Bovine Babysitting, Plus Update on Strawberry

It has always interested me when I see cattle act in a manner similar to humans.  Or should we describe ourselves as the "human animal?"

I am feeding hay in the barn now, even though the grass has sprouted.  With the onset of cold weather it will stay nice and green, but growth will nearly cease.  Not entirely, but almost so.  Thus the cattle need some supplemental feed to maintain body condition and health.

Manners at the bovine table are non-existent.  Pushing, crowding, butting, and even standing in the manger are all tactics for obtaining what an animal determines as their fair share of hay.  When cattle line up at the feeder side by side, there is no room for the calves among the much larger adult animals.

It is not unusual to see a few calves standing behind the cows, safely out of the way from being stepped on.  They would munch on hay as a novelty, but their primary source of nourishment is still milk, and Momma is eating hay to provide that for her calf.

Sometimes calves are even intentionally left outside the barn.  A single calf, one that is fairly young, maybe in the first week, will be left curled up behind a tree or rock, or near a fence-line to wait Mother's return.

But if there are a group of three or four calves, they won't be left alone.  Take, for example, this gathering of calves yesterday morning.

One cow, baby-sitting four calves, including her own.
Her calf is the black-white-faced calf near her left shoulder.

Three of these calves are not hers.  I have no clue how it was decided for her to be the designee in this baby-sitting task, but she is obviously doing something intentionally.  The other cattle are in the barn, munching merrily away on Alfalfa hay.  These four calves are staying safely out of the way, "hanging out" with the other calves, being watched over by this cow.  

The clouds were breaking away, and it was a pretty nice day.
But this cow still missed out on the hay, as she watched over the calves.

Will this cow go to hay this morning, and another be designated baby-sitter?  Who knows?  I'll watch though.

Strawberry, Dandy, and Shiplay (our horses) seem to be getting along reasonably well.  Dandy is not about to allow Strawberry into the barn yet, for that is where "his" hay is fed.  She might get some of what is his, and he couldn't have that!  

It was nearly dark the last time I looked toward the barn last evening, and it appeared, in the gathering dusk, as if Strawberry were actually standing at the door of the barn.  I couldn't see the other two, so assumed they were inside.  But just allowing her to stand in the door without chasing her a safe distance away, is an improvement.  

I expect this defensiveness will dissipate over a few days, and they will get used to being in the same space.