At home

[Rod]

My new pair of oxen had a day of freedom yesterday because I left the latch to their pen open just before I left for a cattle delivery in northern VT. Marilyn was away for the day also so the boys had a free day to roam with no one to catch them. They have only been here a week and could have done some serious traveling but confined their explorations to pretty much the area around the barns. You can’t hide your tracks in mud season. Got into the Donkeys grain bag and ate a little second cut hay they found but otherwise didn’t get into much trouble.
When I got home in the late afternoon they were standing in the gateway to the barn yard with a “what do we do next look at me”. I walked over and opened the outside gate to their pen area, said ” come on boys ” and in they walked.
Amazing for me and heart warming. Just like a couple of kids playing in the yard and they didn’t go anywhere. Just stuck around the barn yard until I got home to let them back in. Made me think they are already at home here and also that they are looking to me for leadership and direction. And that they are not very adventuresome. Maybe they will be good standers while I work around them. That would please me to no end.

[jen judkins]

That IS a nice story! Its a good feeling when you know your animals prefer to stick around and not leave.

[Vicki]

A great story, Rod. You gotta love a calm pair of oxen. Their driving ambition is just to find the best nearby thing to eat.

This has enhanced your relationship with them!

Let the incident remind us all to death-proof our properties as much as possible: lock up all grain and feed concentrates and chemicals and fertilizers with cattle-proof latches on the feedbox, cans, doors. On the family cow site, there seems almost weekly a sad incident of a dead or nearly dead cow from having gotten into the grain.

[Author]

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