Moving cattle to the hayfield

Today I moved the cattle from the south pasture back to the hayfield in preparation for them leaving the ranch.  Evan called tonight and said he can pick them up around noon on Tuesday to haul them to the livestock auction in Missoula for the big cattle sale on Thursday.

This morning and afternoon the cattle could not be seen as they were down by the river.  A carrot is better than a stick.  Therefore mid afternoon I opened the gate between the south pasture and hayfield, hauled the salt blocks and their container a short distance into the hayfield and sprinkled a path of apples from the gate to the salt blocks.

After returning from helping Bob and Jan I saw the cattle near the salt blocks.  By the time I got there most were starting back into the pasture.  But when they saw my bucket had more apples most returned to me.  I was almost out of apples when the last three cattle finally came back into the hayfield.  It was quite a challenge to make the apples last while the last three cattle pondered whether to return to the hayfield, especially as Number 21 was insisting on getting into the bucket to get the rest of the apples.  I had to constantly keep on the move.

Once I got the gate shut I counted and found I had only 15 of the 19 cattle.  The biggest cattle were not to be seen.  They'd eventually come so I went back home.  Most of the cattle were excited and swirled around me, some kicking and twisting as they jumped with excitement, some trying to get into my bucket or pushing me, others keeping their distance but tagging along.

I gave them more apples before going inside the house to call my brother.

During my call I noticed the remaining four cattle were at the pasture/hayfield gate so I went out to let them into the pasture.  The 15 had settled into a siesta in the shade of a tall pine.  Good.  That will give me room to let the four into the hayfield.

When I got near the gate the four bolted away.  These are cattle that never warmed to me considering I was the boss of them and they were used to being the boss of the other cattle.

They ran to the NE corner of the pasture so I tried to slowly herd them back to the gate.  They were in an excited state as they were separated from the rest of the herd and something unusual was going on and they had missed out.

Halfway to the gate they ran to my right and towards the middle of the pasture before circling around the north fence boundary.  They didn't want to lose sight of the herd.  I again herded them and they ran back to the NE corner.  I again herded them towards the gate.

The herd had been watching all of this action and from standing and watching they now got excited and came towards the four.  Everyone fed off one another though I tried to keep calm and the next I knew all the cattle were racing to the gate.  Who knew who would reach it first and enter the other's field.  My hope was the four would go into the hayfield. I only knew I wouldn't reach the gate first.

Each group of cattle reached the gate simultaneously.  However each group ran past the gate and the four ran to the SE corner of the pasture. I reached and shut the gate before the end of the herd reached the gate and could come through it.

There they stood.  Each group on each side of the fence wanting to be on the other side of the fence and together.  Lots of mooing go on.

The four would look at me.  Once everyone calmed down and took a deep breath I decided to reopen the gate and take a chance.  The gate is two gates and I opened the north end to 'block' the four from running past.  I opened the south end to 'block' the herd from running right into the pasture.  Then I stepped away from the gate and went to stand under a tall pine.

Each group began to make their way along the fence towards the gate.  As the four came closer to the gate I moved closer from the tree to encourage them to turn and go through the gate.  They ran faster.  The first three ran through the gate but the fourth stopped and stared at me.  I had to circle around him and then he bolted through the gate to join the others who had joined the herd and were running away from the gate.

Success!   Though it would have been much easier with either my brother or my rancher girl to help me.

Once everyone was back together I took a wheelbarrow out to get the salt blocks and container to move them back near the house and barn.  By now the herd had circled around the pasture to the salt blocks.  I waited until the few were done licking the salt.  The rest were more interested in me and the wheelbarrow and surrounded me and checked the wheelbarrow out before I was able to moved the slat blocks and container.  Even the last four had calmed down and hung nearby.

I should have brought my camera to take photos of the cattle to show the comparison from when I got them to now.  My smallest two 'skunk-back' heifers were as large or maybe a bit larger than the two brockle-faced heifers who had been the next smallest pair.  Either the smallest two grew faster than the next smallest, or the next two grew slower than the smallest two.  I would like to think that the smallest two grew faster.

Since I have more apples I think it will be easier to get them into the corral on Tuesday, but I've been wrong before.  Stay tuned.