Pavlov's Dogs/Margaret's Cows

Having been a psychology major in college, I am always alert to behavior in both humans and animals.  It's something I enjoy and analyze with gusto that most people would not understand.  So I have enjoyed the summer experiment that I have inadvertently run the past four months and it makes me laugh each time I run it.

For those unfamiliar with Pavlov and his famous dog experiments, he easily trained his animals to hear a bell (stimulus) and then he would give them a treat and they would, of course ,salivate (response).  Throughout the course of the experiment, he was able to remove the treat and simply ring a bell and the dogs would salivate.

We have an area not far from our house that contains eight head of cattle that are in a grazing pasture.   It happens to be that I mow around the fence in the barnyard to keep it looking neat.  The cattle were quite intrigued the first time that I mowed and rather bored with their environment as they would follow the big green machine around the fence perimeter as if it were the pied piper, kicking up their heels and running around.

But, there was a positive outcome to their behavior.  My mower would throw freshly cut grass through the fence and once one of the cattle realized that they were being thrown goodies, they pounced on it like flies to honey.  Such a deal!!  Fresh grass and they didn't even have to work to get it.  I thought it was hilarious and watched them devour the sweets as voraciously as if it were manna from heaven.

When I mowed the second time, they followed me around again.  With all of the rain that we have been having this summer, they were in for some very tasty abundant treats!

And now.........as soon as they hear the lawn mower start up, they rush out of their sheds and stand at the fence, anticipating the return of the big, green machine that shoots treats out to them through the fence.  It just makes me howl.  They start kicking up their heels and running around like students on the last day of school.  The real test came about a week ago when it was almost 100 degrees and they were in the cool shed, trying to keep out of the harsh sunlight.  I was pretty sure that they would not respond to the lawn mower that day.  WRONG!  Out they clamored as they have been trained to do.

For them, I guess the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.