A scare

[ozark_jewels]

Went yardsaling on Saturday. I don't actually like yardsaling, but when you need work clothes, thats one of the best ways to pick them up cheap. Anyway, gone all day. Got home a bit late so ran to change into milking clothes so I could head to the milkbarn.

As I ran past our Jersey pasture(not the big milkherd, just the pasture with our original small milkherd), I noticed that I didn't see the two milk cows, Bobbie and April, or the two bred hiefers, Jasmine and Lea, anywhere. Walked the pasture, nothing. The two horses were still grazing though. This made me a little suspicious as horses are worth *nothing* right now but a family Jersey is still a prized possesion...............I was starting to panic. These cows not only produce the milk I raise my goat kids on, milk for the family and great butter, they are like part of the family. I milked their great-great grandma when I was 7 and for every year since I've raised and milked them and their predecesors.

Walked the pasture again and found two broken strands of fence up near the road. Looked like the cows got rowdy and one got shoved straight through the fence. Ok, relief!! At least it didn't look like anyone had loaded them up and driven off with them. But they were not near the milk herd, they were not palling around with the beef herd across the road, and they weren't in the hayfield. So we all start walking the pastures/woods on both sides of the road. For two hours we walk. Nothing, not even any handy cow splats to tell the tale.

I was driving over to check on my little brother who was milking the dairy herd for me. Poking out of the woods at the side of the road across from our neighbors, there was a Jersey head. Bobbie saw my mini-van, trotted out in the middle of the road and bawled at me. She was obviously saying "Take me home!". They were there, all four of them. We walked them down the road and back into the pasture. Fixed the fence, checked them over. Bobbie has two bad udder cuts and a chest cut, but nothing thats not fixable. She must have been the one who got shoved through the fence. They were very glad to get home and be milked.
What a relief to have my girls back!!

[mary,tx]

Oh my. I'm glad you found them and all is well. I'm guessing you're very tired right about now.

[Trisha in WA]

Oh! My heart stopped thinking of how you must have felt to not see them...then have to search so long for them! I can't even imagine how terrifying that would be.
I am soooo glad your girls are home safe and sound with only a few cuts to show for their adventures.

[Callieslamb]

Glad it all turned out well and fine. I shudder at the thought of losing my calves!