The Bovine Bugle

Youngsters get first taste of freedom out on the grass

Today we turned out 12 young heifers and steers that had never been out before. It's always fun to see animals out in the pasture when they don't have a clue with what to do with their freedom. We lead them from the barn, up the road about three or four hundred feet, and put them in a special paddock for first-timers. After pushing their noses into the woven wire fence so they have some clue of what a fence is, we take the halter off and let'em go.

This group of twelve lead exceptionally well out of the barn and up the road. Usually one or two we have to practically drag all the way. As soon as the halter was off, each animal ran into the paddock, kicking up its heels. A couple ran headlong into the woven wire fence, but we have it reinforced so they didn't go through the fence. The rest of the day they spent checking out all the amenities: the bedded shelter, the grain feeder, and the stock tank full of water.

Amy, a Red Angus heifer, managed to get through the fence and into the next paddock. Yukon and I went out and drove her down to the gate separating the two paddocks, opened the gate, and she went through as if she had been doing it all summer. Sometimes an animal will just refuse to go through a gate opening no matter what you do to try and coax it through. What a joy to see more of our animals out on grass. And it makes it easier to get Justin down to the youngstock barn to do the chores since the barn is half empty now.

--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont

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Posted by Blogger Chris at May 18, 2005 03:42 PM