Speaking of Heifers

The trucker/ buyer commented on how nice they were and how nice they loaded. My mom says "That's funny, they're the mean ones!!" The look on his face said it all. He couldn't believe they were the worst ones in the whole barn and they were nicer than any he had in his own barn.
Ours are either smart and gentle or out the door. Period. We've got some real nice old gals, some are over 15 years old and are great-great grandma's.
Donovan from Wisconsin

Every year about 20-30 replacment heifers came back from that farm and into the milking lineup. Without exception, every heifer he raised was as quiet as a kitten. You could walk up to them anywhere, pat them, scratch them, etc. Putting a milker on them for the first time, was very little different from milking an older cow. Guys like that are few and far between. They are worth big money in a livestock operation.

I'll tell you another little story. My children often had friends over. For a very long time no one could understand why our dog growled at one of these children. Several years went by before we learned that the then young lady had hit our dog with a hockey stick, and started it all. Animals never forget.

Another little story, An old gentleman had farmed for many years in out community. He sold his farm to his hired hand. He moved away from the area. About 5 years later he was back visiting friends and decided to visit his buyer and his old farm. He decided to get there about milking time as he loved cows. He exchanged greetings with his host, then walked down the lineup of cows in tie ups. Finally he turned and said, "Eric, the cows aren't milking very well for you are they." Eric said, "No, but how did you figure that out," "Too many broken shovel handles and 2x4s around", was the old gentleman's reply.

Now I've been to your barn, and I have seen you handle your animals. Very gentle in my opinion, I knew the minute I went in your barn, the cattle were happy to see you even though it was not feeding time. But we do know where some of these guys on the other thread are coming from. I don't critize you for carrying the stick. If that gives you confidence fine.

About every 10 minutes I hear of someone putting a dog down because it bit a child.

I say in 100 times out of 100 that the child probably should have been paddled a long, long damned time ago and an apology should promptly be made to the dog.

They bite for a reason,

Allan

When Marilyn was about 11 months old and walikng holding unto chairs, etc. We were encouraging her, of course the dog then quite full grown had to get in on the action. As he walked by her waging his tail, a swipe of the tail knocked her over. He went on to a corner and Marilyn back on her feet like flash, started scolding him , pointing and shaking her finger at him, and he just cowered in the corner. She couldn't talk but I wish you could have heard the adjectives she used on that poor dog. He felt terrible about what he had done. Marg. and I laughed until tears came on our checks. Here was this big dog probably 4 times as heavy as she was, and she had him in the palm of her hand.

He is also the same dog that wouldn't let a new operator on my 560 after lunch. When the operator returned from lunch the dog was lying urder rear end of tractor. He wouldn't let him approach the tractor until I arrived. I later understood the dog was a good judge of charactor.

He was a dog that grew up with kids, he loved kids and he tolerated a lot from them and not just our own kids, but he did single this one girl out and we could never understand why. When she was a very young teenager and the dog then quite old and feeble she told us one day what she had done close to 8 years before.

About every 10 minutes I hear of someone putting a dog down because it bit a child.

I say in 100 times out of 100 that the child probably should have been paddled a long, long damned time ago and an apology should promptly be made to the dog.

They bite for a reason,

Allan

I went out and my cows even ran from me and still haven't gotten over it three years later.
Neighbors?? G@#$%#$%^&^

Here's one that just came fresh, gentle as a kitten, milked her right in the pen, me on one side, the calf on the other. 30 years, never have had a mean cow, I do keep an eye on the fresh ones tho, you just never know.