Farm Fresh Blog

Because we spent the day tagging and worming goats, there was precious little daylight left for moving cattle out of the rye grass. We do rotational grazing and thus, we need a cow dog. Cattle have to be moved frequently to prevent overgrazing. A 4-wheeler and a sack of cubes doesn't necessarily do it; there are always a few stupid ones, a few stubborn ones, and a few that just want to make you tromp through the mud.  

Although Border Collie is a fine dog for sheep and goats, she's too young, too little, (too precious to me!) to put on cattle. For cattle we use Blue Heeler. It's not that he isn't precious to me too, it's just that he's bred to work cattle. He's built to work cattle. He can take a kick better than Border Collie. And he thinks it's funny when large bovines try to kill him.  (I don't!)

Last night Blue Heeler and Other Half headed out to move cows. I took pictures. (Border Collie stared through the living room window and pouted.)

The smarter ones see the 4-wheeler and start running to the chute.

Some are less cooperative. In fact, that big yellow cow regularly tries to kill Blue Heeler.

Blue Heeler finds this insanely funny.  (I do not.  In fact, this cow is the main reason why Border Collie will NEVER be allowed to work this group of cows!)

Blue Heeler is much like Muhammed Ali. "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!"

Eventually the cows end up in the new pasture, Blue Heeler has a great time, and Yellow Cow runs off to plot more ways to kill him.