Baby cows are cute…but they can grow up to be ill mannered little dump trucks on legs.  They have no idea of their size.  Unlike horses, they don’t care where they step, stomp or bump.  They don’t mind slamming their side on a gate, or crashing over their feed buckets.  Therefore, if you can imagine, they don’t mind having their own way with the hand that feeds them.

Granted, most animals have a sense of caution.  Our little loaner Angus steer will come close enough to investigate but remain out of arms reach.  He won’t budge for grain.  Our adopted Holstein steer is the complete opposite.  You would think we bottle fed him and you would think we handled him everyday.  All of those are NOT true.  He simply was born that way.  He knows no fear, no boundary and no rule.  He laughs in the face of direction.  If you try and move him, it invigorates him.  He gets excited at the thought of playing with you when you show up in his sight.  He really wants you to rub his neck, or scratch him, but he doesn’t want you to leave.  If you disagree, he goes crazy.  Shut a gate on him?  He runs wild.  Can you see where I am going with this?  In three months I am going to have a black and white, elephant sized, tasmanian devil.

No. Can. Do.

It’s not allowed at our place.  We require manners.  “Frazier’s Finishing School for Bovine” has just begun.

This will be the fourth bovine I have halter broke in 6 months.

(See prior post Cow Manners 101…Halter Breaking)