Push em' up cows!

Tuesday 22nd April

What a day! I have a new respect for farmers – it is tough work, and very dirty.! We saddle up nice and early and set off up one of the many hills to the top paddock, where we have to muster and bring in about 50 black angus cattle, which were scattered all over – in gullies, up hills, down ditches. Round ‘em up and bring ‘em in was the order. I felt like a real cowgirl. With lots of “c’mon cattle!” and “whoop whoop whoop” and “yar! Yar! Push ‘em up cows!” we rounded them up and brought them back. They made it look so easy on McLeod’s daughters. I guess they didn’t show the bits where the cows went the wrong way and ended up in the bush, or in the dam. The most entertaining part of the whole experience is watching the working dogs at work – and boy do they work! Whippet thin from running miles chasing cows out of the gullies, ditches and anywhere the horses can’t (or more correctly – won’t) go. Barking madly, biting heels, swinging on cow-tails – it’s an action-packed event when the dogs get involved. The cows were reluctantly herded into the yards where they were tagged for sale, sorted by age, and whether they were pregnant or not. As Jillian said “It pays to be pregnant around here” – the ones who aren’t are sent off to the T-bone factory. That’s life on the farm. Later that afternoon we herded the prego-cows back to their rightful paddocks. Up more hills, down more hills, across creeks, rocks – all I can say is, “I’m glad I don’t have to walk!”. Back to the campfire for another hearty meal, more hilarious stories about Jillian’s dad, and an early night. My voice is hoarse (no pun intended) from yelling at cows all day. I struggle to keep my eyes open until 8pm! Looking forward to some sweet dreams ... x x Nicole