Hay Net Warning

[kansasdexters]

Well, Murphy's Law was in full force today. I put our herd sire, O'Bannon's Brogan, in the barn lot today and hung a hay net, full of brome hay, in the barn for him to eat.

Brogan has a lovely set of white horns with black tips, and within 30 minutes he'd managed to tangle the hay net cords into his horns and he was pulling with all his bull strength on the hay net which was hanging from a center column in our old barn. I just happened to walk back into the barn and see the column moving a bit, then realize it had a bull attached to it.

No choice, I had to get it off of him and quick. So, I walked into the stall and he immediately stopped pulling and stared at me with his soft eyes. I spoke softly to him, "good boy", then grabbed the hay net and slide it back off one horn and then the other. He never moved, he just stood there and let me take the hay net off of him. What a relief, I'm so glad that we have Dexters!

The hay net is now banished from the barn. Horns and hay nets do not mix, lesson learned.

Patti

[J & M Chambers]

Hi Patti, good advice there. Glad that your bull and barn all remain in good order.

Reminded me of an incident we had here a couple years ago. Big Mac managed to get out - who amongs us forgot to adequately close the gate is still up for debate - and found his way to the barn and a nice large, wide mouthed barrel of oats. Fortunately it was almost empty but Big Mac wanted to make sure - pure conjecture as no one was there when it occurred.

Later in the afternoon, noticing the gate to the bull pasture open and no bull in sight I sauntered into the barn and came upon a bull standing on a slightly elevated platform hay mow with a barrel firmly affixed over his horns covering his head completely.

Thinking at the time this might prove interesting and I should likely proceed cautiously, I spoke "Whoa Dude" which brought a slight swivel of the bull's head, with barrel attached, to bear on me as if there were holes for him to see through. Upon another "Whoa Dude" the barrel on the bulls head swivels back to the front position and more effort to get that last oat was obviously taking place.

One more "Whoa Dude" when I got on the mow and I was again in "line" of sight of the bull with a barrel on his head. Thinking perhaps it was not stuck I proceeded to tug gently on the barrel with no effect. With a lot more "whoa Duding" occuring I tug again and again ever more firmly. Finally the barrel comes off and I stumble back. Dude looks at me for a moment blinking and then rumages the floor for that last darn oat!

Yes indeed, so glad we have Dexters.

Jeff