Matt was checking out the blog tonight, to see what I’ve been posting.
“I don’t see any cow pictures on the blog.”
So here you go, cow pictures. These gals were standing around in the cattle shed gossiping when I trekked out on my duck hunt yesterday. (Yes, that’s our sorry old cattle shed. Stop laughing. I can hear you laughing!)
From left to right is Missus Hamilton (an 11-year-old cow), Pretty Girl (an 8-year-old cow), and one of the twin Herefords (a 6-year-old cow).
The rest of the herd (and Star) was hanging out around the bale feeder. Right now they’re finishing off a cornstalk bale. When Matt goes out they start mooing, griping to him about making them eat cornstalks. But they just stared at me. They know I’m of no use to them.
And then they went back to ignoring me.
Matt alternates hay bales with cornstalk bales to stretch our feed budget a bit. Just for the breeding stock, though. Feeder calves are all hay, all the time. But about 4 weeks before calving the cows will go back to all hay, all the time. They’ll need the nourishment for that last month of gestation and subsequent nursing duties.
Maybe this is more of a Matt question, but do the cattle really grouse about getting cornstalks instead of hay? I realize corn is a grass too, but is it the texture? I know my Grandpa would finish his stockers by turning them onto harvested corn fields.
I really was not laughing at the cow shed. hehe.
Oh Poo your cow shed is just fine. So is your corn crib. You have a beautiful place!! You just need a hundred more acres eh? 😀 As we all do. Here’s my two cents on Haymakers questions. Cows can certianly tell the difference between alfalfa and corn stalks. Alfalfa is like a nice bowl of stew and corn stalks are like a cracker. Goats are worse, they would be offended by cornstalks. lol
P.S. I recognise a cow in the back ground in the second pic.:D
haymaker – they really do moo and complain, but only when Matt’s out there. They’re as bad as dogs. They know when it’s 4:00. When Matt pulls in from work the feeder calves are lined up at the gate waiting for their corn!