and get the rope, as the girls moved to the driveway, and then to the road to graze. I figured I had enough time to drop the eggs off and pick them up.............
Yeah, they were gone when I came back out, and were heading down the road, which is not so bad, except I have these race car morons around here, or town people, or lake people who can not see cows in the road, so I called to them to come and that I had treats.
Their response was to run away. So I called some more following, and they ran faster and had gained 200 yards on me. I made sure that Daisy turned into the neighbor's field and started back for the pick up, as I cannot out-run cattle.
To this I noticed Daisy came back to Belle on the road, and as I kept walking home, both of them started on a lope back to me.
I didn't stop or they would have stopped, and kept going and told them I had a treat as I waited by the mail box......to which Daisy ran up, ate her treat......I put a rope on her, and gave Belle her treat, and off they went again galloping up the drive way.
I caught Daisy by the house, led her into the pen, and Belle needed some reminding from Mom, and all was well with Jerseyland again.
Those rascals knew every move I was making like they always do. They wanted attention and parked out at the head of the drive way....my not appearing had them up the antie to the end of the drive, and when I went inside to drop off eggs, they upped the antie again and off they went.
Great fun having me chase them in heavy boots, and the reality is from 200 yards, Daisy knew exactly where I was, what I was doing, that I had turned around, so back she came like a dog would.
These calves or yearlings are attached to us. Yes they bellow at the other cows, but they do know who the parents are.
It is fascinating to me, in how people never realize or understand just how aware animals are, even though they never react. Those two scamps were acting out for attention and showing me the priority list. Most days I get things done on their time, and they are usually grazing in the back yard, but today it was a matter of come play with me.
You never want to get animals like cattle running or they will run for miles. If they spook from a car, it can be not a good thing out of their "zone". Daisy though today proved she knows exactly where home is and how to get back and how much she loves it here, and how much she really is attached to me.
These two girls always are educating me about something in Jersey minds. I simply have to stop being prejudiced in viewing them like other breeds of cattle who do not have the attachment or interaction gene in them as predominant.
The "right" cattle literally are as well behaved as a dog would. They honestly know where home is, who they own, and they have you under surveillance constantly.
If we had our place away from the road, I would probably let them wander around as we once had an old cow named Leona who was a Hereford Holstein something cross, who would jump fences and walk home several miles in the winter, if the weather got bad. She was a character, and Baby Belle and Daisy have that same understanding going on in them.
I really do think if you are an adult in understanding that animals are not ornaments, and you have the space, that some miniature female or two would fit in with small acreages. Daisy is either 3/4 or full size, and she has me bounce off of her at times and means no harm, but when she matures, she is going to be allowed to wander around as she is a pet and will know her boundaries through experience.
Calves simply run off for fun, old cows think it is more fun to find your garden and help you eat it and then lay down, chewing their cud, looking innocent as no one will ever figure out it was them with cow plotches all over the cabbages and the tomatoes looking like a tornado went through them.
I simply have an affection for bovines. I like the resonant frequency of them, better than a dog. Dogs are a bit keyed in absorbing your energies, and cattle just sort of have so much bulk they wick up human emotions like a sponge.
So that was my education today in Daisy and Belle know where I am, what I am doing, and when I stop chasing them, they know the game is over and come back home.
Oh and Belle's moo, you would swear she is a 1600 pound cow, as she really sounds big for some Baby Belle reason.
agtG
