Things didn't go as planned this weekend. Clay decided to go with me and we got there about 10 AM Saturday morning. We saddled up and rode down to the Kudzu place to help Scott load that steer to carry to the butcher. Scott's wife rode with us to lead that Guern-Herf cow back, while Clay and I drove the Plumer herd up the road to the Kudzu place. Every creek down there was out of its banks, and so was ours. And our beaver dam was gone. We think we know what happened to them... and will tell about that later.
Anyhow, when we got across the road and into the row crop pastures, I was amazed at the boot high GREEN pastures we had. After harvest last fall, Scott's nephew had broad-cast sowed all 450 acres, including the dove fieldm with mostly whet and rye. He was running low when he got to the last 100 acre field, and used some oats and barley to finish it out. All the rain plus the warm spell at the end of week, had made it really take off! 23 head on 450 acres doesn't hurt it at all.
When we found the cows, we counted and there was a Plummer missing. So, we started riding the pastures looking for her. She was in the southern most pasture, that the creek runs through most of it, about 50 years inside the perimeter fence. It was out of its banks on both sides for a good 20 yards or so. We found the cow on a patch of high ground on this side of the creek...about 1/4 acre at most, completely surrounded by water. And, saw saw she had a calf. They were saying it would be Sunday before everything reached full crest,, so I decided to go geth them and take them to high ground. Clay's horse was balking at getting in the water, so he got on my mule and left Tootie with his horse. We planned on tying the calf and putting it across the saddle with Clay, and carrying it to high ground. I rode over on Smoke so the mule would follow good, and to keep the cow off Clay while he was getting the calf, in case she was aggressive. She wasn't bad at all. It was laying down when we got across to it, so we got down to hog tie it. She snorted and circled around us all excited, but never tried to get us. Solid black little bull calf, Well I say little...it was over 100 lbs easy... I could not pick it up high enough to hand it to Clay. So, I got on the mule and he handed it to me. It is a very big-boned bull calf...long bodied like Chianias are. Momma followed us as docile as could be to the next pasture, where we put the calf down. She came and got it, and took off to where the herd was. The water had come over my boots at the deepest part, and I was cold. I called Scott and asked him reckon when they would be plowing this cover grass under to get ready to plant. He said probably end of March. So I told him I was cold and wet, and didn't want to fool with a cattle drive that day! LOL So, we just gonna leave them to calve out there, and move them to the Kudzu in March. Their calves will be 3-4 weeks old by then. We did bring the Herf-Guern with us, and stopped at the Kudzu place to halter ZUS (Pronounced like Zeus, and stands for Zeke's Ugly Steer) and carried him and the cow to the pasture at Matties house. Scott called this morning and said she had a nice, good sized tiger striped heifer this morning when he went to feed. They put her in one half of the pasture with ZUS today, in case the other calves tried to nurse her.
Question for
@farmerjan and
@MurraysMutts . With this cow being half Hereford, Scott and I are thinking she won't produce as much milk as the 2 dairy cows do. I am sure she can raise 2 at a time, but probably won't have to put 3 on her
and milk her like we did Gail. We were thinking that when she gets out of colostrum and into the milk we would just run them all together. 6 calves with 3 momma cows nursing whoever comes to them. We'd rather not have to buy another calf if we can help it. Your thoughts? The youngest of the other calves is 6 weeks old now...the oldest about 10-12 weeks old. Would they potentially keep the new born from getting the milk she needs?
But, if Zeke was outside, he would have been hanging around with Scott, and whether or not Scott was there, the dogs would have been right with Zeke. What would have happened, is the dogs would probably have caught the hog and held it til Scott got to them. They may have got bit though, like you said. I got to tell ya Ms. Mattie's take on it all. I will send you a PM.
