Ack!
Cows.
Geez.
I'm so glad we only have 2.
When it's time for them to
make the trailer trip down to Vero,
we put the trailer in the gate and
feed them in there for a month.
On the big day they just hop in.
However.
Brock has 9.
So that's not really an option.
Our plan on Monday was to
try again (third try is the charm, right?)
to get 2 cows in the trailer.
Without getting hurt.
That shouldn't be such a big deal.
Whatever.
Try #1 resulted in 3 cows in the
little corral that leads to the loading chute.
We got the big metal gate closed
and Kyle tied it shut with his belt.
(Just realized the gate doesn't lock anymore
now that we raised it up to get it out
of the grass...)
They were milling around,
trying to avoid heading down the chutes.
At the last minute,
Ham, (aka Petunia) JUMPED over
the fence to the right.
These are the two main naughty girls.
Ham is on the left, Big Mama is on the right.
After Ham jumped out,
Big Mama - a BIG girl, jumped out as well.
They ended up out in the woods next
to the big pasture.
Wandered down the path next to the fence
and then into the woods you see behind them.
GRRRRRRR
Kyle jumped the fence and tried to
round them up.
I went down the path to turn them back
towards our gate in case they decided to try
heading out into the woods.
However, the property over there
was cleared a couple of months ago
and now it's WAAY overgrown, but instead
of coming back in grass etc,
it came back in blackberry bushes.
In other words... thorns.
(It's also still pretty flooded...)
So he hopped back over the fence and
we sat down to talk about what to do.
We put some more feed in the corral
and the rest of the herd slowly made
their way over there.
Which made the escapees jealous
and they eventually wandered over
themselves.
Locked the gate behind them and
decided to give up for the day.
On our way out of the property,
we ran into Brock.
We sat and chatted with him and tried
to come up with alternative plans.
Kyle HATES to give up!
Next thing I knew, we were back there
again, beefing up the fences.
This is the fence they jumped over.
AFTER we added a higher top board.
It's not beautiful,
but effective.
Beefed the other walls as well so they were tall
enough the girls wouldn't try to jump out.
So their only choice (hopefully)
was to head down the chute.
And hopefully into the trailer.
(There's a metal chute with a head catch
at the end, but it's open right now,
so you can't really see it.)
The other problem we have is that
while the left door to the trailer is
open, the head gate holds it open.
But the right door can't be open because
it's too wide and they will just get out.
But that leaves a big hole they just
get out of anyway.
We tried putting up a metal corral panel,
but they are big girls and they just
push through.
So this time we put up some boards.
Extending the chute all the way to the trailer.
(Originally there were just two boards...)
Try #2.
After much food and coaxing and wishing
and hoping and trying to keep our
energy levels low,
we FINALLY got three cows in the corral.
The big mama, a small steer with horns,
and the bull, Jogger.
(He's really sweet, but BIG...)
This time we had ropes to tie the gate
closed with.
And another rope to tie the 2nd
gate we use to squeeze them into the chute with.
It was a LOT of work to get them down the chute.
Big Mama was first and she was NOT
going forward towards the trail.
NOT.
We called Brock, but he didn't answer.
When I looked down the pasture,
he was walking out to help.
Phew!
This really is a three person job.
Just as he was getting close,
Big Mama decided she had had enough.
Down the chute she went,
up to our trailer,
and then ducked out through the boards!!!!!!
DARN THAT COW!
Naturally the little steer was
right behind her.
I have to be honest.
I was done.
But Kyle and Brock were now
more determined than ever.
So we beefed up the boards on the side,
adding the third board and a bunch
more screws.
And then is was on to try #3.
We just all stood around talking and
laughing and ignoring the cows
and eventually (it wasn't hot and there
was a lovely breeze blowing)
Big Mama and the little steer went in again.
(They seem to either be bravest, or they
like the corn / hay the most... lol)
They were in the corral.
Brock said he thought he could get there
and get the gate closed if he moved FAST.
And he DID!
And now it's on!
He got the gate tied closed,
Kyle and I got on opposite sides of the
chute (I was on the board side, he was
running the head catch).
I grabbed a big board and stuck it through
the chute boards behind Mama so
she wouldn't try to back out,
Kyle opened the head catch,
Mama started into the trailer.......
And then she changed her mind
and decided to leave.
Through my boards.
I was holding the butt board
with my left hand and yelling and
slapping the three boards with my right hand
and she looked me right in the eye
and went through anyway.
Broke the board and everything.
Brat.
But we still had the steer.
Was it worth it to make the run to Ocala
with just him?
Brock got on the phone with his butcher
to see how late he was going to be there.
(It was nearly 2:00 already and it's a 2.5 hour drive,
AFTER we hook the trailer to the truck
and get fuel...)
So.
The butcher was closed for the day.
Family Emergency.
Same as last Monday.
But he "forgot" to call Brock and let him know.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????????
We were really frustrated.
But glad we didn't drive all the way up there
with a bunch of cows in the trailer
only to find out he was closed.
So........
The guys naturally have another plan.
They are SURE we can get them in next time.
I'm reserving judgement.
But if we do, I want STEAK.
Any of them will be fine.
We got the big metal gate closed
and Kyle tied it shut with his belt.
(Just realized the gate doesn't lock anymore
now that we raised it up to get it out
of the grass...)
They were milling around,
trying to avoid heading down the chutes.
At the last minute,
Ham, (aka Petunia) JUMPED over
the fence to the right.
These are the two main naughty girls.
Ham is on the left, Big Mama is on the right.
After Ham jumped out,
Big Mama - a BIG girl, jumped out as well.
They ended up out in the woods next
to the big pasture.
Wandered down the path next to the fence
and then into the woods you see behind them.
GRRRRRRR
Kyle jumped the fence and tried to
round them up.
I went down the path to turn them back
towards our gate in case they decided to try
heading out into the woods.
However, the property over there
was cleared a couple of months ago
and now it's WAAY overgrown, but instead
of coming back in grass etc,
it came back in blackberry bushes.
In other words... thorns.
(It's also still pretty flooded...)
So he hopped back over the fence and
we sat down to talk about what to do.
We put some more feed in the corral
and the rest of the herd slowly made
their way over there.
Which made the escapees jealous
and they eventually wandered over
themselves.
Locked the gate behind them and
decided to give up for the day.
On our way out of the property,
we ran into Brock.
We sat and chatted with him and tried
to come up with alternative plans.
Kyle HATES to give up!
Next thing I knew, we were back there
again, beefing up the fences.
This is the fence they jumped over.
AFTER we added a higher top board.
It's not beautiful,
but effective.
Beefed the other walls as well so they were tall
enough the girls wouldn't try to jump out.
So their only choice (hopefully)
was to head down the chute.
And hopefully into the trailer.
(There's a metal chute with a head catch
at the end, but it's open right now,
so you can't really see it.)
The other problem we have is that
while the left door to the trailer is
open, the head gate holds it open.
But the right door can't be open because
it's too wide and they will just get out.
But that leaves a big hole they just
get out of anyway.
We tried putting up a metal corral panel,
but they are big girls and they just
push through.
So this time we put up some boards.
Extending the chute all the way to the trailer.
(Originally there were just two boards...)
Try #2.
After much food and coaxing and wishing
and hoping and trying to keep our
energy levels low,
we FINALLY got three cows in the corral.
The big mama, a small steer with horns,
and the bull, Jogger.
(He's really sweet, but BIG...)
This time we had ropes to tie the gate
closed with.
And another rope to tie the 2nd
gate we use to squeeze them into the chute with.
It was a LOT of work to get them down the chute.
Big Mama was first and she was NOT
going forward towards the trail.
NOT.
We called Brock, but he didn't answer.
When I looked down the pasture,
he was walking out to help.
Phew!
This really is a three person job.
Just as he was getting close,
Big Mama decided she had had enough.
Down the chute she went,
up to our trailer,
and then ducked out through the boards!!!!!!
DARN THAT COW!
Naturally the little steer was
right behind her.
I have to be honest.
I was done.
But Kyle and Brock were now
more determined than ever.
So we beefed up the boards on the side,
adding the third board and a bunch
more screws.
And then is was on to try #3.
We just all stood around talking and
laughing and ignoring the cows
and eventually (it wasn't hot and there
was a lovely breeze blowing)
Big Mama and the little steer went in again.
(They seem to either be bravest, or they
like the corn / hay the most... lol)
They were in the corral.
Brock said he thought he could get there
and get the gate closed if he moved FAST.
And he DID!
And now it's on!
He got the gate tied closed,
Kyle and I got on opposite sides of the
chute (I was on the board side, he was
running the head catch).
I grabbed a big board and stuck it through
the chute boards behind Mama so
she wouldn't try to back out,
Kyle opened the head catch,
Mama started into the trailer.......
And then she changed her mind
and decided to leave.
Through my boards.
I was holding the butt board
with my left hand and yelling and
slapping the three boards with my right hand
and she looked me right in the eye
and went through anyway.
Broke the board and everything.
Brat.
But we still had the steer.
Was it worth it to make the run to Ocala
with just him?
Brock got on the phone with his butcher
to see how late he was going to be there.
(It was nearly 2:00 already and it's a 2.5 hour drive,
AFTER we hook the trailer to the truck
and get fuel...)
So.
The butcher was closed for the day.
Family Emergency.
Same as last Monday.
But he "forgot" to call Brock and let him know.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME????????
We were really frustrated.
But glad we didn't drive all the way up there
with a bunch of cows in the trailer
only to find out he was closed.
So........
The guys naturally have another plan.
They are SURE we can get them in next time.
I'm reserving judgement.
But if we do, I want STEAK.
Any of them will be fine.
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