Cattle across the river

Trouble.

Late this afternoon I discovered the cattle across the river had been let down into the lower pasture across the river.  Oh, great.

My cattle had taken their siesta in the middle of the middle pasture and apparently hadn't seen the other cattle yet.  The cattle across the river were standing along the bend of the river where the landowner hadn't fenced the property.  I guess he felt the cattle wouldn't jump from the bank into the river where it was deep.  The problem is that a few years ago I had a crazy-in-heat heifer who swam across the river and climbed up the unfenced bank.  My side of the river at this point also is not fenced because this is the best part of this pasture for my cattle to access the water as the river bank and river on my side is very shallow.

The cattle - at least 30 head - were all staring at me.  They weren't the landowner's Hereford herd.  They were all black except for a couple brown cattle with white on their faces.  One of the brown cattle looked like mine.  Of course the black cattle looked like my herd.  Oh great.  The only way to tell our herds apart was by ear tag colors and brands.  I hope the herds don't get mixed.

Then a few of my cattle discovered the herd across the river. Oh great. My herd is a social herd.  Every night they lay along the fence by the road to be close to the six cattle across the road.  And every so often some of my cattle would bellow to the cattle across the road.

My herd quickly made their way down to the river.  Some stood on the bank.  Some stood in the water.

"Don't be crossing the river!"

Then I noticed one of my cattle - was "Heckle" or "Jeckel"? - standing on a gravel bar and intently eyeing the river bank where the other cattle had flattened the grass down all the way to the river bank edge.  Oh great. The tall grass made the other bank look intimidating but the flattened grass showed a way to cross.  And this is the exact spot the "heifer-crazy-in-heat" had crossed.

The flattened area was at "10 o'clock" while the other cattle stood at at "12 o'clock" to "two o'clock".  All the rest of my cattle were looking at the other cattle.  Heckle or Jeckel was looking at the flattened grass.  Oh great.

She was standing in the river and I couldn't get between her and the other bank without getting wet.   I tossed a rock in the water near Heckle or Jeckel and she turned and went back up on the river bank to join the other cattle.  Whew.  Crisis averted.

For now.

The other herd - having finished their siesta - were now moving on and away from the river.  My cattle started bellowing and calling to the other cattle.  My cattle were really upset the other cattle were leaving.  Oh great.

After the other cattle left my cattle began to drift away from the river and get back to grazing.  Once they were in the hayfield I closed the gate.  I got a water tank out for the cattle and filled it with water.  It is more of a hassle to keep the cattle only in the hayfield and to keep the water tank filled but right now it is better to reduce the chance of the herds mixing.  It is a shame because having access to the middle pasture also meant access to the trees for shade.  Every afternoon, in order to beat the heat, the cattle would take their siestas under the trees along with a mid afternoon grazing among the trees.