M-o-o-o-o-o-ving cattle around

We have three bulls right now, baby bull 9100 is at Meriden with his small herd of heifers and today we separated Big Bull and Louie and gave them each their own herd of cows. Big Bull was seen often gazing east, toward the pasture, he knew the cows were there and the 4th of July was coming.

Bruce went to the pasture to bring the cows up and my job was to send both bulls to the barn and it wasn't easy. They were both bedded down and wasn't about to leave their comfy beds but my constant yelling and threatening posture finally got on their nerves won them over and they ambled up the lane to the barn.

As ever, my faithful herding dog, Mollie, with no stomach for the actual job, was at full attention - across the fence.

She was working alone today because Murphy was at the vets getting spayed so we wouldn't have any baby puppies inadvertently.

With all the cows and calves corralled, I'd peel off a few and sent them to Bruce, who's quick footwork, a dangerous job on wet, manure covered cement, sent them either out in the dirt yard or up the lane.

Until all we had left was a bunch of calves that I walked out to the dirt yard to their waiting mothers.

The last two cows came back into the yard, hoping for some silage but Bruce turned them away.

Then it was time to go to the barn and separate the bulls, Big Bull was going to the pasture with the majority of the herd and Louie was to stay with this group of five, 1st calf heifers, the ladies who bore his offspring this year.

Bruce peeled off Big Bull without Louie noticing and shuttled him out the door, the first stop he made was Louie's herd.

"Hello, sweet thing!"

Really, Big Bull, these are your Daughters for cripes sake, that's just kinky!

I opened the gate to the dirt yard where his herd had been, they were hot footing it back to the pasture, and Bruce headed him that way. Suddenly he caught on and trumpeted to his girls to get ready.

But first he had to stop and smell the earth then throw some dirt....

"I smell WOMEN!"

Then wrinkled up his nose to show the other bull that it didn't smell good at all.

"Yeah, yeah, move along Bud!"

And Bruce and Big Bull head off into the weeds of the lane leading to the pasture.

Meanwhile, back in the fat cattle lot, there is much excitement with all the comings and goings.

While waiting for Bruce to return, I let Louie out of the barn to check out his herd, he walked right past them and to the fence to gaze out to the big herd in the pasture.

"Hey, Louie, here's your herd of cows."

"Five doth not a HERD make! What am I, chopped liver??"

Louie can be a bit sarcastic, and I think he's been reading too much Shakespeare.

Finally Louie conceded he was not getting the big herd and came back to get re-acquainted with the girls.

And began the ritual licking of the head which this one seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

"I'll give you an hour to quit that."

When Bruce got back from the pasture, he opened the gate so they could get to know each other, if you know what I mean.

Tomorrow when the big herd is in the north end of the pasture, Bruce will close the gates and let Louie and his small band of women in the south end. So his job after moving the bulls around to check the electric fence separating the two herds to put a damper on any raiding party.

I got the call that Murphy could come home and went to get my puppy, a very, very subdued puppy. I set her crate back up in the house with her baby blanket, she crawled in and has been sleeping ever since.

Mollie is very anxious about the whole thing and has been carrying Murphy's squeaky toy around.

"Something's just not right."

The vet told us to enjoy the sedate Murphy tonight, tomorrow she will be back to normal.