This morning the cows were in the east side of the south pasture - in view so that Buddy could find them immediately when released from the corral. Buddy and the steer had some hay left in their feeder so they shouldn't be hungry.
I opened the corral gates. Buddy and the steer walked out their part of the corral and immediately started eating the green grass along the corral fence.
I herded them out of the corral and closed the corral gates. Instead of heading to the open middle pasture gate in order to get to the cows, Buddy and the steer took to eating the green grass in the north pasture.
I tried to herd Buddy but he concentrated on the grass and would give me the stink eye as he ate. I tried to herd the steer but each time he would move right next to Buddy.
Even though I had a sorting stick, I picked up a fallen evergreen branch and placed it on the ground by Buddy's face. Finally Buddy turned. After a bit he moved to the open gate. Once he walked through he turned around and kneeling on his front legs rubbed on the ground and then against the fence post. I was glad the fence post was a railroad tie as the tie held up without breaking.
While Buddy rubbed against the railroad tie I tried to herd the steer over to Buddy. Whenever I got the steer close to the open gate he would run and veer off away from the gate. Over and over he did this. Then one time Buddy stopped rubbing and got up and ran jumping and kicking after the steer.
*sigh*
After more herding I got Buddy back to the gate. This time he ran through it into the middle pasture. I tried herding the steer again but he refused to go through the gate. I closed the gate to keep Buddy in.
By now Buddy moved over to take a dirt bath. There is a reason he is sleek and had lost his winter fur while the cows and heifers still have some winter fur left. Buddy takes grooming to heart.
While Buddy took his dirt bath I walked to the south gate in order to open it. Before I got to the gate Buddy finished his dirt bath and noticed the cows in the south pasture. He ran to the fence jumping as he ran. I moved out of the way behind a tree.
Buddy reached the fence before I did. He went to where the nearest cow was located. I opened the gate and Buddy ignored me and continued whispering "Sweet nothings" to the cow.
I found one calf lying next to the fence in the middle pasture. Somehow the calf had slipped through the fence into the middle pasture. Most likely down where the fence is only four strands of wire. Here the fence was seven strands and the calf couldn't get back through the fence. I herded the calf through the open gate and it ran back to its mother.
Then the other cows noticed Buddy and came to the gate. Panda came through the gate and walked over to Buddy and started smelling him.
"A man! Hooray! A man! Hey big guy... remember me? We had a 'thing' about a year ago and I'm ready for some more of that action."
Buddy continued whispering "Sweet nothings" to the cow across the fence. I chased Panda back into the south pasture. (Poor Panda!) Buddy took note and saw the gate was open and walked through it into the south pasture. I closed the gate. Buddy began going around to each cow smelling them and checking if they were ready for some "Buddy love".
I went back to get the steer. He was happily eating grass where I left him. He wasn't concerned that he was by himself. I went to herd him through the gate but again he ran away from it. The second time he realized Buddy wasn't around and went through the gate. He ran jumping and kicking up his back legs. He has a big round 'hay belly' from being in the corral for so long, and ran awkwardly.
I closed the gate and walked to the south pasture gate. The steer was standing by a fallen tree and not by the gate. I herded him to the gate. As I approached the gate to open it he ran along the fence down to where Beulah was nursing her calf on the other side of the fence.
No amount of coaxing could entice the steer to come back to the open gate. If I left the gate to go herd him the cows and calves would come through. I decided 'screw it', and let the cows and calves into the middle pasture. Again it was a case where the many wanted to be where the one was more than the one wanted to be with the many. While technically it was time for them to again be in the middle pasture, the south pasture has more grass.
After I let the cattle into the middle pasture Buddy was still checking the cows. Someday I'll learn to interpret the faces he makes after checking out a cow.
An hour or two later I saw Buddy mount Panda and she stood there while he was thrusting. I wasn't real close but I think Panda had a smile on her face. 270 days from June 23 Panda should have a calf on April 1 (or March 31 as 2016 is a leap year). This year Panda was the last to give birth; the next year she should be the first.
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