Fun little jaunt with a nice cow

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50/50Farms

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Father in law told me a big red cow got out from somewhere and was wandering his hay fields, when he saw her she was grazing and plucking at an old hay bale almost in his yard and his dog ran her off. I have done work for a few ranchers out on his road and seen the cattle of the rest of them in passing, so I asked if he could describe the cow and when he did I was almost certain I knew where she came from. Cranked up, drove out there, and something told me to go to this one spot where the ground moisture, terrain, and soil make really good winter time growth. Sure enough, drove straight to her. Found a good looking brahma cross mama cow, pretty good looking cow. Nothing special, just a good ranching cow. I had brought my dogs because I didn't know what kind of cow she'd be. I never even let them out of the truck, I just drove up around her and told her "Gig's up, mama, let's go home" and started behind her. She started out for home, I just kept my distance. She stopped at a brush belt and acted like she might try to hide, I gave her just a second in a brushy spot under a tree in case she had a calf stashed. I didn't think she did, she didn't look like it, but better safe than sorry. After a moment, I just opened the truck door and stepped onto the running board and waved my hand and said "Yope-yope, let's go" and she started off again. She slowly followed her tracks home and when we hit the woods and I couldn't drive anymore, I gave her about a 20 second head start, made sure the dogs were secure, and grabbed a sorting stick out of the vehicle and went in behind her. Sure enough, old girl was eating a cedar frond. I just pushed up behind her and yo'd softly a few times and she trotted down to the fence where a limb had brought the wire down low, step-hopped over, and I walked up to the fence behind her and gave her a little haze to go on and she went. I took the limb off the fence, stilted up the fence in several places so it couldn't be stepped over, and then got in contact with the guy leasing that place and made sure I put the right cow in the right place. I had, and that was that.
 

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Had to call a neighbor about one of his being out grazing on side of the road . Being mlk day there was no school traffic so she was peacefully grazing. I knew he could get her up better than I could and probably would have to patch his fence . Called the dad , no answer so I called the son . About 3 hrs later old dad called and ask did I need something? Typical for this family. 3rd call was going to be the wife/ mom . She's the go getter in the family anyway.
 
Great job, man. Especially when it all goes well. I need to send you a good horse, though. :)
Thanks! And I'll be in the horse market again soon and will be trying to attend one of the horse sales that you also frequent, maybe you can help me not get fleeced by some bunco artist. I haven't had a personal horse in the past few years.
 
Had to call a neighbor about one of his being out grazing on side of the road . Being mlk day there was no school traffic so she was peacefully grazing. I knew he could get her up better than I could and probably would have to patch his fence . Called the dad , no answer so I called the son . About 3 hrs later old dad called and ask did I need something? Typical for this family. 3rd call was going to be the wife/ mom . She's the go getter in the family anyway.
How'd it all shake out? They get her penned back up?
 
On Tuesday it had been a busy morning. I hauled several loads of weaned calves to the feedlot for B. About 2:00 I was headed home. Was going to get a little bit of down time before having to drive back to town for a conservation district meeting. As I was driving up the road I saw a cow in my stack yard by the river. I have no cows anywhere near that. So when I got to the house I hopped on the quad and ran down there. Turned out to be 4 cows. A beaver had feel a tree which went across the fence. Neighbors cows had waded the river and went through the hole. The dog and I chased the cows back through the hole. And they went back across the river. Went back to the house picked up a saw and some fence supplies. The whole herd stood on the other bank and watched me fix the fence. I was suspicious of them.
Saturday afternoon B called. His brother had just driven by and saw a bunch of cows in my stack yard. I went down there with more fence supplies which included some nasty 4 point barb wire. Once again the dog and I showed the cows the error in their ways. Put three new strands of wire on the existing fence. So far so good. These cows are fat. They get fed first thing every morning. They don't need to come eat my hay. I hope they stay out. The next step will be major fence reconstruction.
 
On Tuesday it had been a busy morning. I hauled several loads of weaned calves to the feedlot for B. About 2:00 I was headed home. Was going to get a little bit of down time before having to drive back to town for a conservation district meeting. As I was driving up the road I saw a cow in my stack yard by the river. I have no cows anywhere near that. So when I got to the house I hopped on the quad and ran down there. Turned out to be 4 cows. A beaver had feel a tree which went across the fence. Neighbors cows had waded the river and went through the hole. The dog and I chased the cows back through the hole. And they went back across the river. Went back to the house picked up a saw and some fence supplies. The whole herd stood on the other bank and watched me fix the fence. I was suspicious of them.
Saturday afternoon B called. His brother had just driven by and saw a bunch of cows in my stack yard. I went down there with more fence supplies which included some nasty 4 point barb wire. Once again the dog and I showed the cows the error in their ways. Put three new strands of wire on the existing fence. So far so good. These cows are fat. They get fed first thing every morning. They don't need to come eat my hay. I hope they stay out. The next step will be major fence reconstruction.
Glad you got it taken care of, not a fan myself of feeding other people's beeves.
 
How'd it all shake out? They get her penned back up?
She wasn't on the side of the road later that day . Dad believes in stock piling grass and only feeding hay when it's an absolute necessity. Family put up very little hay last year , so I guess the cow saw more grass on the side of the road than inside the fence . Great family but dad likes to sit at the local store and shoot the breeze more than he does taking care of work .
 
so I guess the cow saw more grass on the side of the road than inside the fence .
Always a hazard back in E Texas each winter too, as the hiway dept (TxDot) plants a lot of green winter type grass to make it 'look nice' especially along the FM roads thru the Nat'l Forests.
 
I used to have a Hereford bull that would occasionally get in the neighbor's place. I couldn't get to it with a truck, and don't have dogs or horses, so I'd go in on foot to drive him back. I'd get him cut out and headed home. He'd go a little ways and circle back to the neighbor's cows. I'd cut him out again and get him headed back, and he'd go a little further before circling back. We'd repeat this exercise several times before he'd give up and go back.
 
For some, all it takes is seeing one little morsel of green(er) grass and off they go. They could walk 10 yards behind themselves in their own pasture and get the same thing but "nooooooo... I want that one over there.."
 
Update: This cow has apparently decided that I'm the guy, we came out to my FiL's place to stay for a little while and I guess she saw me driving around the place in my truck because I was inside enjoying a taco and I came outside and she was in the yard. My GP/AS dog had her fixed in place but it was like she was waiting for me. I came outside and we did a similar routine as yesterday, except I had to go to town so I just told the dog I'm training "push her on, boy" and he pushed her ahead of me until I was satisfied she was going home. I came back later and her tracks from the morning were everywhere, so tonight I just went and put out some corn so either I'll know where to find her when I get up or my dogs will see her and take her back.

What can you say? My wife said at the rate that I do things I ought to charge money for the way I catch up or send home or whatever other people's beeves and I told her that if I'm not busy with other things then there's nowhere I'd rather be than fooling with cows. She made this comment because I will 100% bring a car to a halt and get out and rope a stray calf and call around for an owner.
 

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