Heifers: twine, feeders, and hair

I am trying to make it to bed earlier tonight. These late, late nights are catching up with me - especially with the physical work during the day. My neighbor Bob is having his garage roof reshingled tomorrow. His contractor is 76 yrs old and could use help getting the bundles of shingles on the garage roof and I said I would help. 8:30 am seems early when I feel like I can sleep 10 to 12 hours right now.

The "girls" are doing great. They are still jumpy by my sudden movements, which sometimes are unavoidable when I am in a hurry. They let me get closer as they are associating me with food as they realize I am the guy who gets them bales of hay from the barn twice a day.

Still they won't let me get real close. Yesterday the smallest heifer had a small piece of orange plastic baling twine hanging from the side of her mouth. Dad had wrapped many pieces of twine around old rundown sections of the fences as the twine became available. That worked fine in the past but after many years in the sunlight they are slowly deteriorating. Mix a brightly colored object and a bored heifer... While last year I had watched a PBS documentary that showed cows in India living off garbage and anything but green grass, still it is not good for them to eat. Dan mentioned a neighbor of his lost a cow after she ate a large wad of the plastic twine. I have been removing the twine sections at a time when I have spare time, especially the frayed and deteriorated twine. Still cattle seem to like to chew on the twine even if it is in good condition.

I tried to get the twine from the heifer's mouth but could not get closer than a yard before she moved away. I did this after bringing out fresh bales of hay. All the other cattle were eating and I tried to use this time to get close and grab the twine, but to no avail. This heifer was losing out on the food so I quit trying. After getting her first bite of hay I am not sure if the twine fell out or got sucked in with the hay. *sigh* Fortunately it was a small piece of twine and I hope nothing happens. She seemed fine today.

I can get over concerned at times. A few days ago I saw a heifer laying on her side with her legs out while the other heifers were in the traditional kneeling/sitting position. I almost never see cattle laying down. As I approached, her tail moved. *whew!* A short time later she got up and sat in the kneeling position. Maybe she was really sleeping? I hardly ever see the cattle sleep. Last year I saw a steer sleeping by the barn. He was sitting curled with his head by his back leg like a cat or dog sleeps.

When I first got here I had doubts about how things were set up on the ranch. As time goes on I realize my initial impression was wrong. Things do make sense. For example one of the wooden feeders. It was made back in the old days before all one had to do was go buy one. It turns out it is the right size for the 12 heifers to eat from. It is long and rectangular and I can place two bales of hay in it.

I may modify it in the future to raise it from the ground and put a wooden bottom on it as I have scrap wood that would do the job. That is because I have found a heifer in the feeder twice. Last evening the smallest heifer was standing in the middle of it as the others ate around her. I guess that was her way of not getting pushed aside! Tonight when I brought a hay bale and placed it in the west end one heifer took the shortest route to the hay and climbed into the feeder. I shoo'd her out: quietly but firmly.

The previous evening when the heifer was in the feeder she ignored me and only moved when I touched her side and told her to move. She has the softest hair! It may look a little ragged as it is her winter coat but I was very surprised at how soft it was.

From their time in the auction pens the heifer's lower parts of their bodies were covered with dried caked manure. Now that they have settled in here it appears they are doing some grooming and rubbing and trying to clean themselves up a bit.