I tried to herd Speckles through the walk through gate and back into the fruit tree area. Speckles was having none of it. The next I was doing was chasing her around the house. Once around the house is when I discovered Speckles calves came through the open gate and were now in the the driveway. So I herded Speckles and her calves into the corral.
Donna came over to help me with gate as I herded Speckles and her calves back into the fruit tree area. About the time I finished fixing the fence I saw Speckles on the north side of the fruit tree area. She was trying to push the bottom of the chain link fence out so she could get through the fence. I went and chased her from the chain link fence. She then ran back to where she has earlier jumped over the fence. After I had fixed the fence I had placed an extra corral panel along that fence area. So Speckles tried to get over the fence a short distance away.
Seriously Speckles! Knock it off.
Donna had thought Speckles may be acting this way because she was in heat. I thought I seen the bull had earlier shown lots of interest in Speckles when they were in the corral together, and she was bred back then. Maybe not...
Speckles was acting crazy and agitated so I opened the gate and Speckles ran though and to the yard. I opened the corral gate and let her in the corral. This time I decided to let Speckles out to the pasture to be with the bull. Speckles ran right to the gate to the south pasture. The herd came running when I let Speckles into the south pasture to be with them. Then about three or four of the younger cows started to fight with Speckles and tried to drive her off and away from the bull.
Eventually Speckles kept a short distance from the herd and the fighting stopped. Another cow was in heat and the bull stood right by her and kept her company. When the bull mooed asking if the cow was ready the cow would take a few steps away so the bull wouldn't mount her as she wasn't quite ready. But she would stay standing right next to the bull. So Speckles wasn't getting any action until this cow was bred.
Diamond hasn't had a calf yet this year so I decided I would herd her to the fruit tree area to keep Maria company as they ate the grass down. But Diamond was also interested in the cow in heat. The bull wasn't happy Diamond expressing interest with the cow in heat and would occasionally push Diamond away. I wasn't getting involved in their tiff. So I waited and waited and waited until Diamond eventually moved on and I could entice her through the gate and out of the south pasture. Once I did that the rest of the herd saw what had just happened and threw a fit they couldn't also go into the middle pasture.
I herded Diamond to the fruit tree area to join Maria.
I then had breakfast as it was now noon. After breakfast I then herded Speckles' calves from the fruit tree area over to the south pasture to be with Speckles, who was now missing her calves and calling for them. The two calves would run together as if they were joined at the hip. That is until they almost reached the south pasture gate. Speckles was calling at the gate and when the herd saw me and the calves coming they rushed to the gate. One calf went to the gate and the other calf hung back. I opened the gate and the one calf ran through and went to Speckles and started drinking. The other calf then ran back to the gate to the north pasture.
I had to herd that calf back to the south pasture gate. Speckles was behind the herd and the calf couldn't see her. The calf turned and looked back to the barn and ran back to the north pasture gate. Over and over we repeated this. I got a lot of walking in. This calf didn't seem to want to be around the other cows. Eventually I was able to get the calf through the gate into the south pasture to join her mother.
Over half my day was wasted herding cattle and other stuff was not done. I was so over female behavior that day.
Maria on the left, and Diamond on the right.
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