Females do crazy things when in lust

I was up by 8 am to look for the missing Hereford heifer (#18). The herd was down by the river along the middle/north fence. Or I should say all but the missing heifer and steer #3. You know the one... the one who steps through fences. #3 was halfway down the fence line. After I passed by I looked back and there he was trying to step through the fence. Ay-yi-yi-yi! And right after I walked by!

I stopped him before he got through the fence. He was trying to squeeze through where I had added extra wire yesterday. I chased him away from the fence. I went home and got about 10 strands of used baling twine and tied the fence in that area with the twine. I don't like using twine as the cattle will chew on it, and Dan told me of a steer or heifer that died after eating some twine. Last week the grandpa who bought three of Dan's large cattle told of finding a huge wad of twine in the stomach after they had a steer/heifer butchered.

I went to the south pasture to go and check out my "thumb" property. I don't like the cattle see me cross the river or go to the thumb as I don't want them to get ideas.

I only saw deer trails when crossing over to the thumb. A deer was on the big island as I crossed to the thumb and another deer was on the thumb as I entered it. I followed deer trails around the thumb's edge until I got to near the northern side where I found large hoof prints in the river bank mud. The trail now was wide and the grass flatter. Signs at least one of the cattle had been there.

I found where the heifer had worked around to the west side of the thumb before being stopped by my fence between my property and the neighbor's property. No signs the heifer got past the fence as it was only deer trails beyond. I went through the fence to make sure the heifer didn't walk the river then come back on land. Nope.

In fact a short distance downstream a half dozen large tall trees had fallen over across the river blocking it. The river bank on the west had eroded this past high water and the trees toppled over. The trees were so tall they fell a distance on the east river bank. I could see signs where the rafters and floaters in the river had portaged around the trees.

Back on my thumb I could see a larger area where the grass had been matted down. The heifer may have spent some time - maybe the night - there. Across the river is the corner of Street's property. It was where one of his irrigation pumps used to be before he removed it. The large rock rip-rap remained.

I think the heifer made her way to the thumb alone. Instead of returning to the island she saw Street's cattle and the bull. She must have decided to cross the river. I am not sure how she got onto the rip rap - whether she came from the river else went upstream to the bank then onto the rip rap. I could see manure and signs she had passed over the rip rap. In past years when cattle have gotten on the peninsula to the rip rap they stopped as the rip rap is difficult - especially for cattle - to cross. But a heifer in heat with a bull waiting will do foolish things. The path she appeared to have taken was a hard one to do and one a normal animal would not make. But she was in heat and wanted her "man" to satisfy her.

I had an errand to run and breakfast to eat. After I did that I returned to the peninsula to search for the heifer hoping Street's herd was near where I could see them without having to enter his property and dealing with the bull.

An old field fence was at the end of the rip rap but it seemed partially down. Maybe the heifer could have crossed the field fence. Else the heifer somehow slipped through Street's four strand fence. I went up the steep ridge. The grass is thin so it was hard to tell if the heifer passed this way. Partway up I could see the fence had sagged and I believe the heifer could have crossed it.

I looked and saw Street's herd on top of and partially along the ridge. With binoculars I found Dan's heifer #18. Success. She was alive and hadn't met with a terrible accident.

I returned home and called Dan. I wasn't about to try to separate the heifer from the herd alone, especially a herd with a large bull.

Dan rearranged his appointments and came with grain. As we passed his herd the remaining Hereford heifer was fighting again with th #78 steer. They seemed to be either fighting or resting from fighting the past 24 hours. What is up with these two cattle?!

We found the herd still near where I had left them. Heifer #18 was on the side of the ridge at the edge of the herd. Dan shook his bucket of grain and poured some of it out and the heifer just stood there and watched.. I figured the heifer knew me better so I went closer with my bucket of grain. I did the same and he did nothing then began to move up th steep ridge. I followed and we both went to the top.

At the top I was able to get within a few yards of her but she didn't want the grain and then made a move to rejoin the herd and the bull. *sigh* Dan and I tried a few times to entice her and get her away from the herd and the bull by whom she shadowed but the herd began to spook and stampede so we gave up. The herd ran off to the north and we followed but we never saw them again. By now we realized she identified with this new herd - and bull - and there was no easy way to separate her from them.

Dan then talked with Street to let him know she was with his herd and he was fine with it. Street plans to move the herd from this area in two or three weeks and he and Dan will separate the heifer from the herd then.

The good news is the heifer is fine. The bad news is she went over to "the dark side" and joined another herd. I guess she wanted a "real" male in her life and not those steer want-a-bes. And I didn't get any other work done today. *augh* which reminds me... the morning had been down to 41 F and I wore a flannel shirt and I left it in the pasture. *sigh* I hope I remember tomorrow to get the shirt.