Why Herefords???

[DOC HARRIS]

I am lazy so I drive the truck into the field at all times. I also use dogs to run cows up, move them from field to field, etc. Well, I don't let my dog mess with any new mamas, for obvious reasons. During late winter I came up with the brilliant idea of bringing some hay and feed down to a baldie cow which had just calved. So the dog would not be a problem, I put her in the cab. That cow eyed that dog. Feeling clever, that the dog was distracting the cow, I put out the hay and feed and messed with the calf completely ignored by the cow. The dog did not like a cow snorting at her so bared her teeth and said come get me, and the cow launched herself into my passenger side door.....the door was not a pretty site afterwards. Don't underestimate what a mad cow can do.

Hey, B-2! Did you have the seat belt securely fastened on your doggie? Did you have adequate Side-Impact Air Bags on your vehicle to safely protect the passenger? Did you complete a thorough Accident Report for the Police and the Insurance Investigator and other Governmental Authorities so that when Mrs. Cow filed a complaint listing Whiplash and subsequent Aggravated injuries resullting from the Attractive Nuisance you presented to prevent Mrs. Cow from performing her protective duties toward her offspring you had legal grounds upon which to stand? You may expect Mrs. Cow's Attorney to contact you in the near future! And I would advise you to keep an eye on her at all times, because she will - - GITCHA! Oh, Yes! You might get a report from your dear, frightened doggie as to the mental trauma she suffered as Mrs. Cow tore into the side of her protective vehicle, for she was well aware as to how dangerous Mrs. Cow could prove to be as a result of Post Partum Endocrine Hormonal Stress influences recurring from Anterior Pituitary Gland functions ensuing subsequent to parturition! Mrs. Cow's Attorney could be stopped at the Cattle Guard if you prepare a well-documented rebuttal - and - hand him an estimate for repairs to your door! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help in this instance!

DOC HARRIS

 

[Cowboymom]

Doc Harris- Are you the Doc Harris that taught repro at Cal Poly in the 70's-80's? If you are glad to see you are still alive and imparting your commonsense. You were the best and nicest teacher I ever had, always let me out of class to go cut!

Anyway, on the subject. We run 150 head of PB Hereford cows. We have one son, who is now 14 and is six feet. We did not let him in the pens for ages, still don't if things are getting into a wreck. He helped from the time he was very small, helped around the chutes but he also knew when I said to "get in the truck". It was move fast. He also spent a lot of time playing in the dirt while we worked, that was just fine.

You will have to decide what risks you want to put your children into. When our son was born, my husband and I decided that we were going to do what we thought was right, no matter what other people were doing with their kids. We got some whining about so and so was in the pen, but he got told, sorry. The first time we let him in a branding pen he was about nine and it was with a crew that knew him since he was born, all good hands. He gave shots and they all watched him and he knew how to handle himself. We told him then, just because you get to go into this pen, doesn't mean you can go in the next one.

Cattle are dangerous and will kill you. One of those cows thinks that one of your girls is threatening her calf and she will react in the same way if you thought someone was threatening one of your girls.

When we started the show steer deal, my hubby swore he was going to get killed by one of the "gentle" steers. The only time my son got hurt was when he was in a wash rack and a butterfly balloon landed on his dog gentle steers head. He kicked so hard, we thought he broke his leg. If he had been a little tiny kid, it would have killed him.

 

[badroute]

I have started buying hereford bulls to clean up after AI on my heifers. I have black bulls also. The other day I loaded some bulls in a trailer. I put three black bulls in front and slammed the center gate. I turned around and the three hereford bulls I sorted off jumped on the back end of the trailer with me in it still. All I did was walk to the one side of the trailer and walked out slammed the door and off I was. Sure cant beat them herefords for ease of handling.

 

[preston39]

I have started buying hereford bulls to clean up after AI on my heifers. I have black bulls also. The other day I loaded some bulls in a trailer. I put three black bulls in front and slammed the center gate. I turned around and the three hereford bulls I sorted off jumped on the back end of the trailer with me in it still. All I did was walk to the one side of the trailer and walked out slammed the door and off I was. Sure cant beat them herefords for ease of handling.

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badroute,

I would consider myself blessed and lucky.

We have gentle cows over all but, no way would I enter a trailer with animals around. There is always tension in animals when they are being handled and that can produce unusual actions by them. Had those bulls decided to butt nervous play/shove each other...you may not be posting here and now.

I see guys going into their trailer all the time. We installed a small pully in the ceiling with a light chain which is attached to the outside. Just give it a yank and the gate slams shut.Some have a 4-5 foot 1/4" rod to reach in and shut the gate.
Much safer.

We work in a very dangerous industry and any safe element should be constructively applied.

 

[msscamp]

I have started buying hereford bulls to clean up after AI on my heifers. I have black bulls also. The other day I loaded some bulls in a trailer. I put three black bulls in front and slammed the center gate. I turned around and the three hereford bulls I sorted off jumped on the back end of the trailer with me in it still. All I did was walk to the one side of the trailer and walked out slammed the door and off I was. Sure cant beat them herefords for ease of handling.

I personally would take this to be the exception rather than the rule. You were lucky!