You're not wrong. And yet, I can generally check & treat for foot rot, various ailments, get a calf latched on, pull a calf, etc. in the pasture with no chute. And when I do need to get them in, they'll follow me with a bucket.I think the ideal docility is not the petting zoo type. A 1500 pound beast with no flight zone can be a bit of a problem at times. I find it much more difficult to load cows that just stand there and ignore my gentle persuasion to move.
Damn, inflation done got everybody.Just my five cents.
She's Canadian, that's the exchange rate!!Damn, inflation done got everybody.
Hahahahaha. Not much I'd get south of the border for 5 cents. Suppose I wouldn't get much north of the border either. HahahahahahaShe's Canadian, that's the exchange rate!!
That is what I meant about training cattle. They are smart like a horse. In the winter I kept ten bulls in a large pen and fed them twice a day and kept round bales out. I could scratch the back of everyone. But when I was feeding or putting out a bale after a few weeks they would stand back until I was done. They also know when I want them to move and when it is ok to stand still. It is a matter of taking the time to teach them like you would a dog or horse. Neither of them respect you naturally.There sure are pros and cons to levels of docility. Yes it's nice when there are a few you can go up to and scratch and socialize with, or a few which know what a bucket of oats is. But even with those, come calving time, you shouldn't trust your life on.
I prefer quiet, but stay out of my space when I cut strings off of haybales or if I have to tag a calf. Found out that the scratchy scratchy lovey dovey ones can loose that respect from you and get in your face. Like push you out of the way while cutting strings off of bales, so even if it is not intentionally mean........ it becomes a problem.
Few years back we had a pure bred bull which was raised just like a pet by the breeder. He wasn't halter trained or anything like that, just very docile. You could walk up to him and give him scratches when he was laying in the middle of the pasture, he wouldn't get up or nothing. Problem out of this was, you couldn't 'herd' him on foot or on a quad, which is how we move our cows/bulls, a pain in the ass if he didn't want to go with the main herd, or on the path we needed him to go on.
I do like me a good quiet docile cow though, one that isn't going to think of killing me at any time I have to work with her.
Just my five cents. Stay safe, a cow is not worth your health or life.