Bull Stories

[Northmount]

One story always leads to another. First story is part of this thread.

So instead of continuing to hijack the OPs thread, new post to continue with more stories.

My grand parents operated a dairy farm in Medicine Hat, Alberta, many years ago. It had to be wound up before I came along as granddad had a heart attack and they couldn't continue with hired hands.

One day he was out in the corral, forking the manure into a wheelbarrow, and not paying much attention to the Holstein bull as he had not had problems with him before. All of a sudden, the bull charged and pinned him against the barn wall. The only thing that saved him was his dog heard the commotion and managed to distract the bull. School kids on the way to and from school had been teasing the bull, so that is probably the reason for the change in behavior. He decided it was time to get rid of the bull before anything else happened.

Granddad and 2 of his brothers took the bull out into the field nearby and chained him to a railroad tie sunk 6 feet into the ground. All three had hunting rifles (single shot) and all shot the bull at the same time. He pulled the tie out of the ground and charged. one of his brothers managed to reload and fire the saving shot.

They butchered the bull and took the meat into the local butcher to sell. A couple weeks later granddad was back to the butcher shop and the butcher asked, "You remember that beef you brought in here last time?" Granddad thought oh no, he's going to complain about the beef, so sort of cautiously said "Yes" expecting a complaint about tough strong tasting meat. The butcher then said "Have you got anymore like that"? "It was the most tender and great tasting beef. I want anymore you can bring in."

Tom

[Northmount]

This story carries on from the previous one.

Every 2 years after buying a new bull, granddad would trade bulls with the dairy farm 3 or 4 miles away on the opposite side of the city. They didn't have nice cattle haulers like today, so would walk the bulls through downtown between 4 and 5AM while all was quiet. As they were walking past the Eatons Department Store (Canadian competition to Sears Robuck in those days), the bull saw his reflection in the big plate glass windows and started pawing and snorting, ready to go after the bull in the window. Granddad got between the bull and the window, trying to hold the bull by the horns, trying to push him away. He was pressed up pretty tight against the window before his helpers could distract the bull and lead him away from the window.

You know the old saying about a bull in a china shop; this came pretty close!

Tom

PS If you have some bull stories you wish to add to this thread, you are welcome to post them.

[x101airborne]

My folks milked cows for 60 years before I did it for 6 years then the whole family sold them down the road. We pulled out our old milk tank, 9,000 gallons for a new 14,000 gallon model. The old tank was just put out in the pasture and that Holstein bull would roll it back and forth every morning and every evening while the cows were being milked. That bull never did anyone harm or even came off threatening that I remember, but when you looked at him, most folks just decided to stay in the truck.

[MonicaJacobson]

I don't remember if you guys experienced the emu craze, but it went through Texas in the 90's. When they abruptly became valueless, people were letting them loose everywhere. My grandfather bought emus, and they later spooked the neighbors' five or six longhorn cows into jumping the fence and making for the highway. Fortunately, nobody hit one before the neighbors were able to round them back up.

[raysouth]

Never had any bulls at home but certainly have heard my share of bull-stuff.

Happy Holidays to all.

God Bless.

Ray

[fivewayswelshcobs]

My husband's grandfather had a close encounter with a Longhorn bull but lived to tell the tale as he was saved by the horns - the bull couldn't get him in the corner as his horns wedged before he got to him.

Most of our problems were from the cows but we had a few laughs as well including losing a herd of cows in a field of maize in the dark, couldn't see them but could hear them munching.