Catching the cows

A few weeks ago I posted a photograph of a white Charolais cow who had just given birth. The calf was a wobbly wee thing, had been licked clean and was trying to find the proper place to grab lunch after such a grueling ordeal. It tried Mum's neck and leg and was gradually nudged to the right spot. I watched with admiration.

I thought it was a late calf for the season.

I was so wrong. As the days went by I found three more calves in this field. Then there was nearly a dozen.

Here are most of them basking in the sun with a long-horned female Highland cow guarding - well actually two - I cut off the magnificent head of the other. There seems to be some cross-breeding going on here, with the lovely long-horns and the larger Charolais.

It's interesting (to me) to watch young calves. They frolic like kids of all kinds - feathered, furred and two-legged, jumping, running, butting heads, playing tag and generally having fun. Then they collapse in a heap to snooze away the afternoon. Almost always you can see calves of every breed, sleeping in a bunch together guarded by at least one more likely two mothers. Here you can see two youngsters that are slightly separated from the gang... but not too far away - and always the guardian at the outskirts of the group.

Many people don't think that four-leggeds have feelings or any kind of intelligence but are "just dumb animals..." I am completely convinced otherwise. As humans, we are negligent in treating animals as commodities or nuisances to be used or treated however we wish and not given the respect every living creature deserves. But I won't rant here, I'll save that for my book.

So enjoy the day as these cows are enjoying theirs - peaceful and warm on a late fall afternoon..