Rump and Chuck, the Roast brothers were raised on revolving green pasture until the heat of the summer dried up everything. After that they ate local grass hay and store bought grain.
Rump was taken away two days ago. Half of him will come back to our freezer. The other half was paid for by a customer and will go into their freezer.
I watched Chuck through the ordeal because I was concerned about how he would handle it. He was alert and intent on the workers. I nearly had to thump his bum to get him to follow me and I was shaking a can of grain. He reluctantly went back to barn with me but ate with a healthy appetite.
I closed the gate where the activity had occurred for several hours but when I opened it, he trotted to the site and sniffed curiously. He stood where his brother had last stood and gazed out into the yard as if he would see him there.
He has not bellowed and he has not acted out any human reactions. He is the only bovine here but that day and the next day I noticed that the ducks and the cat were in the pasture with him. The cat didn't not like to hang with Rump because he was a bit frisky. Chuck is quite calm.
Both nearly steers were not steers at all. I suspect the person who did the banding may have done it while they were too young.
I am tempted to let Chuck roam the yard but I think he might choose to hang out on my deck when he isn't munching the perennials.
