i dream of a place.....

Calfs do love to be with there own kind...and it is the best thing for them...however I do not think SAINTS should go out& rescue another calf for this reason alone. I will once again mention pasture management & we already have too many grazing animals for the amount of space.

I agree with Janice, that how we treat them is in direct relation to how they treat us. Halter training was thought about & we even went & got a halter...mostly it is the time required that is missing. I will try to start doing 20 minute sessions with him this week-end.

I worry a bit about Gideon & even Ellie as Percy grows his weight alone can seroiusly hurt Gideon if he tried to mount him... Gideons back-end is weakened with arthritis & plain old age. Perhaps we need to segragate the herd & keep Percy with the Carl & the sheep .....

they are bonded janice, quit worrying, he isn't going anywhere. saying i might consider it means i might think about it if it was a matter of life and death and then you do things you never do, like splitting up friends to keep someone alive. but since it is not a matter of life or death at this point, i am just trying to find ways to help me manage him here now before we hit a crises and he weighs 1000 pounds..

so to clarify for everyone... one at this point, sending percy anywhere (sanctuary or new home) at this time is not an option that we need to explore.
truly,i just want the little shit to play nice and since he is a very nice and sweet calf, we should be able to get there with him.

Thanks for clarifying that Carol. I agree if there is any danger he would be be sent for slaughter he has to stay at SAINTS.

I thought Elli and Percy were bonded??

chris...he does keep these old girls because he likes them, and a couple of them have died naturally at his farm...but he almost shipped the young 2 yr old steer calf he kept last year for breaking fences...he didn't in the end cuz 5 strand barb wire is currently holding him. but...he is a farmer, and if the steer causes more trouble then he is gone. he is a very nice and very good and very practical man and he is a farmer which is where alot of his goodness comes from...still practicality and common sense wins out always with farmers...which is not a chance i want to take with percy cuz i promised him more than that. i might consider another sanctuary with more experience for him, but the fellow who runs the one in alberta is getting quite elderly and he won't outlive percy.

I think all animals need to be with there own kind and i dont' put much into what someone who farms animals has to say cause they aren't on the same playing field we are. I had a pig farmer tell me never lay down near a farm pig cause they will try and kill you when your down. hahaha yea right... when i lay down near my farm pig she comes and lays down beside me.
Managing large animals one must have the respect of them or they will walk all over you. No different from handling horses , i love mine but when i ask you to move over, move over. Walk means walk ..and if you pull me on a lead rope my pull back will be harder. And so i knew with Rose that she would have to learn about my space and her strength at a young age. Roscoe is harder cause he was 6 monthes when i got him so i have to be stronger with my requests. You don't have to be mean to get the point accross but you have to assert your self so they respect you. This can be the differnce in serious injuries to either of you if they are walkign all over you. Horses should walk at your shoulder when your bringing them in to the barn. And if they pull on your rope you take them right back out again asking them to walk. This would also put an end to any slipping and falling as they are thinking about you and not there food dish.
Now cows i dont' have much experince in but I would have to agree with Erika here that he needs some halter training and with it will come basic respect. It is soemthign else you will have to add to your plate but even puttign a rope on him when you walk him into the barn every night with the others will make a huge differnce in how he veiws you.
Also be more wary of him when your in season ..lol

Perhaps I read it wrong. I thought he had cattle for pleasure. If he doesn't then absolutely Percy should stay with you. I agree you can't risk the slaughterhouse!!!

percy lives and dies here, that i already promised, i won't risk him out in the real world facing the possibility of the slaughter house one day. i will euth him at home first. you can't socialize farm animals and then do that to them, i think that is utterly cruel.

That might be a good idea Chris, although I do know farmers and I'll bet he wouldn't keep Percy for life. It wouldn't hurt to ask though.
Erika

Seeing as he already has a herd is he interested in adopting Percy???