Enjoy a few scenes from a peaceful spring day at the sanctuary.
cattle
The 7th Annual Running of the Cows
It’s time for another Running of the Cows, wherein our small herd of rescued bovines – Betsy, Honey, and Meredith – leave their winter pasture and head for the hills! The first stop this spring is the south pasture, by the Bray, where they are greeted by Terry, Gordo, Rayne, and a cautiously excited Cy.
Meredith’s arthritis treatments at WSU College of Veterinary Medicine seem to have been worthwhile, as she was able to keep up with her mom and Betsy all the way to the south pasture (though, like me, she is probably a bit sore today).
While the cows are enjoying their green pastures, we’ll be finishing their new feed barn. This barn will be used primarily for hay and straw storage, which will be necessary when we dismantle the old barn near the chimp house to make way for the new staff and volunteer building. But it will also be used as a sheltered feeding area, making room in the current cattle barn for more cows to sleep comfortably. Who knows, maybe another rescued cow or two will join our family when the time is right?
6 Years with the Cattle!
As Katelyn mentioned in yesterday’s blog, today is the 6th anniversary of the arrival of our lovely cattle! We celebrated our bovine friends with fresh cuttings of willow, a favorite browse item of the herd. We are also always trying to find new foods they may enjoy but these ladies are surprisingly picky! Today’s willow came with a side of pumpkin, to which Meredith, Honey, and Betsy said a polite, but firm, “no thank you.” Enjoy some photos of our favorite cows, and join us in celebrating 6 years with these silly, sweet, and sometimes spicy ladies. We are so lucky to know and love them!
Betsy enjoying some fresh willow branches.
A close up moment with Honey! She clearly enjoyed her hay pellets!
Honey eating willow branches.
Honey and her daughter, Meredith, enjoying willow branches together.
Meredith looking for the next willow branch to snack on. Look at those pretty curls that are coming in as she grows out her coat for winter!
We also celebrate and remember Nutmeg today, who sadly passed away this past spring after a sudden health crisis. He was a beloved member of the herd and Betsy’s son, and his gentle giant presence is missed daily.
Handsome Nutmeg
Nutmeg and Betsy
Fall is the Best Season
According to personal experience, the internet, the faculties of reason and good judgment, and nearly every facet of observable and measurable reality, fall is the best season—pumpkin spice notwithstanding. Sure, I enjoy the green shoots of spring, the long days of summer, and the fact that pushing snow around with a big tractor is considered part of my “work,” but let’s not kid ourselves: We should all want 68-degree days and colorful leaves forever. And I think the chimps will back me up on this, judging by how much time they’ve been spending outside lately (the cows, on the other hand, may place a bit more emphasis on those green shoots).
Speaking of cows, the girls came down the mountain yesterday so that they can sleep in their barn once again. The facilitated ankylosis treatments that Meredith underwent last winter and spring have proven to be worth it, as her crippling hobble has been downgraded to a slight limp and she’s been deemed fit for traversing steep slopes once again, when conditions allow. It’s amazing to see her run after so long, though I have to admit I was holding my breath and praying that those little ankles would continue to support our 3/4-ton girl downhill at stride.
I spent a wonderful 30 minutes this afternoon just watching Honey B explore the Bray. I’m trying to get her to follow me to the very top of the hill, but we’re not quite there yet. She seems to prefer going outside without her group mates and I hope that will change soon. There’s just so much for her to enjoy out there. And this is the best time of year to enjoy it.
Happy Birthday, Meredith!
Today we are celebrating Meredith’s 9th birthday! Our girl Meredith went through a lot last year, having undergone several procedures over the winter to treat her arthritis and then enduring several months stuck in and around the barn during her recovery, but it was all worth it because she has spent a glorious summer roaming the upper pond pasture with her Mom, Honey, and second mom, Betsy.
We’re grateful to Tobin for sponsoring this day in the birthday girl’s honor. As Tobin says, “I’m glad that she’s part of the group of people that live at the sanctuary and I wish her a happy birthday and a good new year of life.”
Thanks, Tobin, and thanks to all of Meredith’s Bovine Buddies for caring for one of the sweetest cows we’ve ever known!
Grooming Time with the Cows
Check out today’s video to join in on a grooming session…with the cows! These lovely ladies often spend time grooming each other, and it is a wonderful moment when they invite us as their caregivers to join in. Meredith, Honey, and Betsy really love the scratching post that J.B. recently installed for them, but when there isn’t a scratching post around, a human with a brush will do just fine!
Betsy licks Caregiver Ellen
…And another one!
And one more, because Betsy is just so cute!
Betsy rests her head in Caregiver Ellen’s hand
Betsy’s tongue is incoming…
Another lick from Betsy! You can see the texture of her tongue here. Being licked by a cow feels a lot like being licked by a giant cat’s tongue!
Left to right Caregiver Ellen, Meredith, Honey, and Betsy
And last but not least, Caregiver Ellen gets a facial courtesy of Betsy Cow!
Cow Lick
Getting licked by a cow is like being licked by a 1/2-ton cat (but without all of the kicking and biting afterwards). Their tongues are very rough! When their coats are longer, cow licks can result in some beautiful abstract impressionist artwork.
