More Bull! With Manners Please…
I was going to do a Wordless Wednesday pic series.
Then I realised that I don’t do wordless very well.
And it’s not Wednesday.
So I didn’t.
…
You all got me thinking, with your reaction last post to this shot…
You got me wondering if perhaps it did seem like I was putting my darling daughter at risk, amongst such enormous, powerful bovines? But then I realised that there were a number of factors exacerbating the situation as seen above (isn’t exacerbating a great word? And if I’ve used it wrong, please don’t email me. Mum’ll do it for you.)…
The first is the angle of the photo.
TLW was actually on a road about 10 metres behind this bull.
(I know I sound a bit Steve Irwin during the Baby Bob & croc incident, but it’s true!)
…
The second is the location.
This was in our house paddock of a few acres, not in a yard (or pen), so the bull had plenty of places to go other than near my little girl. If he could be bothered. Which this one couldn’t. He was happy just having a look.
…
The third is the nature of the bulls.
This is the most important aspect really, and hard to show in a photo.
Or maybe not.You see, temperament is really important to us in our bulls. We work with cattle. (I say we as a general all-encompassing term here. It’s mostly the boys, sometimes with my SIL in the saddle too, and occasionally me. And the kids. The kids love the cattlework.)
…
Actually, all cattle enterprises require people to work with cattle. (You didn’t need me to tell you that though!). And while I am no expert on bovine behaviour… well, it just seems vital to me that you have cattle that have manners. Animals that behave as you would want a 1000kg animal to behave around you. Calmly, carefully and with some manners.
So you need to choose your bulls carefully. Right from when they are young. We watch them whenever we are in contact with them. At branding. In the paddock, on their mums. At weaning. In the yards when we handle them.
They need to learn not to eat the lavendar when they break into the houseyard.(I’ve just recently added this to the Bull Must-Do Manners list!)
Little cows and bulls must learn to be calm and orderly when we walk them out to their paddock.
Otherwise how can a couple of people on horses and a few dogs get more than 100 animals to walk 12km in the same direction? Through thickly timbered hills and past other cattle? Manners…
They need to know if they do the right thing, the water and tucker will be there waiting for them. So we need our bovines to not fear, but respect us.
Because even the biggest and sternest of us, is way smaller than them.
And the smallest of us…
Well…
.
Yeah.
She can probably take care of herself!
Here endeth the Bull Manners Lesson 101.
9 Comments
Jayne
LOL
I still love your bulls 😉
dayphoto
This is my first visit to you, and I am so glad I stopped by!
I love your blog! I love your land! And your little girl is beautiful!
LindaGay
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Pencil Writer
I promise that TLW’s look in the last pic would probably be enough to stop one of your bovines (and a few people I can imagine) if they ever forgot their manners! Lovely post. Great animals. And I do love how you sort your animals and teach them for their good natures.
Out here in the US (and I suppose Spain, perhaps) bulls are known more for their untoward attitudes. (Is untoward a word?) The bullriders in Western rodeos really seem to be taking their lives in their hands in those events! I know I witnessed one bull so cranky that he nearly jumped into the judges booth after throwing his rider! It was pretty scary, I tell you! His front legs were hooked momentarily over the fence or whatever barrier there was. Plus, which I think is kind of insane, bullriders–I think– prod the bulls with their spurs “to get a better ride” or points for their ride or something. Kind of counter intuitive to may way of thinking. But I’m not exactly a thrill-seeker!
As usual, love your wonderful, educational, pictoral posts!
Pencil Writer
Oooop! Not “may way” but “my way” of thinking. (Whenever I’m actually thinking!
Jenni
The photo of TLW riding past the bull the other day did make me catch my breath just a little, but I could tell she was beyond the bull a ways. I also knew you wouldn’t just sit there taking photos if she was in any danger. I think the image that many people have of bulls is from rodeos and bullfights or the running of the bulls. They forget that those bulls are put in a setting which is unnatural for them and that often they are goaded into behaving that way. I’m sure you’re still careful around your bulls. As you said, they are a lot bigger. I’m careful around our horses, too, just because their size demands a little respect and caution. What you’ve said about breeding, selection, and handling of your cattle is very interesting though. I never knew those things were a consideration, but it makes perfect sense.
Debby
I love that your bulls are raised with manners. The bulls that I’ve had experience with were a bit wild and ill mannered. I just thought that all bulls were like that. I like learning new ways of thinking. I’ve talked it over with other beef people.
Oh. And guess what? I met a kelpie today. He was quite taken with my ball throwing ability. He was the loveliest dog, beautiful brown eyes, beautifully marled. And I thought of ‘Mine’.
Debby
Oh, and one other thing…all the nice pictures of your bulls. Know what? Your daughter fits right in. She looks a little bull headed too.
dykewife
i should have realized that your little one wasn’t riding through the paddock. it’s hard enough to ride a trike on a gravel road not to mention a grass tufted field.
it’s an excellent photo for promoting your bulls actually. can you think of a better advert for gentle polite cattle than a bull placidly watching a tot ride through?
rhubarbwhine
Hey BB, just wanted to say I have loved your bull posts. No bull. I used to work on apig farm (bet ya didn;t know that) where they also ran cattle and sheep and loved the cows. Especially their faces and lovely love lorn eyes. (see, cow nuts). I took 66 prep kids to a farm on Wednesday (yes, I know) and the highlight for me was the cows. Again.