We got the halter on her. She’s finally grown into it. I know. It’s probably on wrong! But it’s on. (She still has the collar on, too. I haven’t taken it off yet because I trust it with the lead more than the halter at this point.)
I kept Glory Bee penned for awhile, taming the shrew, trying to calm her down so she could be handled more easily.
She learned to enjoy my scratches and she ate my hair. I’m not sure she learned much else. Then I decided to move her out to the goat yard.
She visits with mommy twice a day at milking time. Sometimes they’re difficult to separate because Beulah Petunia gets started licking Glory Bee’s behind and I think she’ll never stop. I don’t know what kind of weird mother cow ritual that is, but I figure it must do something good for the baby and that BP’s slightly grotesque behavior is instinctual.
Or else BP is just weird.
Which is entirely possible.
I must be doing something wrong because taking Glory Bee for a walk is like strolling with a Tasmanian devil. I keep her in the goat yard during the day and the milk stand pen at night. Getting her back and forth is an experience. She always looks like this when she’s being taken for a walk:
I’d have a new picture of that, instead of this same old one, except walking her involves so much wrangling that taking new pictures of her stubborn face is the last thing on my mind. Walking with Glory Bee always means a risk of bodily harm and an exciting cowboy-ish adventure, and it takes five billion hours out of my day. It takes up almost as much time as the time when BP is licking Glory Bee’s butt and I’m standing there, waiting to get BP out of the milk stand pen, and saying, “BP! Come ON.” (We interrupt this mother-daughter butt-licking moment to say, BP, WE HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO.)
From the corner of the goat yard, Glory Bee can look across the chicken yard and see mommy in the corner of Beulah Petunia Land. Glory Bee runs like a wild horse around the goat yard then stands in quiet moments mooing at BP then runs like a wild horse around the goat yard again.
The goats have been reserving judgment, taking a backseat like they’re watching a show.
Or some fearsome alien creature.
Nutmeg: “What is that?”
Fanta: “We don’t know….”
Sprite: “Let us pray.”
Clover: “I like her. From afar.”
Glory Bee is bigger than Jack and Poky.
Jack always looks big until he gets next to a cow.
Then everyone takes their corners. The goats and donkeys:
Glory Bee:
Will this she-devil ever be assimilated into goat-donkey society?
STAY TUNED.
Will I ever not get a halter on any new relatively large creature born on this farm within two minutes of birth ever again?
NO. (I can answer that one.)
Let. That. Be. A. Lesson. To. You.
P.S. I love that calf.
Darlene in North Ga says:
And after you took this picture of her, she ROLLED HER EYES at you, flounced to her room and SLAMMED THE DOOR! I’ve seen this look on my teenagers’ faces before. That is NOT a happy face. lol
On November 14, 2010 at 1:40 am
B. Ruth says:
Could you get one of those calf feeding buckets….sort of let Glory Bee get a taste…(fill with BPs milk)…and dangle it out as you (pull her along) uh..guide her along on the lead…
Soon she would recognise the bucket as another milk pump…
maybe…and start following you since you would be the dairy queen..with a rubber nozzle…LOL Kinda like dangling the carrot in front of the horse deal…
On November 14, 2010 at 1:43 am
Betty says:
Glory Bee is such a beautiful calf!!
On November 14, 2010 at 1:58 am
Nancy in Iowa says:
Boy, does Darlene have that right! Takes me back to Diane’s teen years – she’s now the mother of a 1-year old and will soon experience the eye-rolling for herself!!
On November 14, 2010 at 2:07 am
Nancy in Iowa says:
Forgot to add: How I do love that beautiful calf! She has the most gorgeous eyes, just like her Mom’s.
On November 14, 2010 at 2:09 am
Marilyn says:
We can only hope it is just a phase she is going thru.
I must say thought that BP looks in good form…after all the worry of her weight near her due date.
Marilyn
On November 14, 2010 at 2:24 am
Snapper says:
I just want to squish on that little, pretty cow of yours! And LOL at Darlene. 🙂
On November 14, 2010 at 6:27 am
glenda says:
GB is really looking good. My secret is I take the cow (who leads) to the calf, when the calves finish nursing, she is ready to leave!
I have never trained a calf to lead. I understand part of the secret is to tie it to a post for quite some time then it is willing to move.
On November 14, 2010 at 6:33 am
glenda says:
I forgot to remind you to check GB’s halter pretty regularly. They outgrow the small sizes quickly. You often have to loosen it and eventually will have to go to a bigger halter. I failed to do that and had an actual raw place on the nose before I realized it! I felt like the animal abuse cops were watching me after that. My vet got a kick out of that….said he had seen sores before caused by that.
On November 14, 2010 at 6:36 am
Gem says:
I always smile while reading your play-by-play narration of cow and calf antics! (I CAN relate!)
On November 14, 2010 at 6:49 am
judydee says:
Darlene sure said it!! I recognized that look, and I’ve never dealt with a calf. Sure have seen that look on a bunch of other little darlings tho’.
On November 14, 2010 at 7:26 am
Diane says:
Cute story. Reminds me of 4H kids who have to train cows to go into the showmen ship ring. My daughter who is all about 100 soaking wet helped out her friend one year. And not nice small calfs like Gloory Bee. But big black and white dairy cows who are taller than most woman. Here my 5 foot kid is leading a huge cow into the showmam ship ring pulling on its harness by the nose so that it will follow her. Really if that cow had a mind to it could of took off and ran, or at the very least pull its head up and pull my daughter right off the ground. lol.
I think you will be able to break her soon. Just have to keep up with it is all. She is darn cute though. 🙂
On November 14, 2010 at 7:58 am
ChickensConsigliere says:
I’ve seen that look on my teenagers, actually.
On November 14, 2010 at 8:03 am
Carol Langille says:
Glory Bee is a young bovine Marilyn Monroe of the barnyard! How could you ever be mad at that beautiful, wild and rebellious face???
Of course she could trample you in the mud if you don’t get control of her. Which is why you have to persevere and dominate her. Can you imagine BP with Glory Bee’s attitude right now?
You hang in there, Suzanne. She may weigh more than you but you got brains!!
On November 14, 2010 at 8:17 am
Linda Segerson says:
I think I have seen that “look” from husband before! 🙂 :snoopy:
On November 14, 2010 at 8:23 am
texwisgirl says:
Wow! She’s getting BIG! FAST! Keep up the wrangling while you still can! 🙂
On November 14, 2010 at 8:34 am
jackie c. says:
“That” look isn’t reserved for female humans or bovines. My two sons were experts with it.
GB is getting prettier by the minute. BP looks just wonderful. :cowsleep:
On November 14, 2010 at 8:40 am
Becky says:
Honestly, there has to be some kind of photo contest you can enter a picture of Glory Bee’s face! She is undoubtedly the most beautiful calf I have ever seen!!
On November 14, 2010 at 9:00 am
Sue K. says:
Glory Bee is sure getting big and is very beautiful.
On November 14, 2010 at 9:08 am
Nancy S. says:
My first calf was a steer and I had hopes of training him to be an ox, so I watched videos on how to train them. Apparently cows instinctively move away from things, not towards things in front. So pulling makes them resist. You need to get a long sappling, and give them a tap on the rump or back of the legs to make them move forward, or away from the tapping. There are traditional commands too. Getup – forward. Gee – turn right (tapping in the left side). Haw – turn left (tapping on the right side). Whoa – stop. And there are more. Drew Conroy has a great book and video on this. It may help! And if not, it’s fun to try. I wasn’t consistent enough to get a working ox, but both my calves walk well on a halter now.
On November 14, 2010 at 9:23 am
farmershae says:
I am sooooo in love with GB and BP! :heart: I want a cow NOW!
On November 14, 2010 at 9:24 am
Jo says:
Oh my, Glory is gorgeous and getting so big!! And Beulah is looking wonderful too! I’m sure you’ll get it all figured out, Suzanne. You always do. :happyflower:
On November 14, 2010 at 10:21 am
Barbee' says:
😀 Darlene! Good one. Suzanne, thank you for the photo of G.B. with the donkeys. It surprised me, but sure did put things into perspective. *Now*, I understand how tiny Poky and Jack are. Cute post. Darling photos.
On November 14, 2010 at 10:26 am
Barbee' says:
P.S. When I first saw the title, I thought one of the goats had her baby, and there was a new “kid”.
On November 14, 2010 at 10:28 am
Kacey Kay Pickens says:
I bet you will be doing first minute haltering from now on! She is BIG now!
On November 14, 2010 at 10:36 am
Miss Becky says:
well, one thing never changes. Glory Bee’s gorgeous face. And her obstinance. I love them both! :heart: :heart: :heart:
On November 14, 2010 at 10:59 am
Joanna Wilcox says:
Mothers lick their babies bottoms to encourage urination and bowel movements.
On November 14, 2010 at 11:52 am
Diane@Peaceful Acres says:
My bull calf, Buddy (Chee) Burger was born a week after Glory Bee and I’ve enjoyed watching you!!! I must of had a little more help than you from my cow mentors….and for that I’m grateful that I haven’t had to take the hard road with you! Here’s a trick one mentor taught me to move that calf which is like moving a ton of bricks…..take a harness lead road and stick it over her face and head, use the rope to loop around her bottom and you do the push me pull me routine! Works like a charm. Except Buddy Burger likes to drop to the ground playing dead right before we get to the stall. He hates going in at night and will do anything. Otherwise, he stays out all day with her and nurses all he wants…now to convince his Mama Joy to give me more than 1/2 gallon of skim milk every morning when she’s got 2 gallons of whole milk! :cowsleep:
On November 14, 2010 at 12:10 pm
rileysmom says:
I love the “conversations” of the animals! You have a great sense of humor Suzanne!
On November 14, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Barb says:
Glory Bee is gorgeous. Just a thought you could halter breaker like a horse. Preasure,release method.
On November 14, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Barb says:
Once she gets the idea (preasure, release) should be easy leading.
On November 14, 2010 at 1:39 pm
DarleneS says:
Momma and Baby are both so gorgeous. Those eyes get me every time.
On November 14, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Jersey Lady says:
I explained quite a while ago why BP is licking GB but folks must have missed it. Someone else has explained again so everyone knows what is going on.
I love you gals but this whole thing shows why it is so much easier to take calves away out of sight of their dams pretty soon after birth. They fix on people rather than their moms and do not get so full of themselves. You have entire control of the milk and can get what you need. Bottle and bucket feeding takes just a few minutes. Calves can be weaned at 8 to 12 weeks and then you are home free getting all the milk you want.
This business with GB is not a phase. It will only get worse. Get that girl who shows beef to show you what to do now. You are right about GB being a danger to you.Maybe the beef girl would take GB for a while to halter break her and send her back fixed. A heifer calf is a valuable commodity but if she grows into an unruly cow, she is about useless.
Sorry to be so preachy but only want the best for you and your bovines.Mine are little darlings to work with and I want it to be that way for you too. It is all in getting the right kind of help and know-how. Call that beef girl!
On November 14, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Ruth says:
What about calf cookies? will that tempt her?
Ruth :sheep:
On November 14, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Emma Filbrun says:
We bought a cow, about to calve for the first time, 6 months ago. She had hardly been handled before that, and was wild. We put a halter and rope on her before unloading from the truck, and tied it to our small truck, then used that to pull her to a post. We left her tied to that post or others for a week or so, until she had calmed down, learned that she can’t get away from the halter, and had her calf. Ever since then, we can lead her anywhere we want to because she thinks she can’t get away from whatever holds onto her halter. As long as they don’t learn they are bigger than you are, you can do what you want with them. Get tough with that calf or you will have trouble.
On November 14, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Donna says:
Joanna is right on Beulah Petunia’s butt-licking thing, but I suspect there’s also a bit of that mamma behavior most all of us must have endured as children, with our mom spitting on the corner of her hankie and getting those “missed spots” on our cheeks!
On November 14, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Flatlander says:
I’m pretty sure she is in heath, get used to this sound, until she is bred again 😉
She might draw a little blood between now and a few days..and be careful, she might butt you, don’t get in front of her, stay beside her.
This will be repeated every 20/21 days.
About BP, I don’t know anything about training cows, mine was trained when I got her.
I do know the farm I bought her from start young…and she has to learn who is in charge.
A stubborn calf is funny..a stubborn cow is meat in your freezer, or a danger to yourself.
Be carefull, they are not puppies.
On November 15, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Ramona says:
Jack and Pokey look like they are running for their lives!
On November 16, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Debbie T. Casper says:
In horses we call it inprinting. When they drop on the ground you pick them up. You are in control, at all times. You do need to take the calf away early. You can buy a calf at a week old and kind of like day old chicks you have to take extra care. You are rather be hind on your calf but I like the idea of fostering your calf with someone else until she is not a danger. Bovine will run you down and then back up and see if they can do it again. She is a pretty beast tho.
On November 16, 2010 at 7:56 pm