Our steers have just left. I'll really miss them terribly, especially Spotty. We've had them for almost 20 months. They were just hip high wee things when we got them and now they're taller than me! The good news for them, and me, is that they're not going to "the big farm in the sky" but off to a real farm!
With the weather being so wet and miserable we're incredibly short on grass. Probably to real farmers it would look like we have lots, but our cows are so spoiled that they think as soon as the grass gets to below a certain level, it's time to move to a new paddock. So we're somewhat out of our grass comfort zone and decided to sell them on now rather than wait until October ( when we would have got a lot more money for them as they would be bigger) But, as I said I'm happier for them to go now as I know they're going to a new home. We'll see how the grass situation goes over the next month or so as this will determine when we buy our next lot of calves.
I have heard some horror stories about a few of the truck drivers who come to pick up cows so I was a bit nervous. I hasten to add in the times that we've had graziers cows picked up the drivers have always been lovely. But today I was on my own, with our cows, so was a little edgy.
Needn't have been! The driver was an absolute gem. He was so lovely with the cows, just giving them a gentle pat to get them up the gangway to the truck and chatting to them softly the whole time, so they just trotted in.
I gave them a last wee pat and waved them off.
With the next lot I am going to try super hard not to get attached to them, or give them all names - but we'll see how long that lasts!
it is SO hard NOT to get attached! cows are something special i think...so laid back.
ReplyDeleteglad the truck driver was a good one!! :)
awwww look at that face.. that would break my heart. Cows are such beautiful animals.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be awfully hard to NOT name them and get attached. Glad the trucker was gentle with your cows.
ReplyDeleteCows are such gentle, sweet looking creatures.
FlowerLady
Im sure they will be fine Laura and munching away on something lovely by this afternoon...they really are gentle creatures arnt they.
ReplyDeleteWell done! It's so hard and scary isn't it? We too have a small herd and you get to know them so well. We sell ours on to a biodynamic farmer. He keeps the heifers for breeding and the steers ultimately become stress free healthy meat. What sort of yards do you have for loading?
ReplyDeleteOur yards are brilliant! The farm was originally part of a much much larger farm and we've inherited the yards that were the yards for the whole place ( also the woolshed and outbuildings - we lucked out!) There are 5 sections -obviously for much larger herds that we will ever have, all with separate gates. The final yard is the one with the loading ramp. It's fairly narrow and the cows just walk up it and straight into the truck. Absolutely trouble free. Whew! We just put the cows into the furthest yard this morning with grass and water.
ReplyDeleteI am getting rather attached to our mob now that I'm feeding them out every night. The contentment on their faces when they're eating is so lovely! Mind you I say to myself well at least when they do go I know they've had a great life :)
ReplyDeleteIt's always sucha relef to get animals loaded easily and well, especially with a good driver/handler.
ReplyDeleteWish us luck for later this morning we have our three lovely Large Black pigs to load up for their journey to the Netherlands.
They're off on an adventure, definitely better than that great pig sty in the sky!!
Your cows look gorgeous, I bet it was a wrench to see them go.
Sue xx
I find cows so incredibly sweet and lovely. I would find it absolutely impossible not to fall in love with them and give them all names! I'm too much of a softie for being a farmer... I think I'll have to stick to lots of pets!
ReplyDeleteKatie x
You're braver than me - I'd be crying at the gate. Good thing I'm not on a farm, big or small.
ReplyDelete