Last week when it was raining to no end, the farmer, whose farm I pass on my way to work each day, had a cow down. I had seen he had lost a cow just the week before - birthing - so the prospect must have been devestating to see another cow down.
She was not going down without a fight...not on the farmer's or the cow's part.
Each day I came by I saw a different scenario. Most days I would see the cow laying down either under a tarp, miserable and head down, waiting out the rain - but laying on a pile of fresh green hay. Other times during a dry spell, the farmer was out there in the pasture, hoisting her up with a belt attached to a loader on a tractor. She'd just be standing there on shaking legs surrounded by hay, but she was standing. One day she even was munching some hay. Each day, I would wonder if I would see her spralled out on her side, a good fight lost.
As days went on, I saw her eyes slowly clear, her head come up.
The rains finally came to an end and on my way home a couple of days ago, she was gone - so was the tractor and loader.
I really thought she had been looking healthier, so I hope she'd had made it.
Today I went by the farm and looked for her. No sign.
But when I came back, I noticed a cow in the next pasture near the fence that looked very familiar.
Her tail was filthy and her ribs were showing quite a bit, but she was eating the new grown green grass like there was no tomorrow.
Yeah!
copyright 2012 Stepka
