The Kooper Cow

During my blogging, I can guarantee you; nothing will be in order of date! It's just random as it comes to mind, or I should say - as it gets written. My mind is full of memories and thoughts of the 3 years of the Medunas being our neighbors. They moved in December 29, 2006. While Koopers still lived there and owned the place; he unloaded a semi full of mustangs. That was the beginning of the end.

But I'm getting off track. There was a cow left on the place when Koopers moved. To make a long story short, Koopers thought she was going to be put down because she was lame, missing a back foot and it wasn't worth it to load her up and take her to the sale barn. In the confussion of the sale, and Glen's health - the cow was left at the disposal of Meduna.

Wherever this ole' girl had been, we noticed her on Jason's meadow which borders us, in February of '09. I do need to back up here, when Koopers moved to town, there were some other cows left also, as on his web site, Jason claimed they were used to train the mustangs! (whatever) The cow was out of sight, but back now and then. I am sure she heard our tractor feeding cattle, and knew what she wished she had. I think that's why she ended up on the north side of 3 Strikes, longing for feed from a tractor. (By now, the other cows that were on Meduna's were either sold or dead) It was cold, no feed in sight.

Ah yes, Jason's web site, the 3 Strike Mustang Ranch. At one point, he claimed there were cows there, used in training the mustangs; and then he stated at another point - that there were no cows on the ranch. (maybe because that was BLM rules?)

Picture taken March 7, 2009

I saw her almost every day by the fence. I was feeling so bad, wondering if she wanted in to our meadow. Then she just disappeared. We watched for her, but she was no where in sight. I couldn't imagine her walking back to the south end, unless she was in search of water. Then one day, as I was checking our cows in a bordering pasture, there she was; along with the reason for not seeing just skin and bones before. She had a calf at her side. It was unbelievable. That explained the tummy, but when I look back at the pictures, thinking that she was probably full term - it seemed unreal that there was a baby calf inside her, waiting for it's entrance into a cold, new world. Now, the cow looked undernurished. There was little milk in her bag. How would the baby survive? But oh she loved her little calf. Eventually they made their way back along the fence to the west, back to the meadow. With snow and rain, the meadow would provide water puddles for them to drink. The grass, hopefully, would grow. Enough at least, for the cow to have food.

Can you imagine what a tough 'ole cow this is? Look at what she had on the land for choice of grazing. What a good mommy she is.

I called Lucille (former owner and friend) and told her the old cow had a calf! She hadn't know that the cow was even alive. Though legal works, it was rightfully Lucille's, but Jason would not allow anyone on the property, so how could we get her? Even when the horse seizure took place, the cow and calf remained at our fenceline. The seizure was only for horses, the cow and calf not included. A woman I met from HSUS, said she could get the pair and have them removed. Probably even get it for an adoption process to us, until the owner (Lucille) could get them, or say what to do. The problem: no one could get on the property. So I said let's wait, and not draw attention to the cow and calf. I didn't want anything to happen to them. I watched them everyday, the grass started growing and this year we had abundant rains. So for right now, the cow was ok. As time went, the horses were gone. I was afraid something would happen to the calf.

May 12, 2009 Still on 3 Strikes property. Water puddles started to dry up.

Finally the time was right, the cow and calf were directly in front of a gate that went onto our property. Lucille had proof of ownership to both the cow and calf. Without trespassing, the gate was dropped, and the cow walked right in with her calf following. It didn't take long, she gained weight, looked good. It was still hard for her to get around but she was with other cows and her little bull calf was doing well. She now was fed 'cake' and had plenty of grass and water.