Buying the herd;Summer was well on its way.
We had the property and were very keen to buy a herd of cattle before Christmas.
This was the holiday season and it would bring a halt to our endeavours until the end of January if we didn’t hurry and buy the cattle now.
Our Stock and Station Agent rang that he would pick us up on Monday morning at seven a.m. to go out to Jackadgery to select the cattle. He had to leave his message at the milk bar and take-away shop of Hazel and Alex, as we were not yet connected to the Telephone.
We were ready at the appropriate time when Ross and Ray arrived in a Ford Vehicle
and picked us up.
It would be a long drive and the morning promised a hot day.
After about one and a half hours drive mainly through heavily timbered bush, Ross stopped the car at a pleasant place near a fast flowing small River. He rummaged in his boot to come out with a big Esky filled with sandwiches neatly stashed in a plastic box and Thermos flasks of tea. . Peter and I hadn’t eaten breakfast as we were too exited, so the Sandwiches and tea were a welcome break. Soon we returned to the car and the trip continued.
Peter and I hadn’t been to this rather wild and densely forested hills. The bitumen road gave way to a dirt road. The car didn’t have air-conditioning so all the windows were down and clouds of red dust left a film on our moist skin. I was wearing a nice dress but it was not cotton so it was clinging like a second skin and itchy. The seat of the car didn’t help either as it was made of artificial leather that got hot as well. I tried discretely to scratch my burning skin and felt I was peeling myself as layers of red dust came away.
After another hour we arrived at Charlie Smith’s property where we were to choose our cattle. Most of the cattle were already in the stockyard. Ray and some helpers were ready on their horses to drive the ones we choose to a holding paddock until they could be transported to our place. We went to the stockyard to have a look at the cattle. They were nice animals.
The cows each had a calf at foot and were also pregnant. The cattle market was down and prices were low. That’s why Charlie had to sell his cows. We agreed to a price it was seventy-five Dollars a cow with the calf. Ross our agent said if we really wanted we could go lower. But Peter thought seventy-five Dollars for a cow with calf was pretty good and he said he didn’t want to put more pressure on the chap who had to sell his farm and his cattle. So everybody was happy and the selection began.
Peter was in his element choosing the cows while Ross and Ray with their longstanding experience was giving the nod of approval or not. It took quite a while until Peter had chosen the cows he wanted. He also chose a nice looking bull that he on the spot christened Willie. I would dearly have loved to know what the tough cattlemen thought about that. Their faces didn’t show any amusement just in their eyes was a little glint.
The rest of the cows were let out of the holding yard and while they were crowding out Peter saw one that he thought he had selected. He ran towards the cattle waving his arms in the air and shouting I want the dark brown one as well. This action frightened the herd so much they were running in all directions it was nearly a stampede. The cattle that live free in the bush are very shy and frightened towards people when not seated on a horse or in a car. Peter didn’t know this and the men had a good laugh at him.
After all the mustering was finished Charlie said to Peter that the Hereford cattle might not do as well in the lowlands as they do up in the hills. Peter said he was aware of this. Also Ross and other cattlemen told him it would be better to settle for Angus cattle. It was true the Herefords in the hills were healthy looking with a shiny red coat. Where we lived they didn’t look that great their fur was dull and shaggy. Peter loved the Herefords. He was going to find out what ailed them on the lowlands his scientific mind was ready to tackle a challenge.
The next day a cattle truck arrived with our herd. It was very exiting and we all went to the old dairy where the cattle were to be unloaded. We didn’t have yet build a stockyard so the truck was backed towards a small hill where the cows and calves could jump down from the truck. Willie the bull was last. He was reluctant to jump down. He had a reputation to maintain and it was not a very dignified sight the heavy bull jumping from the truck. In the end with a few probes with a stick into his backside from the truck driver he thought better of it and jumped. The cattle let out a cacophony of bellows and ear-splitting noise to orientate themselves and their calves. They were running everywhere especially up to the gate where they had entered on the truck. It was getting dark and Peter was afraid that they would jump the fence and get lost somewhere. The next day very early in the morning we went to look for them. We had not far to go they were all assembled at the old dairy like for a morning roll call. The cattle had forgotten their stress and settled down. Now we heard only the odd bah-bah of a calf looking for its mother. Willie was in the middle of his ladies looking proud and imposing.
One night in the first week when we had the cattle we were rudely woken up by loud knocks on the door and were taken from our dreams. I must say here that is was probably only about ten o clock. We went early to bed, as we were awfully tired in the evening, from doing all this outdoor work that we were not used to. We jumped out of bed and worried what had happened. The two Johnson brothers were standing outside the door and told us that some cows from us were in the river. Peter had to get the tractor, ropes and the torch that was unfortunately very low. It was very hard work to get the cows out of the water, especially at night under a lot of swearing on Peter’s side the Johnson Brothers didn’t swear, the cows were rescued. We thanked them for their help, as we could have lost those cattle.
The next morning Peter started to fence the river off so we wouldn’t have that mishap
again.
Copyright T.S.
