Ten years ago we still lived on our farm and our neighbor ran a cattle ranch. Beef cattle to be exact he kept some for breeding but most were there to make fat and then either go to auction or go to the butcher. He mainly had Hereford cattle (What Spot is), Black Angus, and even a couple Lincoln Reds. Alot he bought as timid calves that you could barely get near and some grew into mean dangerous animals. Before when he ran the dairy farm my brother, sister, and I would go over and bottle feed the new babies and get them used to me handled. One day I offered to do the same with his beef calves. He agreed but he warned me not to forget that they were for food not pets. Of course with me that never works out.
As time went on cattle came and went and I tried not to think about where they were going. I did bond with some and some even stayed for breeding. I gave them all names and knew each of their personalities and what they liked and didn't like. But I never really truly bonded to one until they got Spot. Spot was brought in the youngest calf they had every bought and brought in. A small tan and white Hereford with a perfect white face but with a large spot that grew to be the size of a soft ball when he grew up above his left eye. Spot being so young needed to be bottle fed and I was given that task. It was summer so I spent many nights in that old rat infested barn waking up to feed Spot from time to time. Eventually I started sneaking into his stall and laying next to his curled up little body.
Spot started to grow bigger and bigger until he was a handsome young teenager as I like to put it. He was so tame I trained him to walk with a harness and lead line. When Spot was about a year old I was told he was going to go the butcher soon. I knew right then and there it wasent going to happen. I talked to my parents and for once my dad was reasonable. He told me that if I REALLY wanted to keep Spot I would have to raise the money and buy him myself. But he did say that he would cut off a specific part of our pasture land for Spot and would even build him a lean-to. Well i worked my butt off doing odd jobs all around town on farms, in stores, at peoples homes. Eventually with the help of my grandma who offered to help pay for Spot and a few other people kinda enough to give far more then they owed I raised $1200 for Spot.
I had a bad feeling John (the ranch owner and owner of Spot) would not sell Spot to me for that price. But he did! But he also told me that it was under the condition that he could breed his cows to Spot in the future. I happily agreed to our deal and bought Spot and brought him home asap. He lived happily on our farm until 5 years ago when the divorce happened. My dad sold off almost all his horses and wanted to sell Spot. I knew I was moving my horse Delsin to cousins farm in PA and knew that if i begged he would let me move Spot there too. With alot of work and conversation my cousin agreed to move Spot to his farm. And though Spot doesent have as much space as he did at our farm he is still very much so doted upon and loved there. He will be 9 years old in 3 weeks and is still as grand and handsome as ever. I would love to find a way to move him back but very few people board pet bulls lol.
As time went on cattle came and went and I tried not to think about where they were going. I did bond with some and some even stayed for breeding. I gave them all names and knew each of their personalities and what they liked and didn't like. But I never really truly bonded to one until they got Spot. Spot was brought in the youngest calf they had every bought and brought in. A small tan and white Hereford with a perfect white face but with a large spot that grew to be the size of a soft ball when he grew up above his left eye. Spot being so young needed to be bottle fed and I was given that task. It was summer so I spent many nights in that old rat infested barn waking up to feed Spot from time to time. Eventually I started sneaking into his stall and laying next to his curled up little body.
Spot started to grow bigger and bigger until he was a handsome young teenager as I like to put it. He was so tame I trained him to walk with a harness and lead line. When Spot was about a year old I was told he was going to go the butcher soon. I knew right then and there it wasent going to happen. I talked to my parents and for once my dad was reasonable. He told me that if I REALLY wanted to keep Spot I would have to raise the money and buy him myself. But he did say that he would cut off a specific part of our pasture land for Spot and would even build him a lean-to. Well i worked my butt off doing odd jobs all around town on farms, in stores, at peoples homes. Eventually with the help of my grandma who offered to help pay for Spot and a few other people kinda enough to give far more then they owed I raised $1200 for Spot.
I had a bad feeling John (the ranch owner and owner of Spot) would not sell Spot to me for that price. But he did! But he also told me that it was under the condition that he could breed his cows to Spot in the future. I happily agreed to our deal and bought Spot and brought him home asap. He lived happily on our farm until 5 years ago when the divorce happened. My dad sold off almost all his horses and wanted to sell Spot. I knew I was moving my horse Delsin to cousins farm in PA and knew that if i begged he would let me move Spot there too. With alot of work and conversation my cousin agreed to move Spot to his farm. And though Spot doesent have as much space as he did at our farm he is still very much so doted upon and loved there. He will be 9 years old in 3 weeks and is still as grand and handsome as ever. I would love to find a way to move him back but very few people board pet bulls lol.