What is it with steers and plastic?

Our former neighbour is keeping his steers in our paddock, along with a number of sheep.   This works out great for everyone, steers and sheep included.  Our neighbour gets the grazing land in exchange for maintaining the fences, the cows and sheep get plenty of grass and fresh water, the grass is kept down to an acceptable level and we get to enjoy the antics of the animals.  It's kinda nice having animals around without the responsibility of caring for them.   But what is it with steers and plastic?

My lovely husband was picking thistles in the paddocks.  We're trying not to use sprays for all the obvious reasons but digging thistles out is a nasty job. And there are a lot of thistles.  So many in fact that the wheelbarrow filled up in no time at all. So lovely husband decided to get out the ride-on-mower and the large trailer it has behind to throw the thistles into. But as he was throwing the thistles in, he noticed the two steers, which he has named Sirloin and T-bone, inching closer and closer to the mower.  He kept shooing them away but they just wouldn't be shooed.  Turns out they like munching on plastic, even though they're surrounded by luscious green grass.  And, being a modern mower, it's covered in plastic.  They were like kids in a candy store.  Or my husband in an ice-cream parlour.  The solution?  Lovely husband draped the thistles all over the mower. That kept Sirloin and T-bone away until he could finish picking the thistles.

They are such curious creatures though and we love having their company.  Although, it is a little bit disconcerting when they stand in the paddock and stare in through the lounge window at us.  It reminded my husband of the Far Side cartoons.  What are those steers plotting!! 

Do they look like they're plotting?  Only time will tell.