Moo-ving Down The Field

As I mentioned the other day, there are cattle and horse farms in the vicinity of our house. What I didn't say was that our neighborhood sits on what used to be cattle pastures, and our yard actually backs up to pastures that are still in use. Every couple of weeks, the "girls" and their calves grace the fields behind our house.

I love to watch the cows and calves when they're in the field. There is a group dynamic that is hard to explain. However, if you watch long enough, you know which cows are the leaders, and which are the followers. There are a few that are quite boisterous, mooing when they see the farmer or something else that gets their attention. The calves are quite playful and like to chase each other while their mothers keep an eye on them. If it's hot, they spend time in the shade (You can see the tree line behind the calf.). In the afternoon, they all head to the pond for a drink. When the farmer drives into the field, they all run after his truck.

The adult cows are not too thrilled when I walk my dogs in the backyard. They'll run away from the fence if we get too close. The calves, however, are a little braver and quite curious. While they don't walk up to the fence, they will stand and stare at us. I have a feeling they're wondering what kind of miniature cows I'm walking on those leashes.