Buddy-Buddy: Down on the Farm by Courtney Henderson
Buddy-Buddy
On February 14th, 2015, a young cow gave birth to a very small little girl. This little girl was born three weeks early and was the same size as a Labrador retriever. We named her Buddy because she was like a constant companion no matter where we were. She was a rambunctious little girl from the very start, but she was very week. For the first few months of her life, we were all constantly in her pen taking care of her. Whether we were giving her antibiotics or steroids to help her breathe or giving her attention when she wasn’t feeling well, we were always right there with her.
As she grew, she remained smaller than her herd mates. With her lung problems as a calf, she would always be smaller and always have some issues later in life. That did not stop her one bit, though. She learned how to nose her way between the bigger cattle in order to get to food or water. She took on the bigger calves all the time and never had any issues getting what she wanted. She knew how to work the herd and how to get what she wanted without the others noticing.
At two years old, Buddy gave birth to a small little girl of her own. This calf, Raiden, inherited her mother’s size and attitude. Raiden was smaller than the others, but she was just as driven to food as her mother. She would nose her way in to eat her fill. She also loves picking on the older cattle.
When Buddy became part of the milk herd, we had no idea what we were in for. Don’t get me wrong, Buddy is a great cow and everyone’s favorite. However, she is the sneakiest, most mischievous, and smartest cows we have ever had. She is a food aggressive cow. She smells it or sees it; she will do everything she can to get to it. She learned how to open the doors in the parlor. She knows how to use her tongue to flick the switch and open the door. She also knows how and where to hit the handle to let herself in. Currently, my hat is her new toy. She loves taking it off and throwing it in the air.
Buddy is everyone’s favorite because of her gentle, easy going behavior. She may be a pain at times, but that is what makes Buddy unique. When you are upset or hurt, she is always right there to cheer you up with a soft head hug or a gentle lick. She knows when you are sad and crying. Attention hog is the best way to describe Buddy. She loves people and children and loves to just be a part of everyone. She is certainly her own self, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
–Courtney Henderson, Special to The Botetourt Bee
