Cattle are really stupid! We cleaned off the bridge across Muddy Creek last week. There was a couple of inches of dirt of probably 80% cow leavings. I was concerned that it might not be good for the wood planks. Now the cattle won't cross on their daily trip back and forth in the hope that the grass is better on the other side. We were on our way out in the new (old) truck, and came upon 8 or 10 of them standing around on the house side of the bridge in obvious confusion. Something seemed wrong to them, In the meantime a couple of bulls decided to butt heads in dangerous proximity to the grill of the new (old) truck. One of them backed into it and I was sure the grill was toast, but all was well & they one at a time went past us & back up the road. Now I see them do the same thing every day. They walk down to the bridge, stand around and moo, then decide to go back up the road. I'll try throwing some straw on the planks & maybe that will help them decide that it's safe. I wouldn't care, except that there is only room there for one truck and one cow to pass, and not enough room for a cattle jam.
Does anybody know where I can get a couple of shmoos to breed? I hear they are more accommodating and might be easier to manage.
I like to believe the Valley of the Shmoon has not been paved over a feral pack still roams free.
ReplyDeleteI think the Shmoo was declared an invasive species and we shot by the Department of the Interior. Some were kept in captivity but biologist at the Portland Zoo killed the last two by accident. They were two busy Tweeting about the new Wolf exhibit that they forgot to tell the non-english speaking zoo keepers to bring them in one evening and a hungry homeless man looked at them with longing.
ReplyDeleteHe said they tasted like Thunderbird. It was all hushed up as Oregon is a "fine wine" state and Thunderbird is of course a fortified wine.
My grandmother had a horse that wouldn't cross a plank bridge after one of the planks was replaced. The new plank of a slightly different color than the remaining old ones just didn't fit the horse's idea of a bridge to be walked across.
ReplyDeleteHard to say whether it is the sight of the clean planks or the sound of their hooves directly on the wood that has your cows spooked. Can they see daylight through the planks? That might do it too.
The compacted cow leavings probably had excellent properties for sealing the wood planks from moisture and protecting them from wear and tear.
Thanks for the help. Actually, as wet as it is here in the winter, the mud never had a chance to dry out, so the planks were kept damp. Now they can air dry. I'll try some hay or the corn idea. Or maybe some cheap brown paint.
DeleteWhat I'd do is take a 5 gallon bucket of corn and pour it out running down the center of the bridge from one side to the other.
ReplyDelete