'Stew the Steer' muscled his way out of his luxury accommodations in the barn, got into the feed room and helped himself to THIRTY POUNDS of corn from a 50 pound sack! Granted, he eats about twenty pounds a day now, but that extra 10 pounds got him sicker than a dog. Technically, it's called, 'Over Graining.'
So, after two days spent laying around 'digesting' Beau got a hold of our Vet and Dr. Hannah sold him $250.00 worth of meds; one huge tube of an oral probiotic, one shot for a big vitamin recovery dose and one for pain. Today he was up and walking around and finally ate some hay and drank water.
Repairs have once AGAIN been made to his enclosure and the feed room door is now tightly shut. Unless Stew suddenly sprouts thumbs, he can't get in there again. It was touch and go there - he easily could've died because too much corn can overwhelm a steers system! So, counting our blessings today. And, yes - I realize we're going to EAT HIM in the future, but he's still a 1,000 pound TODDLER right now, and we want him at 1,500-1,800 pounds by spring...if we all survive that long, LOL!
Fun Related Cow Fact: One of a cow's four stomachs is called the 'Rumen.' That's where the word, 'Ruminate' comes from.
Ruminate(v.)
1530s, of a person, "to turn over in the mind, muse, meditate, think again and again;" 1540s, "to chew cud;" from Latin ruminatus, past participle of ruminare "to chew the cud," also "turn over in the mind," from rumen (genitive ruminis) "gullet," a word of uncertain origin. Related: Ruminated; ruminating; ruminative.
I'm sure Stew is now 'ruminating' on what he's done...and wishing he hadn't!