I’ve been meaning to write an update about our herd and general goings-on in farmland, and today seems appropriate, given that our herd lost one more member today. We’ve said goodbye to Tippi, Sunny and Hinimoa, and today we said goodbye to Luka, sadly.

i’ve been inside for most of the time over the last couple of days. Winter has made a surprise re entry onto the weather scene, and i’ve been attempting to keep warm. I’ve also had a couple of little projects on the boil, both of which necessitate hours at the screen, so perhaps i haven’t been as tuned into the daily events in our animals lives as i normally would be.

This morning seemed normal, little friends Luka and Willy in the home paddock, Willy waiting for his feed from mum, post-milking… Luka always nearby. Luka has always been a strange little calf, not readily accepted by the herd, and has required special feeding attention just in order that she gets food in her belly and isn’t steamrollered by the bigger cows. None of the cows seemed to take on the role of grooming or mothering her, as you see them so often doing to each other, so she was a bit of an outcast.

We bought Luka at a farm outside of Mullumbimby some 8 months ago I guess. She was sold as a Murray Grey Galloway cross, i’m not sure how old at the time. Since that day she has barely grown! Willy is bigger than her! Willy was born but a moment ago. We long ago came to the conclusion that she was a miniature breed, and, while we have a philosophy of each herd cow having a purpose, she was really just our pet, given her delicate constitution and sweet nature. Kids loved her.

Shes been quite sickly pretty much all her life until recently, when she seemed to have become much more lively and active, getting leaner and (marginally) taller. We’ve pulled her through many situations which seemed life threatening, none of which we have been able to diagnose. It’s notoriously difficult to diagnose disease in cattle as many of the symptoms are the same - stiff back legs, awkward gait, bloated belly, and often they will go down, either part way or completely prone. They can die quite quickly, but if you catch them in time you can often turn them around as quickly as they wen down. Epsom salts mixed with apple cider vinegar is a bit of a cure-all, and it has worked for Luka on more than one occasion. If they go down and are completely prone, legs out stiff, for too long, then breathing becomes labored and they can’t get themselves up. They will probably die if they don’t get assistance. You can roll them over if they are completely prone and prop them so they can breathe properly and administer some kind of treatment. Their systems can’t work properly is they are completely prone, so they can’t chew cud, ruminate, belch and so on, and that is vital to a cow. In most cases I know what’s going on, I’m quite attuned to where the animals are and if one has been missing for some time. Not today, sadly.

I went out to feed the animals and put out the bucket which Willy and Luka share, but only Willy was to be found. Luka loves her food so this was unusual. Bek, our farm family cottage grrl was with me, helping out, and she thought there was a big rock just the other side of the fence. The side of the fence that is’t our side of the fence. I knew it was Luka, and I knew she was dead. I ran down, and she was still warm. We sat with her for a while and stroked her (she had such beautifully soft fur) and I thought that if I had just been a little more attuned I’d have been able to save her.  She had such delicate little hoofs, shiny little high heeled boots, tiny, not cow sized, and such long eyelashes. Charlene isn’t back from work yet, but i know she’ll be sad. I don’t quite know how to manage the disposal, I guess we burn her. I don’t know how or why she died, I would just be guessing, but I don’t like to think of her suffering when I could have helped her, I’m sure.

This happens on the eve of picking up a new little calf from Charlene’s work, a lovely little black angus cross called rabbit.

 A little reminder of the sweetness that was Luka…

 luka and me
Luka and me

Happier post next time

Vx