Amazing how smart they are. About 10 years ago I went to Long Island and got a female border collie that was 3 years old. She lived with a family and too much energy for them. Drove the 8 hours round trip on a Sat and got her home about 10pm. Took her to back field on a leash in case she ran away, that way wouldn't get hit by car since she was a city dog and didn't know any better. She stayed by me and never had a leash on her again. Within a week she was interested in cattle in pasture and would sort of pace the gate where they were. Within a month she was going into the field and rounding up cattle to bring into barn! All of this from a dog that never even saw a cow until I got her at age 3, and little to no help from me. Except encouraging her to do what came natural to her...
I'd like to be able to let my cows graze on the corn stalks after the corn is shelled, but those fields have no fences, and the deer are just too hard on electric fences.
James, we prize the winter grazing as much as summer grass.
I was able to rotate my pastures throughout the year, and as a result, am still grazing some good green fescue and clover. I have yet to feed hay, and probably won't until December.
Spilt corn, knocked down corn, the corn stalks and husks themselves, grass is terraces and field borders. Unless we get a deep snow that covers up everything I will get by till Jan/Feb on stalk fields.
Not a red or white faced cow in the bunch. Black sells best I guess? I've heard they don't sunburn on the udder like Herefords do when the sun reflects off the snow.