Cowmomma's Cupboard

If you don't want to hear another power whine about living through the terrible cold winter, skip this posting. When we headed out to start the feeding and watering this morning, it was gorgeous. BUT, it was 13 below zero.  Oh, My, Goodness.

I was amazed to find that when I got all my layers all on and waddled out there, the animals were all actually up and tolerating it just fine.  Of course they all are wearing fur coats and feathers. Thus far the pipes are holding, the water is staying open with the bucket heaters in the bins and the wood stove is keeping the house warm but boy, what an adventure for the gal from Haleiwa, Hawaii.

Thank goodness for turtle fur!  This is what I call polar fleece. I am a big fan of the stuff.  Especially the variety made from old pop bottles.  Recycle!  We like that.  And it makes for just slightly less bulky cold weather wear.  Back in the day, of course, we had those snowsuits that once you were zipped inside you could not bring your arms down beyond parallel to the ground.

I put on tights, and a polar fleece top, then my quilted overalls, and another polar fleece top and then my Carhart vest.  Three layers of socks, hats, face shields, hunting gloves, fill my pockets with gizmos, dog and donkey treats, pocket knife and I'm ready.  Now, about one day out of the week, I no sooner get all this stuff on topped off with my yucky, stinky barn boots when  nature calls and I need to go to the bathroom.  Wonderful!

AH..... Sunday afternoon.  My secret vice- movies on Lifetime Movie Channel.  Yesterday I was in the middle of a nice, juicy one when my husband came rushing in and yelled, "Baroness got out when I was feeding them and she's running wild, and won't come back in for me!"  Red Baroness or "Nessa" is our herd queen, a four year old daughter of Spotted Fever. A big high horned, 1000 pound Brangus Page cow.

 I pulled on a jacket and some boots and ran outside to find Dan in the drive with a grain bucket lure, and Nessa ignoring him and visiting the back pasture cattle through the fence.  Kisses all around and some special nuzzling for her two sons, Time Bandit and Sirroco.  She hadn't seen Time Bandit since he was 6 months old and weaned.  Bandit had been at Creek Bend Ranch in Ohio till this past September, and when we brought him home Nessa was gone being bred in Big Rapids.  What a happy reunion!

Gathering up the grain bucket, I started calling Nessa and she, good girl that she is came running.  At full tilt right down the frozen two track.  She came racing up to the car park and I thought my Chevy was going to be toast but that gal can stop on a dime.  She peered in the car windows then turned and took off again.

This went on for about 20 more minutes.  Nessa zoomed up and down the driveway, bucking and snorting as she passed her herd on the other side of the fence.  She squeezed past the truck and partied in the road for awhile.  Nessa is about 7 months pregnant now and showing. It was something to see her charging back and forth, front legs spread wide to maintain control and support that great swinging belly on the snow and ice, comparatively little backside tucked tight underneath so she could buck.

She was breathing hard at this point and her breath was freezing and grizzling her whole face with ice. Then she sauntered up to me for a pat and we slipped back into the front pasture, exercise and visiting done.  She poked her head into the grain bucket ready to have a snack and reunion with her herd. That's my girl!

Imagine my amazement when I opened my newsletter yesterday, and there was my baby girl, Cali Rae- bucking the lights out.  I figure there are going to be folks out there who are not familiar with bucking bred cattle and so am posting this entry to make sure you all know that these animals are not made to buck, they are bred to buck and then treated so well that they feel wonderful, and demonstrate their athletic abilities with little encouragement.

 Cali Rae is the first calf to be born here are the 4B Ranch.  That was two and a half years ago now.  The photo in the Jan 22, 09 newsletter was taken at Buckin Buckley last June when we bucked all our unbred females to make sure they had the athletic ability and temprament for this sport.  They had only a flank rope looped around their hips, which they were easily able to kick off in 6 seconds.

 Professionally, only bulls are bucked as females are more valuable for breeding. They have two ropes placed around them, neither fastened both looped and the rider has one in his hand- it comes off when he lets go.  The flank rope like you see in the picture of Cali is fastened with a loop with a couple of inches of slack in it when pulled.  If itis too tight it usually discourages bucking.  Some bulls do best without a flank.  You have to know your animal to get the best performance.

 If anyone has questions about the sport or care of bucking bred cattle, feel free to contact me or add a comment here.  We don't use whip, cattle prods, drugs or beating on our animals.  They are our companions and we love them and their amazing athletics.

When you live in Northern Michigan, everyone from rancher to bull suffers a bit of cabin fever come January.  We all start looking for things to do that are compatible with snow to entertain ourselves, get some exercise and have a few laughs.  Our herd sire,  Time Bandit seems to have decided to take up bobsledding for his winter activity.  He says he is thinking of trying out for the Olympics if he can get enough of the other cows interested.

Last week I was cleaning the manure and dirty straw out of the herd's shed and getting ready to place fresh bedding straw down.  I put some hay out for the herd to lure them out of the shed so I could get at it with the pitchfork.  I heard a noise and looked up to see Time Bandit running towards the mouth of the shed.  My skid that we use to haul straw and hay was sitting right in the entry way where I'd parked it after emptying it.  I realized I was not going to be able to get out of the shed before he arrived at the entrance so I plastered myself up against the side of the shack and prepared for impact.

Bandit made the entrance at a full charge.  He jumped into the air, landed with all four feet in the skid and sat down with his legs stretched out infront of him.  He karoomed through the shed in the skid, whizzing past me and hit the far end of the structure, flew out, landed on all four feet, then stood there looking mighty proud of his grand entrance.  He had the biggest smile on his face.  He thought it was a heck of a good time.  And the sight of this 1200 pound animal cutting up pretty much made my day too.