If You Mess With The Bull.....

Out of  the couple of hundred dairy cows that we have on the ranch, we have just a couple of Holstein bulls that stay with the herd.  While different breeds of bulls vary in aggressiveness, Holstein bulls are considered to be one of the most aggressive.  The bulls we have are young, two or three years old and pretty tame, given their age..... Although not tame enough for me to find myself on the same side of the fence as them. Tame or not, I'm terrified of these large, muscular creatures.

Just the other day, while our kids were being filmed for a California Milk Advisory Board video, I amused myself by filming one of our bulls, Rocky, while he was vocalizing his protest to my close proximity......two fences in between us.

A good reminder to all to always stay on the other side of the fence from a Holstein bull.

CMAB Filming

Rocky, the Bull

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Left Stranded

Being stranded.  It's a helpless feeling.   I was just minding my own business over at the calf barn, waiting for Paige and Dominic to come back so we could feed the calves when "Charlie" the larger of the two bulls we have here on the ranch found me......once again. 

Okay, I know what you're thinking.....not again with the bull stories!  But, this is my life.  The life of a bull magnet.  Because as you know, every time I'm down on the ranch one of the two bulls find me.

Fortunately there's a fence between he and I. 

He just stares at me much of the time.  He probably senses my fear.  Or he just wants to play.

Then he decides to walk over to the area where Dominic just fed to grab some grain.

Now, if I were a brave soul, I would walk out right past him, through the open gate over to the milking parlor.  But I'm not brave.

He's still keeping his {stink} eye on me.

As cows walk out of the milking parlor after their milking session, they walk over to say 'hi' to Charlie before walking back to their corral to eat.

I think the cows are even mocking me.

They all stop and stare as they walk by.  Now if only Charlie would pull his head out of the grain and follow them I would be free and clear to go.

But he doesn't.

So what's a girl to do when she's trapped in a calf barn by a big, bad bull?  Well if you're me, you think about shoes of course!  Or boots in this case and how much I love them.  Do I need another pair?  These are two years old, but still in pretty good shape.

Then I start photographing my boots.   Well, I was becoming bored after all.

Justin Ropers are SO comfortable and durable.  I just love my work boots!

Okay, back to Charlie.  He's still there...... Sigh.

Oh finally!  Dominic and Paige are coming back.

But before I could get a word out......

they were off again!  You're kidding me right now!  I guess they didn't realize that I was stranded.....hmmm.....or maybe they did.  Anyhow, they rode right by Charlie.  Maybe now he'll follow the cows into the next corral.

Nope.  He just moved closer to me and began playing or showing off......great.

Finally!  My rescuers!  As soon as Charlie saw Dominic coming, he moved on.  Now why can't I get him to do that?

Happy Friday!  Cheers!

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It's a Bull, It's a Bull, It's a Bull!!

So, remember yesterday when I was talking about freestall barns and snapped a few photos of ours to show you?  Well, in the far alleyway of the barn, there happened to be a few cows hanging out so I walked over, through (under) a freestall to see what they were up to and maybe snap a few more photos. 

Cows in general are very curious animals, they normally just stand back and watch me when I'm around.  But yesterday, while I was standing in the center of the alleyway, a "cow" started walking towards me in a , I felt, strange manner.  She had her head down low, almost like she was going run towards me at any moment.  At second glance I noticed........

It's a BULL, It's a BULL, It's a BULL!!!   

OH DEAR!  OH DEAR!  OH DEAR!

I high-tailed it SO quickly back under one of the freestalls, but not before I snapped a quick photo....he was really close!

If you've read my previous posts, you know how terrified I am of bulls.  Especiallly the Holstein bulls (we have two).  I don't know what it is but these two bulls always seem to find me.  There's over 200 cows around and two bulls and they always find me!  I'm usually pretty good at remembering to ask Dominic where the bulls are before I venture out on my own through the ranch, but I forgot to do so yesterday.

He probably looks pretty tame to you in this photo, but trust me, with all the snorting and head movements and all, I was shakin' in my work boots. 

I don't know if he was showing off, or playing in the sand or what, but he was making a big mess.

Keeping his eye on me the entire time.

He's giving me the 'stink' eye.

Or maybe he just didn't want his photo taken?  What do you think?

Happy Friday!  Cheers!

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Picking up Hay

Another work morning with Dominic.  We are having SO much fun!  My father-in-law just cut and baled, I don't know how many oat hay bales that are ready to be stacked and moved.  We needed to pick up a truck load to stack for the Dry Cows (cows that are not milking and / or ready to give birth anytime).  I drove the truck while Dominic and the two assistants followed behind loading the truck.

Once we had a truck load full, we drove into the corral where the dry cows are kept.  But first we had to drive through Milking Cow String #1.  We have two or three strings of milking cows, depending on how many cows we have lactating.  

Move girls...... 

Unload.....

Our two assistants got busy feeding.

And it's always fun climbing the haystack.

Good job guys!  And while they were finishing this up, I was looking for...........

this guy.  I didn't have to look far because he always has an eye or two on me whenever I'm around.  I can't get away from him!!

But he was on the other side of the fence.  I was safe ;)

Happy Monday!

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