Cow versus Men

Sometimes I am simply amazed at the things that farmers do.  Mostly, I tend to look on in a "wow!" kind of way, but occasionally, it is a head shaking, "Huh???" kind of way.  This was a "huh?" kind of day.


We had been super busy with the normal summer chores of clipping pastures, bushhoging pastures, cutting and baling hay,....  Yep.  All the rain this summer has kept the guys busy riding around in tractors.  While they were riding around they had noticed that one of the old cows had a sore foot.  She limped along, looking miserable until they decided they had to do something for her.  Not only was she uncomfortable, but a cow that can't walk also doesn't eat or drink.  Cows wander the fields continually, munching here and munching there.  Then, twice a day, they will go to find water.  With a sore foot she didn't want to do all the walking required to maintain her health.


So the morning came when they decided to fix her up.


To make it easier on her, they decided to take the cattle trailer into the field, load her up, and haul her to the barn for treatment.  That way she wouldn't have to walk so much.  So they hooked up the trailer and bumped their way down into the field to where the cattle were grazing, hoping they would be able to walk her into the low back of the trailer.  The cows, realizing that a trailer in their field wasn't normal and probably not a good thing, eased away.  Son jumped out and attempted to herd the sore footed cow away from the others and back to the trailer.  She just looked at him and stood perfectly still.


He went back to the truck and maneuvered the trailer closer to her.  While he was doing that, she moved in another direction.  He again tried to herd her and she just looked at him and stayed where she was.  He started back to the truck to move lower into the field where he could trap her between the fence and trailer, when the heavens opened up and the rains started. 


Aggravated and wet he decided it was time for reinforcements.


So back to the barn for Hubby and a rope halter.  By golly, he would just drag her into the trailer.  So now, in a steady downpour, they pulled the trailer back down into the field, backing as close to the old cow as they could.   They laid their plans.  They would converge on the cow and Son would halter her while Hubby attempted to hold her still.  (A cow's neck is a mighty muscle!)  "I've got her!" shouted Hubby as Son lunged for the head, only to miss when she swung Hubby and head around to the side.  Shouts of , "Try again!"  "Hold her still!"  "What are you doing?", rang over the field.


 Finally they had her haltered and Son grabbed the end of the halter and gave a mighty tug.   The cow stayed still and son went sliding through the slick, wet grass.  With a thud he landed at her front feet.  She looked down at the muddy man lying on the ground in mild puzzlement.  Rain still pelting down, both Hubby and Son grabbed the halter this time and gave a mighty heave.  The old cow's neck stretched out and her front hooves dug into the ground.  The men's smooth boot soles lacked her traction and they soon were losing ground sliding toward her, winding up nose to nose with the cow.  She blinked and mooed softly.  Cow-2.  Men-0


Muddy, wet and disgusted they devised another plan.  Instead of pulling, they would push.  Approaching the other end, they placed their hands on her rump.  She raised her tail suggestively and the men promptly decided on another plan!  To keep them out of the line of fire, if she decided to use the ultimate weapon (there is nothing like loose manure from a cow on fresh grass!) they would sling a rope around her back end and use that to force her to the trailer.  She watched them loop one end around the metal of the trailer, then sling the other around her.  Just as they were ready to start applying pressure and pulling with all their might, she blinked, gave a little shake and walked placidly into the open trailer. 


With rain running down their faces the two men watched as she gave them a slow cow smile and wink. 
Cow-3,
Men sill 0.