I got my cows in a row

Due to some unplanned and clandestine bull activity last year,

 we have had a few surprise calves at a time when we normally do not calve. This has forced us to go to Plan B, and bring the cows closer to home sooner than originally planned. With very cold weather (-22C) and knowing that our predator pressure is pretty high in these bush pastures, the decision was made to move the cows.

As a heifer  had calved, and had given us a bit of a run around I was very concerned about leaving her out in the bush. Inexperienced momma cow, cold and predators had me very concerned. As  the heifer was not going to follow us back to the barn, and she kept disappearing in the bush we decided to build a corral out in the field for the night. The calf was placed in the pen and after some convincing momma, went into the pen. We added another buddy cow just to keep heifer calm. We wrapped babies ears, gave it a warm bottle of colostrum ( just so I was reassured it would be fine until we could move the herd), fed momma and left them alone. I placed some salt blocks around this pen to encourage all the other cows to hang out in this area. It was a stressed night for me as I was concerned about baby. At first light, I headed out to see how they were doing. Baby had sucked, heifer was calm and two of our guardian dogs were laying at the corral.
All was well. 

So, with that we got underway to move them all a bit closer to home. We let heifer out the pen, loaded baby in the tractor and the move could begin.

I know my cowboy friends would cringe, but it was done by enticing the cows with a nice oat silage bale.  They willing followed the bale, walked nicely in the tracks of the tractor to the calving pasture. Roy followed up behind just to encourage the stragglers to keep moving forward. IN about 20 minutes it was done and the cows are in the new spot.

Mmm yummy a nice oat silage bale...

When I make a curve with the tractor, the cows follow the curve. Good cows.

Chugging along, all my cows in a row!

I hate it when things go all willy-nilly, upsets my sense of order!

Turning into the calving pasture.