Hen-Gen
Well-known member
I’ve agreed to help a neighbour next Monday to push 51 cattle through a race so the vet can take blood samples to test for TB and Johnes Disease. I Ihope they’ve all been dehorned! ???
In a rash moment
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rick
Active member
I've never done anything like that. I should think steel toecap shoes would be a must have bit of kit!
I hope they're not Highland cattle, Hen-Gen.
Hen-Gen
Well-known member
Actually Diane about six of them are. Three are Shetlands, ten are Black Galloway and the remainder are Beef Shorthorns. My earlier comment was jocular because I know the Galloway are naturally polled (hornless) but the others all have horns. And to add to the danger two of them are bulls. Generally though cows without calves are placid. Bulls, on the other hand, must ALWAYS be treated with caution. Whenever I hear a farmer say ‘my bulls completely docile’ I add under my breath ‘so far’.
As an aside our own five Belted Galloway cows are completely placid. But just one of them, when she has had a calf, turns into the beast from hell. To go into her field is a hazardous experience. I want to send her to the Bovril factory but my cow partner won’t hear of it and as he does all the management I just think ‘well, on your head be it’ ? And he’s young enough to run and leap over fences.
As an aside our own five Belted Galloway cows are completely placid. But just one of them, when she has had a calf, turns into the beast from hell. To go into her field is a hazardous experience. I want to send her to the Bovril factory but my cow partner won’t hear of it and as he does all the management I just think ‘well, on your head be it’ ? And he’s young enough to run and leap over fences.
bigyetiman
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Good luck Hen-Gen. I remember vividly helping OH with 100 cattle of a farmer who had his cattle on a local nature reserve. The cattle were a right bad tempered mix of cattle mostly with horns and one actually leapt out of the corral before getting to the race. I had the bruise from a kick from one for weeks
Interesting herd composition, Hen-Gen. I believe Highland Cattle are generally placid. We have photographed them from quite close up both in Yorkshire and on the island where they are free to roam like the sheep and they have just ignored us. Mind you, I wouldn't fancy those horns anywhere near me. I like Belted Galloways too and we used to walk through fields of them in Yorkshire but they never bothered us. I'm sure you will be OK! 
