are the cows out???

Living on a farm makes for an interesting lifestyle. Especially when the cows go into heat with no bull around. Well, some cows are totally obnoxious and others are not so bad.
The other day we were gone, and I knew Suzie was in heat that morning by her behavior. But I had things to do. So we left. When the kiddos and I got home that night Suzie was not in her pasture with the steer we have. She was, thankfully, in with the big girls. She was hanging out with them.  Well we managed to get her in the correct pasture and I fixed the fence she took down, and plugged it back in. But she just decided she wasn't going to stay  put where she was supposed to be, but go where she wanted to go! Through the fence, again! I had my son go get the fence tester. I love that fence tester. Such a good investment. Well come to find out the fence was only a .2 charge. OK. So that was why Suzie just walked through the fence with no problems. Well after wrestling with her for a while in the dark I got my fingers in her nose to keep her head still so I could slip her rope halter on. She has a chain around her neck, which is normally fine for her, but not when she's in heat! I wanted a little more control! I got her in her barn with the other two young heifers and shut her in her stanchion for the night. Phew! That done and knowing she wasn't going anywhere I could look for the fence problem. We still had all the chores to do and my husband was working late at the mill. So the kiddos and I looked for the down fence. Well it wasn't down anywhere. I ceased my looking and started milking and while I was milking I was thinking about where the problem could be. It's great milking cows by hand. You have time to think in the quiet and enjoy the sounds of your cow munching on grain, the gurgling of her big belly when she's done, the slurping of her tongue on her water pail as she drinks, and the warmth of her body on a cold winter night. It's in that time my brain slows down and I'm just able to milk and let some of the stress of my day go.
Well as I milked I was thinking, and had my son check a few things because he was done milking by then. All was plugged in and working and the charger was ticking. I knew it had to be the fence. But where? Once I was done I was back in the house, and starting a late supper. The big girls were still in the barn. I was keeping them in until my husband got home to help fine the problem. I had noticed that the red light on the fence (which is amazing thing to have. One glance at night out the window and seeing that red pulse of light on the fence tells me the fence is on and hot)! that light was not blinking as bright as it should be, and the fact it was only .2 I knew it was close to the source of the charger. Well once my husband got home he went right to work on the problem, once I told him all I had discovered. He found it quickly and fixed it. I went out to help and asked what it was. Well the wire that was connected to the charger was all but rusted off. So he snipped it off, put new wire on and boom! Problem solved. Now the fence is a hot snapping 7.9!! Suzie will be sure to stay in now! As well as the rest of the cows.
So, before you leave make sure your fences are hot!! Haha!!
Have a great day ya'll!!!