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Last Saturday, My cows were hanging around the barn, and to my surprise, a mother-son pair were in the catch stall. I loaded them up and took them to the "new" farm. I took them near the pond on the backside of the place and let them out. They are good-natured generally. Like most bovines, they quickly found the fence line and began checking it out. After a short time, they seemed ok but I could tell they were missing their buddies. We came back home, and a little later the rest of my bunch were back around the barn. Another good-natured cow, the mom and grandma to the ones I had moved was in the barn. She also got a ticket to ride to the other place and was unloaded similarly in full view of the other two.
Well, she seemed to pay no mind to anything except finding a way out of her new location. My plans were for those 3 plus Daughter's horse to live there. Grandma changed all that. She proceeded to a fence corner, showed her equine skills and jumped the fence into the road. With the help of a couple of passersby, we got her back into the fence. She jumped back in. She seemed to settle down some after about a half hour so we went about our other chores.
An hour or so later, she was out again. We chased her until dark, went home to bed, and was back over there around 12:30 am to 2:30 am. Did not see her. A neighbor and deputy sheriff had called.
Son in law and myself trekked all known places she had visited until Sunday morn about 11am. After making the big circle, she popped outta the woods less than 100 feet from us across the road and hayfield from the pasture. We stood still. She ran up to us, figured out who we were, and took off back from where she had come.
None of us saw her again until late Tuesday. A neighbor came up to the new farm and asked if a cow was missing. He took daughter and family to where she was hanging out and she was there. An executive decision to put her down had already been made because of liability issues. It was near dark, and I told SIL to wait until the next morning(Wed.). A local processor would take her killed and bled.
After getting Mrs. Jim to the farmers market yesterday, we went huntin' again. She was staying in the woods surrounding a 12 to 15 acre soybean field far back from any main roads. My SIL had me convinced that we would see her right away, but not knowing the slyness of some cows, his inexperience was showing. After about an hour, I sensed his disappointment again.
I was on my loader tractor and was taking care of Grandson William because his sitter was ill. We rode over to an adjoining neighborhood where she had been seen. Nothing there. I came back and drove the field border next to the woods. Stopping often and killing the engine, I called for her to see if I could get a "moo". Still nothing. I made one final stop before completing the circle. Son in law as well as myself were getting weary. More cow calls resulted in no answer. I started the tractor, moved a few feet, and began scanning the woods again.
There she was, less than 50 feet away. She had made no movement and no sounds. It's obvious she had learned from the many deer that inhabit the area.
I called SIL, left the tractor running to mute his noise, and distract William. She began moving but not too fast. My SIL made sure she had moved enuff for us to be out of the line of fire and put her down. A great shot and she dropped like firewood. An hour later she was at the processor. Although sad about her fate, we are relieved that this has been resolved. We all slept better last night.
Well, she seemed to pay no mind to anything except finding a way out of her new location. My plans were for those 3 plus Daughter's horse to live there. Grandma changed all that. She proceeded to a fence corner, showed her equine skills and jumped the fence into the road. With the help of a couple of passersby, we got her back into the fence. She jumped back in. She seemed to settle down some after about a half hour so we went about our other chores.
An hour or so later, she was out again. We chased her until dark, went home to bed, and was back over there around 12:30 am to 2:30 am. Did not see her. A neighbor and deputy sheriff had called.
Son in law and myself trekked all known places she had visited until Sunday morn about 11am. After making the big circle, she popped outta the woods less than 100 feet from us across the road and hayfield from the pasture. We stood still. She ran up to us, figured out who we were, and took off back from where she had come.
None of us saw her again until late Tuesday. A neighbor came up to the new farm and asked if a cow was missing. He took daughter and family to where she was hanging out and she was there. An executive decision to put her down had already been made because of liability issues. It was near dark, and I told SIL to wait until the next morning(Wed.). A local processor would take her killed and bled.
After getting Mrs. Jim to the farmers market yesterday, we went huntin' again. She was staying in the woods surrounding a 12 to 15 acre soybean field far back from any main roads. My SIL had me convinced that we would see her right away, but not knowing the slyness of some cows, his inexperience was showing. After about an hour, I sensed his disappointment again.
I was on my loader tractor and was taking care of Grandson William because his sitter was ill. We rode over to an adjoining neighborhood where she had been seen. Nothing there. I came back and drove the field border next to the woods. Stopping often and killing the engine, I called for her to see if I could get a "moo". Still nothing. I made one final stop before completing the circle. Son in law as well as myself were getting weary. More cow calls resulted in no answer. I started the tractor, moved a few feet, and began scanning the woods again.
There she was, less than 50 feet away. She had made no movement and no sounds. It's obvious she had learned from the many deer that inhabit the area.
I called SIL, left the tractor running to mute his noise, and distract William. She began moving but not too fast. My SIL made sure she had moved enuff for us to be out of the line of fire and put her down. A great shot and she dropped like firewood. An hour later she was at the processor. Although sad about her fate, we are relieved that this has been resolved. We all slept better last night.
