I am not sure how many animals of the bovine variety one needs to be running in a field before you can call it a herd of cattle. However I am thinking that I have two tiny herds. Both beef varieties and dairy. 
There is the mini herd at the home farm. Txiki (pronounced Chickie) and her mother Alex. (Alex is a Dexter and her calf Txiki is a cross between a Dexter and a low line Herford/Angus cross). 
Lady Astor (Holstein?Dutch Belted) the resident milk cow and her bull calf Bobby. (All bull calves and steers are called Bobby) .
Then across the way at the West Barn is my beautiful Naomi (3/4 Dutch Belted/Holstein) … 
and her herd: Not So Difficult Bobby (Holstein), 
Aunty Anna (Red Angus/Short Horn cross) who always looks slightly mournful,
and my new Hereford steer: Bobby T2.
Carlos the Tiny the little Dexter bull (no picture this morning) waits in the wings hoping to breed all the smaller cows and Aunty Del (no picture either – Ayrshire) keeps him company while we are waiting to see if she is pregnant or not.
A very varied herd indeed. All raised in carefully managed fields – grain free. I will start haymaking this month from my own fields for their winter feed. We will need twice as much this year. But that is OK – it is all in the plan.
Lady Astor and I are still dealing with the aftermath of her engorged udder and the late delivery of her enormous calf. Her udder is in the lop sided stage and I am working with mastitis in one quarter but I am feeling positive. She is much better this morning and is allowed out in the good fields now.
I am late this morning. In the winter from 5 – 6am is my time to write the blog page about yesterday. Now that time is used for getting ready to milk at 6am. I work in somewhat fluid compartments of time and am still re-threading the morning so I can get everything done well.
I hope you have a lovely day.
love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
38 responses to “Meet the cattle”
It looks like a small herd to me. Wikipedia says this, “A herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic.”
Mooooooooooo!
They all look totally beautiful to me in every way – and I would love to play with them of course. snorts and oinks to having a wonderful day my friend. XOXO – Bacon
Great cows! You are blessed.
wow! your Dexter / Angus cross looks a lot like our Salers / Angus cross. I love their grump. I’ll have to grab a photee.
Miss C, could you discuss your land as well? I didn’t realize that you had enough property to run cows AND make enough hay for winter! (I have acre envy!)
Me too!
I have four acres of hay and six or so acres of grass to graze in the summer. Not terribly much really and I am never secure about hay the winters are wicked here! c
Well, if one dog and his people can be called a pack, then I suggest that one cow and her people can be called a herd. I just love Txiki-dee-dee-dee to pieces. That look she’s giving you. Like, “Yers, Miss C? Anything I can help you with?”
I thought the look was reminiscent of an old tv show., “What you talking about?”
Aunty Anna is like a sports car … loongg and low slung 🙂 Not so Difficult is a slow grower in comparison to Bobby T. Teeny Tiny bunches of grapes too. Hope the mastitis woes pass soon. Laura
I want to use the word gorgeous, although I rather doubt that ‘gorgeous’ is an approved word to describe cows in single form or as a herd. They are all so healthy and well cared for. You have reached the height of diversity on your farm Miss C. From a social/sociological standpoint, I applaud you on this varied mix 🙂
They all look wonderfully happy and healthy!!! 🙂
If they’re running in your general direction, then two is a herd.
Well said!! ha ha ha c
Definitely a herd, and a good looking one…or two…at that!
The only other breed I’d love to see mingling with all your lovelies to complete the ‘breeds of all nations’ is a Droughtmaster, a Brahmin/beef Shorthorn cross, bred specially for our hot, dry conditions to thrive on poor fodder, little water and still produce magnificent beef. They have an exotic look because of their ancestry, but are quite beautiful, reasonable milkers, good breeders and are resistant to all sorts of parasites and pests. A lovely doe-eyed Droughtmaster heifer would be gorgeous; the bulls are incredibly large and muscled, but still quite docile.
My day has not been great, and tomorrow will be the same, with unpleasant medical stuff, but I now have hope for a future without so much pain and a lot more mobiity. Hurrah!
Well then, with all the grace, strength and courage we prayed that you would receive, I expect the hopeful future will outweigh the unpleasant procedures. You are still on my prayer list here in Canada as I wait for more good news from you.
Blessings from
Chris S in Canada
Procedure two now completed, and this afternoon I cannot feel my left foot! But the side that was done yesterday is definitely improved, and it’s worth the notable discomfort of having a needle inserted into a nerve sheath 1mm from the thing itself. Think mild taser effect, and you won’t be far wrong. I look forward to months of much less pain, and am truly grateful for all the encouragement, sympathy, prayers and grace sent my way xxxxx
Ditto…. we still gotcha, Kate. Hang in there 🙂
I hung, tis done, hurray! I feel better already. It wasn’t a great deal of fun but I wouldn’t hesitate to have it done again if necessary.
Txiki looks like her eye make-up smeared overnight, in a good way. Bobby T is getting good milk which is evident by the smears and droplets on his whiskers. Your herd has grown so much in the last two years!
Is your beautiful Naomi destined to be a milker? Your herd is gorgeous.
Yes – I will breed her and train her to milk.