of the herd’s skittish behavior. Many a hide was damaged beyond commercial value due to the amount of holes and scarring caused by the fly eating its way out. I can remember watching the head cowman pressing out large maggots prematurely and killing them. I later was to do the same thing.
Working with animals, especially large ones, farmers and stockmen run the risk of a dangerous encounter but the biggest risk of all is now very much reduced. The use of artificial insemination means far fewer bulls are kept and the old sign of “beware of the bull”, useful also in keeping casual trespassers at bay is now not often, if ever, seen. I for one would never enter a field in which there are cattle without a good stick and I would certainly never trust a bull. Do not misunderstand me, I am not frightened of them, just cautious. I could not have lived the life I have if I were. I have known dairy farmers, a rancher is very unlikely to do so, claim that a particular bull had such a nice placid temperament that they would enter dear old Ferdinand’s box or paddock without any form of protection. I have also known at least one such confident chap proudly showing his bull to a friend suddenly finding himself on his back and looking up at something resembling an irate black and white buffalo. Fortunately his companion had a good strong stick. He never made that mistake again.
It is this time of the year that the cattle which have been kept in yards or sheds where they have been fed daily during the winter are turned out to grass. Their joy at feeling turf under their feet again is such that the most staid dairy cow may well lift up her heels with a display of bucking and perhaps tearing up the grass with hoof and horn that would do justice to a Western rodeo steer. While being fed in the yard they will have become accustomed to a human being distributing feed so it is reasonable for them to think any thing on two legs, especially if it is carrying a load or a rucksack on its back, is going to give them a handout. This will, of course, trigger a rush to get their noses down and scoff as much as they can before any other. A stockman, should he feel they are crowding him too much, will wave his stick in a menacing manner and with a few well chosen words tell them to get back.
He will never turn his back on them and certainly not run away for should he do so they would almost certainly follow him in a more than playful frame of mind and if he were to trip and fall a very nasty situation could follow. Should one or more ramblers with packs on their backs stray into the vision of such recently liberated beasts they are likely to bring thoughts of food into their
MARCH 2012 v FOUR SHIRES 63
minds for they will remember it being delivered by similar two legged creatures.
It is not only newly turned out cattle that are likely to behave in this manner. Dog walkers are frequently at risk especially when letting their charges off the lead near any mob of cattle, for unless they are trained to walk steadily at heel, and very few are, the dog will not be able to resist the temptation of closer investigation. Likewise the cattle will want to investigate a strange animal or animals that may turn out to be threatening. This is often too much for most dogs who will turn round and run back to their handler often followed by the now intensely interested cattle. The faster the dog or dogs run to what they imagine is the safety offered by the handler – who, if inexperienced will themselves feel threatened, turn round and run blindly away. A fall at this time could be catastrophic. An experienced person will stand their ground, wave their stick and using as loud a voice as they can muster will tell the mob their fortune. The mob of course will not understand a word but with luck it will know from the tone and past experience that a good clout could be in the offing if they persist.
When I made my living by ranching cattle I always told my stockmen and any assistant manager I had “never turned and run from man or beast” not always easy - I know. While I have known many an aged stockman who could no longer move rapidly, their experience and expertise made it possible for them to work amongst cattle often seeming to exert a calming influence on them. It was useful for most of us to be quick witted and nimble footed.
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