Beef for Fall

If he makes it that long!

 Mildred is in heat. Mildred is very loudly telling anyone who will listen, that she is in heat. Mildred is adamant that being in heat is a horrible imposition that needs to be taken care of.

Toothless is a bull. If there was ever any doubt in anyone's mind, it's now passed. Toothless is a bull. Toothless is territorial and cranky. He's pushing everyone around. And he wants Mildred.

Yesterday morning we found him in the chicken pen with Mildred. Mindy was there too. I don't know which one of them demolished the fence, or if it was a team effort. We cut more trees and nailed them to the fence posts. The wire is trashed. I doubt we'll be able to straighten it out even after the snow melts.

There are no decent sized trees left to build with in easy reach of the fence.  That means we'll have to haul trees through the snow from behind the house for the next repair.  Which made the 5" of fresh snow we got yesterday all the more appreciated.  Not.

 #2 put the rope halter on him and half dragged him, half dodged out of his way, all the way back to the pasture gate.

If it wasn't for the snow slowing him down when he tried charging, somebody would have been hurt.  I'm hoping he'll settle down in a couple of days when Mildred comes out of heat.  Then we'll only have to put up with this nonsense for a few days each month.  If he doesn't, we may be doing some spring butchering.

Which means we'll have to buy another bull for breeding this fall.

And if he knocked Mildred up, we're looking at a January calf.  January 15th, when it's likely to be snowing and blowing, and forty below.  I was not planning to be milking in January.

However, the odds of Dorie and Mindy being pregnant have increased considerably.  He may be little, but he obviously knows how to get the job done.

And Nelly...  is playing mind games, I think.  She's still red and swollen, but otherwise not showing any intent of delivering that baby any time soon.  She is enjoying the spa treatment in the chicken pen, munching on the grain that Mildred doesn't finish, snuggling with her Mama at night.  I keep telling her it's fine if she want to keep that baby in until the grass starts growing, but seriously, if she doesn't pop that baby out soon we're going to stop doing the late night/early morning check ups, and then she'll be on her own. 

Which might be her plan.  Cause you know, I only ever get to see babies born when they get stuck on the way out and I have to assist.