Posted on 03/18/2013 7:02:40 PM PDT by One Name
I was on my way home today when my mom texted me that my dad's next younger brother had died of surgical complications. He was a great guy, took over my granddad's gun business, solid dude all the way.
Pulled into the drive wanting to get more info and noticed something awry in the cow lot. The cows are still on hay welfare as it has not warmed up enough to spring the incipient grass up, though they are starting to pick around a bit for something fresh and green.
One of my oldest cows, the last full-blood Texas Longhorn was dead, hung up in a feeder she's manipulated all winter. Must have slipped and fell and wore herself out, heavy with calf. She's like 19 (Longhorns can give you a calf for 20+ years, most European cattle are getting worn at 10 or so.
My goal over the last 2 decades has been to raise a fairly closed herd of longhorn/angus/hereford crossbreds that are disease-resistant, calve easy and raise polled black white-face calves that grow on grass with little maintenance or extra input. No hormones or implants, no grain (til they go to feedlot) etc.
The gist of this whole story is that when a close-knit herd of cattle loses one of their own, especially a matriarch- they do some weird mourning.
They do a low, gutteral bellering, hold their heads low and make strange noises, nudge the dead cow as if to challenge her, jump around, fight each other and so on.
Here in western society we try to contain all our emotions at funerals; we tend to shy away from excessive travail and emotion. No one wants to "lose it" at a funeral.
It's all just weird to me today. Next time I'll film it; maybe it's better to let it all out when it happens...
You’ve had a really crap day.
You’re in my prayers tonight.
Prayers for you and your family :)
I think your reverie was beautiful.
God bless.
When the first nuke was set off in NM, a herd of Herford cattle was accidentally exposed to the radiation.
Over the next 20 years the cows were watched and notes taken. One old cow, OLD GRANNY, who had several radiation burns, dropped I believe it was 19 perfectly normal calves. Only one calf died.
This was from an article in PROGRESSIVE FARMER back in the early 1960s.
***They do a low, gutteral bellering, hold their heads low and make strange noises,***
A friend of mine killed a cow for beef. He shot her, cut her throat and butchered her in the pasture.
Four months later he released new cows into that pasture. When the cows passed the spot where he had butchered the cow they immediately went into this panic mode with low bellering and pawing the ground where the cow had been bled out.
I went to a co-worker’s funeral a few days ago. I was shocked when I saw him in the coffin as he was younger than me. Many of us there miss him.
I also miss another dear co-worker who also was younger than me, and died of cancer. he had his whole life ahead of him but died so young.
i understand completely about the whole thing, believe me. This was beautiful.
(P.S. admirable breeding program)
(P.P.S.: I’m sorry about your brother. We don’t need to lose any more like that.)
Thanks, Friend!
Ya he was my dad’s middle brother, my uncle. Never got to spend enough time with him as we moved around be he was always composed and cool.
Prayers going up and hugs going out.
Yes, there is a spiritual awareness animals have that we humans have been programmed to no longer receive, IMHO.
Thank you! May Our Lord Bless you as well. The older I get, the more barges in tow, the more I realize what is really important.
I think you’ve had MORE than just a crappy day. Prayers up. Take care.
Thanks! Been on the phone and kind of jumping around. God Bless you!
Been on phone,etc. Thanks so much!
I’m so sorry for your loss.
The sun was out today- it could have been worse!
Thanks and God Bless you!
Ya it’s a weird deal...
They definitely have a sense that something transitional has occurred.
So sorry to hear about your very bad day. It hurts to lose a favorite old friend, human or animal, in the pasture or anywhere. We raise cattle and have a few longhorns and Watusi’s but have never witnessed the behavior you describe.
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