Good Cow, Bad Cow

There I was, just trying to be nice. I've been spending the past few days working my hind-end off, trying to get a new pasture fenced in ESPECIALLY for the two Jersey milk cows.

The IMPATIENT Jersey milk cows.....

They see the goats and the two yearlings out in the nice, green grass, and want to be part of the action. Can't really BLAME them, but they need to slow down and take a look at the bigger picture. If they just cool their hooves a few more days, they'll be out enjoying the new grass - and it will have grown up a lot higher by then.

I thought I had 'splained it to them, real nice, like.

Well, this morning, I grab my milk pail, head out the door, and see THIS:


Mabel happily chomping on grass in the side yard. I let out a "soft" yell - "MABEL! WHAT are you DOING"?

I must have startled her. She jumped up, went to her knees in the grass, stood up and gave me a NASTY glare. Evidently, she had her face so far into the grass, she didn't hear the door open or close, even though it was only 25' away. This is the same cow who can be at the far end of the pasture - 350' feet away - and hear the same door open, then look up to see if I'm headed to the barn to feed her. Go figure....

Anyhow, I KNOW they were both in the pasture by the barn last night, so I went to the gate to see if it had been molested. Sure enough, it appeared that Mabel had somehow managed to step, climb, or fly over it. I found the suspect's hoof prints in the soft, just rained on, ground. I fastened another panel above the one I had there, to make a gate so high, I can't get over it.

Mabel knew she'd been had, so calmly walked toward the barn to get fed breakfast.

Things got worse during our morning milking excursion. Mabel actually KICKED at me!

It MIGHT have something to do with me calling her "Daisy"....

Mental Note - No matter the species, it is NOT a good idea to call them another female's name while fondling their breasts.....

During all this, Daisy was being a good girl. She stayed in the pen where she belonged. I wasn't sure if it was just because she was being good, or just not smart enough to follow Mabel's lead.

After chores and breakfast (mine), I settled in to building a real - and taller - gate. There was NO way Mabel would get out over THIS one! So, I'm hard at work in the barn, cutting wood, drilling holes, tightening bolts - and I am about 90% done with the gate, when I hear Daisy start in with a bunch of loud mooing. She occasionally gives a bunch of soft, under her breath calls, but this was LOUD! It sounded like something was definitely wrong.

I decided that I had better investigate, in case something WAS wrong. When I got outside the barn, I found Daisy in the pen where she belongs, but staring over the fence. I followed her nose and saw Mabel's hind end about 300' away - behind the house. She was having a good ole time, until Daisy ratted on her.

I looked to the gate I had "fixed" and saw it still like I had left it. Obviously the hoof prints in the mud were a decoy. I had to find the real escape route, so it could be closed off. So, I headed out for another round up, then did a tour of the barn yard to see where she was getting out.

Oddly, I found that old Mabel was a smart cookie. She had circled her shed, squeezed through a small gate I had open for the goats when they were in there, crossed the barn yard, went through another small gate, passed through part of a pen beside the barn, through ANOTHER small gate, up a small passage way with several Walnut trees, into the hay field, followed the fence along the hay for about 150' to the lane, then headed down the lane to the driveway, and back to the yard by the house. She took a round about journey of about 1/8 mile, and passed within about 30' of the front of the barn (and where she started).

I closed all the gates, and snookered her (so far).

During all this, Daisy stayed right where she was supposed to. Of course, there is the deal where she was a "tattle-tail" on her big sister....

I think I'll let it pass, though.