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Michael: As you know I was a Holstein dairy farmer, we had bulls around since I was a kid. I can tell you it was drilled in me from that time on never to trust a bull. While I am very cautious of them, I have never had any reason to be afraid of them. I have handled bulls weighing up to 2600 lbs. I always took time to talk to the bull every day. Yes handling a bull is 3/4 psychology, you must understand this animal and NEVER threaten him in anyway. Bulls, like dogs and horses, never forget, they do get even. True, holstein men are born, not created at some school somewhere. I also employed a gentleman to raise my dairy heifers from calves to maturity and the milking line. This man came from a family of 14, all of whom had a reputation of being special livestock persons. He took time to talk to those calves and heifers everyday. When these heifers came to the milking line which was a herring bone parlor, it was like putting milkers on old cows. I have placed milker on a heifer for the first time, walked away a left her. It was pure pleasure to bring these new cows into the milking herd. There was an old gentleman in my hometown, we'll call Mr Q, sold his dairy farm to a young man who had worked on the farm for a number of years. The older man moved away to another community. About 3 years later he was visiting in the area and decided to visit his former farm and the buyer. As he walked in the barn, he commented," Eric, these cows are not milking like they should be are they." To which Eric responded, "Why do you say that." Mr.Q responded,"Because you have too many broken shovel and fork handles".
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