The White Stripes, bovine edition
This week I noticed some new cows had joined the herd. This one with the distinctive white stripe down her back is particularly striking. I'm not sure if she's a mum yet, but I bet the bull can't wait to get his err, hands, on her.
The New Black
And I don't ever remember seeing a solid black cow in our herd. She's a beauty, isn't she? And from the size of those udders, I don't think she's given birth recently either.
How Now Brown Cow?
The brown cow there in front is also new. I'd remember seeing a hide such a pretty shade of brown. (Brown is quickly becoming my favorite color. My new car is brown, or rather, Sparkling Bronze.)
As I watched the new cows mingle with the herd, I realized there were a few of the old ones missing. We've been here 7 years, the average lifespan of a dairy cow. After that they quit producing as much milk, despite being impregnanted on a regular basis, and are sent off to be turned into hamburger meat.
Some of my best friends are ground round.
Update: Yvonne the Bavarian cow has been found after 3 months on the lam! She escaped after sensing she would be sent to slaughter, probably after noticing her friends disappearing after they stopped giving milk. You can read about her capture—and her happy ending—here.
