Saturday, September 07, 2013

Helping cows to cope with their fears

The two grown cows, Bonnie and Jody, had no problem going through the opening in the electric fence to get to the clover, as I mentioned in another entry.  I had to lead Gracie through twice before she got the idea, and it took four times of being led into the clover for Penny to get the idea; but this morning she made it.  That left three bovines outside the clover:  Jenny, George, and Crystal, who are not tame enough to lead.  
Yesterday I told Cliff, "I think if we rigged something up with a couple of panels so it would look to the cows like they were going through an opening in a regular fence instead of an electric fence, we could get them all in there."  
Cliff couldn't see why I was so worried about getting them all into the clover field, since there is plenty of grazing outside that area.  But he's used to patronizing my whims.  (I want them on that clover because it's higher in protein than plain old grass, so they can grow faster, make more milk, grow a nicer calf, etc.)  

So here's what Cliff did.  Instead of concentrating on the nearby "hot wire", the cows would now feel as though they were going through an ordinary fenced entryway.  You've probably figured out by now that cows aren't all that bright.  

All but one of my cows will now enter to eat the clover.  That white one that you can see between two other cows, in the distance?  That's George.  He's on the outside, keeping as close to his herd as possible.  

If all else fails, he can hang out with the horses.  Poor Lonesome George.

3 comments:

  1. George doesn't seem to mind being left out. Hopefully he will eventually catch on. You are good to your cows and Cliff is good to you to give into your whims...Seems to me like you make a great team!

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  2. LOve following the cows progress with the fence and clover field. Poor George all alone.

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  3. I love the smell of cows in the evening when they have been on fresh grass as they are standing in the lot. I can still smell them over the years.

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