After a couple of days lying around feeling lousy, it's time to get out there and move my hungry cows.  The weather has been so nasty - cold southerly wind with squally showers with the occasional burst of sunshine, just enough to make everyone feel really cold in comparison during the next shower.

My "labour unit" (Stephan) went away for a few days to assist with a building project in Auckland, so here alone, I had a few extra duties and somewhat less time to document activities.  The constant presence of water in the air makes it a little difficult to take photographs, too.

In his absence I had the helpful assistance of my neighbour, who although afraid of cows, bravely assisted in moving huge Bertrand and the two younger bulls down a lane which had little to differentiate it from the paddock, the electric tape having fallen down, and out to the front of the farm.  When alone, such jobs usually mean three times as much walking, as the gates ahead need to be set up and then the animals collected and followed back to those gates.  I had not planned ahead to move the bulls, but it became necessary when I decided to bring the autumn cows and calves in from the back of the farm, since in their mob is #79, who is due to calve sometime soon and was looking suspiciously like that birth might be immenent.  Bertrand was also showing great interest in one of the younger heifers, whose mob was in a neighbouring paddock, the fence of which has not yet been replaced.  Bertrand doesn't tend to jump, but he's become so big he looks like he could, with ease.  I prefer to remove him from the temptation.