Bit of unexpected excitement today... at the risk of offering too much information, my family has something of a fundamental disagreement on the nature of cow afterbirth (of which there is an abundance this time of year) with our dogs. We think it's icky. Our dogs think it's extra-meaty treats.
Because of this, my father had thrown some afterbirth in our manure pit, expecting it to sink. It hadn't. I knew nothing of this until I went out around noon to tag and vaccinate a recent calf and happened to see our eldest dog, Shep, sitting by the manure pit and staring intently at something inside. The cows were also lined up at the gate, staring either at Shep or at the pit. Cows and dog had expressions of intense interest on their faces, which never bodes well, so I went to see what the fuss was about.
And saw my dog, Kid, with his head just barely sticking up above the level of water and shit in the pit.
As far as we can tell, Kid - who is immensely greedy - had been tempted by the sight of the afterbirth in the pit, and had either convinced himself that the layer of scum on top of the water was solid and could hold his weight or had simply leaned out a bit too far and fallen in. Either way he'd been there for some time and was about to go under for good when I found him. I managed to get hold of his ruff by leaning out over the pit as far as I dared, but I wasn't strong enough to haul him over the side, so I held him up with one hand and managed to retrieve and dial my cellphone with one hand, ringing my bro to come help me. I will never say nasty things about my cellphone again.
At any rate, we got him out alive - but a more wet, cold, miserable, and stinky dog I don't think I've ever seen. The water was freezing, of course, as well as filthy, and he was naturally panicked by his near-drowning. We washed him down in warm water, dried him off, and got him in front of the heater, and he's fine now - but it was close.
Jeez. I wonder what normal people do for their adrenaline rushes?
Note to self: build fence around manure pit. Also, find other means of disposing of afterbirth.
Because of this, my father had thrown some afterbirth in our manure pit, expecting it to sink. It hadn't. I knew nothing of this until I went out around noon to tag and vaccinate a recent calf and happened to see our eldest dog, Shep, sitting by the manure pit and staring intently at something inside. The cows were also lined up at the gate, staring either at Shep or at the pit. Cows and dog had expressions of intense interest on their faces, which never bodes well, so I went to see what the fuss was about.
And saw my dog, Kid, with his head just barely sticking up above the level of water and shit in the pit.
As far as we can tell, Kid - who is immensely greedy - had been tempted by the sight of the afterbirth in the pit, and had either convinced himself that the layer of scum on top of the water was solid and could hold his weight or had simply leaned out a bit too far and fallen in. Either way he'd been there for some time and was about to go under for good when I found him. I managed to get hold of his ruff by leaning out over the pit as far as I dared, but I wasn't strong enough to haul him over the side, so I held him up with one hand and managed to retrieve and dial my cellphone with one hand, ringing my bro to come help me. I will never say nasty things about my cellphone again.
At any rate, we got him out alive - but a more wet, cold, miserable, and stinky dog I don't think I've ever seen. The water was freezing, of course, as well as filthy, and he was naturally panicked by his near-drowning. We washed him down in warm water, dried him off, and got him in front of the heater, and he's fine now - but it was close.
Jeez. I wonder what normal people do for their adrenaline rushes?
Note to self: build fence around manure pit. Also, find other means of disposing of afterbirth.
posted at 10:21 PM on 03/09/04
by kat -
Category: Events
Stumble It!
Comments
Tim wrote:
I know it sounds gross, but is it safe for your doges to eat?
03/10/04 12:33 AM
Tim wrote:
*dogs I mean
03/10/04 12:33 AM
George wrote:
Actually, it's very nutritious.
It's also supposedly the only meat that vegans can eat.
It's also supposedly the only meat that vegans can eat.
03/10/04 04:20 AM
Kellie wrote:
Apart from the near-drowning, that sounds like the kind of thing that would send me into hysterics and make my sides hurt from laughing so hard. Like when my cat flops around on the bed and forgets she near the edge and falls off. Those critters....
03/10/04 09:57 AM
kat wrote:
Yeah, as George says, there's nothing intrensically wrong about the dogs eating afterbirth - in fact, the whole reason they get the opportunity is because we have to take it away from the cows to keep *them* from eating it. It's not technically supposed to hurt them, even though they're herbivores, but we take it away anyway because there's a slight chance of it blocking up their stomachs and also it's revolting. Seeing a cow happily slurping up her afterbirth is enough to put you off spagetti and meatballs forever.
In the larger sense, though, the dogs have a tendency to overindulge and eat themselves sick on the afterbirth, and that's extraordinarily unpleasant for all concerned.
And, of course, afterbirth isn't safe to eat at all when it's floating in the manure pit....
In the larger sense, though, the dogs have a tendency to overindulge and eat themselves sick on the afterbirth, and that's extraordinarily unpleasant for all concerned.
And, of course, afterbirth isn't safe to eat at all when it's floating in the manure pit....
03/10/04 10:01 AM
George wrote:
But, by gosh, it's even tastier then...
03/10/04 12:34 PM
George wrote:
New method of disposing of afterbirth : Invent a new and delicious vegan meaty cheese. Yum.
03/15/04 04:50 PM
George wrote:
Hmm. A definite big of blog-idleness going on here....
03/23/04 04:46 AM