“I’m so big….

….you don’t even want to think about it.  (I hope)

 That’s the message Carolina Hobo is sending to two younger bulls as they return to the bull pasture after being gone for a few months “on assignment”.  He is displaying his massive side view in hopes it will discourage any thoughts in the youngsters of trying to challenge his dominance.

If you click on the picture to enlarge, you’ll see Double Trouble looking suitably impressed.

Animal behavior expert Temple Grandin first pointed out just what was going on here.  Both bulls and cows establish a pecking order, and whenever a new animal joins the herd, even if they’ve been there before, it’s necessary to get a fast understanding of just who is in charge.

With cows it can become a lengthy battle, with several taking part in charging at either other, or butting or simply pushing.

We don’t know, but maybe it’s because when bulls fight someone can get seriously hurt, that they’ve developed this technique of swelling up, like schoolboys on the playground.  Hobo was telling the two younger bulls they may now have some experience, but in this pasture he is “The Man”.  They did take a few charges at him but, for now, and to mix our metaphors, Hobo still rules the roost.

Some years back, when we were beginning to raise Devon with our Angus herd, we did have a younger, smaller Devon bull kill a larger Angus bull.  He apparently did a feint and moved quickly enough to lift the larger animal in the air…their necks of course are massive…and when the Angus crashed to the ground he suffered great internal injury as well as a broken hip.

That same Devon bull is still a pussy cat around humans.