We took BP on the (arduous!) journey over the hill to Skip’s farm on Thursday evening. She was wearing a flower and happy to be there. I think.
I was hoping she was in heat and that she’d be getting some action. Skip observed the bull checking her out on Thursday evening, then walking away. He thought maybe she wasn’t in standing heat yet, when they will stand for the bull.
He didn’t observe anything on Friday. Because, you know, he’s a real farmer and he has better things to do than watch the cows all day. So, I didn’t know what happened on Friday. Unless you’re going to put a cam on the cow or are lucky enough to catch the action, you really can’t know what’s going on with cows that are traversing a large pasture of fields and woods all day.
Which makes it really difficult to know whether or not your cow’s been bred.
I headed over to Skip’s farm on Saturday feeling a little frustrated and not sure what was going on or what I should do about it. After all, I don’t want anything interfering with my well-planned cow year. Apparently, I planned everything well except for the part where I should have nailed her heat cycles a couple months ago.
Even as I was contemplating those questions, I was also wondering how I was even going to find my cow on Skip’s big farm full of sunny meadows, shaded creeks, nooks and crannies, and…..cows. The last time I saw BP, she was disappearing into the woods following a creek. I went back there, passed through the paddock, into the field above the creek, looked up at the hill where I knew lay a huge open meadow full of tall, tall grass…..and called her name, feeling a little hopeless. I figured I was about to take an (arduous!) hike all over Skip’s farm looking for her.
I heard a cow answer me. I thought it was her, but– I don’t have a bunch of cows. Maybe they all kinda sound the same. I called her again, twice, and–
She came right out to the edge of that sunny meadow, looked down at me, and started coming.
I couldn’t believe it. I’d arrived at this big farm and called my cow. And here she came!
My cow!
She loves me.
Or she thought I might have some goodies.
Anyway, she came!
And she was still wearing her flower!
I didn’t know anything about her other flower….. And I made a decision on the spot, made easier by the knowledge I had now of how easily I could get her to come to me.
I decided to leave her there. For three and a half weeks. A cow goes into heat about every 21 days. If I leave her with the bull for a generous heat cycle, she’s bound to be there at the right time and will more likely come home bred than any exposure based on my inept abilities to detect heat and target the exposure.
Using a bucket, I hand-milked her right there. The ground was uneven and she stepped in the bucket and everything, but she seemed happy to be relieved. She was a little confused at first when we got ready to leave. She thought she was coming home with us.
She followed me, and looked longingly at me.
She finally gave up and walked away, into the shady creek, back to her new friends and her new tall, tall grass, with one lingering last long look back at me.
Sunday evening, we went back with the milking machine and a generator set up on the back of the truck to run the vacuum pump by the paddock. I’m shifting her around to an evening milking schedule for now. (Evenings are when I can have help.) I’m handling the milk and washing up the equipment at home as usual. She’s there for the duration. It’s my best chance of bringing her home bred. Hard as it was to leave her, it was also good to know how easy it was to get her to come back to me. She is my cow.
But man, look at that face! It’s so hard to leave her every time.
Sheila Z says:
That is some cow you got!
On June 13, 2011 at 1:36 am
margiesbooboo says:
I <3 that cow!
On June 13, 2011 at 1:52 am
farmershae says:
So precious! And she came when you called!!! I am in awe, what a fabulous cow.
On June 13, 2011 at 1:53 am
NancyL says:
I am so thrilled that she came all that distance when she heard you call! I almsot have tears in my eyes – and she even called back to you! See, after all the problems, you HAVE bonded with BP and will probably find the same thing will happen with GB.
Nancy in Iowa
On June 13, 2011 at 2:53 am
bonita says:
Awwww that’s really sweet
On June 13, 2011 at 3:08 am
Rose H says:
I’m so pleased for you both. If I were BP I’d be more than a little confused :help: Good job I’m not a cow eh? LOL. :cowsleep:
On June 13, 2011 at 3:46 am
Barbee says:
Didn’t you give her a cookie for being such a good girl?! I’m thinking: what kind of cookie would a cow like… molasses? oatmeal?
On June 13, 2011 at 6:40 am
Snapper119 says:
Do not let her in the house ever! She’s be your lap cow in a heartbeat, lol! 😉
On June 13, 2011 at 7:05 am
marymac says:
That is so sweet!!! happy for the both of you!
On June 13, 2011 at 7:27 am
merng says:
Animals never cease to amaze me! She LOVES you! She’s a cow and she LOVES you! Actually, this post brought a little teat to my eye, animals love us unconditionally…who knew a cow had feelings 🙂
On June 13, 2011 at 8:12 am
Cheryl LeMay says:
I cried a little when I saw her face at the end too. But at least you will be visiting her every day for milking.She will know you didn’t abandon her there.I think it was the right decision to leave her there with the bull for a while.
On June 13, 2011 at 8:28 am
lavenderblue says:
Too, too sweet. :hug: It would have killed me to leave her, too. Especially after that sweet longing look. Next time, bring cookies.
On the upside, after all this GB should definitely be weaned.
On June 13, 2011 at 8:30 am
outbackfarm says:
Suzanne, that’s how it was with my cow Mazie. I took her up the road a year ago to be bred for the first time. She got out of the trailor and looked at all those cows. The bull came running up to her, sniffed around and jumped right up on her. We weren’t for sure if it took, so I left ehr there for about 1 1/2 months. I went to see her alot. And every time I would call her name she’s come running. All the other cows just looked at me and stayed back. But not my cow. And I got her back home all by myself too. We tried 3 times to laod her in the trailer but there were just too many paople around. I went back one morning with a bucket of apples, her very favorite food, and she jumped right in that trailer.
I am so hoping that BP will be bred sometime soon. And that she can come home soon. She is a sweet cow.
On June 13, 2011 at 9:23 am
Flowerpower says:
Oh that makes me wanna cry!I would have gone back to get my cow!! 😥
On June 13, 2011 at 9:54 am
TinaBell says:
Oh my goodness! I had to dab my tears before I could type! Oh, my aching heart, you are a STRONG woman for not caving to that sweetness and that FACE!! And in all that acreage she heard–and answered!–your call and came a-runnin’. I’m glad you’re going to see her everyday, she loves and needs you. You are her friend, probably the first one she’s ever had! Oh dear, I’m gonna get choked up again. Those longing, lingering looks she gives you when you leave would absolutely Do Me In. You are a braver soul than I… :hug:
On June 13, 2011 at 10:49 am
Madeline says:
This made me cry a little.. and I think I am now going to become a vegetarian! How can anyone raise MEAT cows after reading that post??? She loves you,Suzanne! She really really loves you!
On June 13, 2011 at 11:14 am
brookdale says:
“And she was still wearing her flower!” That cracked me up! All of Skip’s cows will have to wear flowers now, she’s starting a fad!
Good for you for going to milk her every day. And yes, GB will probably be really weaned when BP finally gets back from her summer vacation.
Can’t you just hear BP telling all the animals when she gets back…”Well, there was this really big field, and this handsome bull who liked me best of all the other cows because of the flower behind my ear!”
On June 13, 2011 at 11:15 am
CherShots says:
Maybe once BP “gets a little action” she’ll forgive you for leaving her at the neighbors. lol
‘hugs from afar’
On June 13, 2011 at 12:19 pm
DancesInGarden says:
Very, very sweet! I love that she still has her flower.
On June 13, 2011 at 1:06 pm
yvonnem says:
Aaaaawwwww…..so sweet! Totally, amazingly, fantastically awesome that she came to you like that! This made me happy, except for her wanting to go back home with you, that’s a heart breaker there! :heart:
On June 13, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Window On The Prairie says:
Aren’t cows funny? They look so absent minded, but there’s a lot going on upstairs isn’t there?
On June 13, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Ms.Becky says:
I would want to pitch a tent and sleep in the pasture with her. I’d never ever be able to leave a face that looked at me like that. :no: :no: :no:
On June 13, 2011 at 6:01 pm
marrypoppinz says:
She is so sweet…we get so attached to our animals no matter what size they are. BP seems like a really gentle cow. I would love to have a cow….I admire the job you do.
On June 13, 2011 at 6:59 pm
leneskate says:
Very sweet! I am so happy you are having such good response from her. But all of your animals are good to you.!!
On June 13, 2011 at 8:06 pm
countrydreams64 says:
Oh my gosh….I bet you were just in awe when she came to you. How sweet!!! And look at the way she looks at you!!! You are her mama! :hug: :heart: :snuggle:
On June 13, 2011 at 9:57 pm
Chicken Crossing says:
When I read about how whe came when you called her I teared up. It’s like something out of a movie. What a sweet cow! She loves you and trusts you unconditionally. Animals are wonderful! They love us (and forgvie us) no matter what.
Keep up these great posts!
On June 14, 2011 at 9:42 am
Angela P says:
I loved that story. Yuppers. She is your cow. She loves you as much as you do her.
On June 14, 2011 at 1:13 pm
JeannieB says:
I’m a little jealous of BP, getting all dolled up, going on vacation with a hunk for a month of fun in the woods!! But atlas, I must work—
On June 14, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Mountain Blessings says:
I’m with Ms Becky! I would have pitched a tent right there! :yes:
Animals are so amazing, it’s unconditional love pure and simple. :hug:
On June 15, 2011 at 3:57 am