White Gloves and Party Manners – 2

We thought Wooz’ post on our “finishing school grads” was worth a picture.  She is certainly right (she taught me well, too) that visitors are quick to pick up on two things about our herd:  the obvious good health and vitality of the cows and how approachable they are.

Veteran cattlemen can’t believe they can walk right up to our animals without them bolting, or at least shying away.  In fact, if you don’t approach our cows, they will approach you with a sniff or even a lick.

Keeping the herd in a “mob”…that is grazing close together…has improved their sociability.  So has moving them every day to fresh grass.  But Wooz goes one step further: talking to the cows, complimenting their babies, their haircoats, even discussing the kind of day it is.  Seems silly to me but it may be that they can hear the love in her voice and  sense that here is someone who truly cares about their well-being.

So here’s how we start the day each morning:  Wooz removing the electric wire to permit access to the fresh grass and the cows, who have been waiting patiently right there for perhaps an hour, moving quietly through, accepting their praise.