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Short extract from Chapter 20
That day, November 20th 2002, was the day we began. It was about 10 a.m. when the McWilliams cattle wagon rattled into the yard and backed up to the gate in the middle of the cattle shed wall. The driver jumped out and opened the back doors, and the cows had their first glimpse of their new home. Gradually, they backed out of the truck and into the shed. They were hot and steaming, after being in an enclosed space for the half-hour or so of the journey, and stood looking around in a bewildered fashion. We had opened a bale of haylage and put some into the trough to try and reassure them that we were friendly, but they didn’t show any interest at first, and just continued to stare balefully around them. This first load was just twelve cows, and they had left their calves behind on the hill, so that was a further stress factor for them, and I hoped the next load would not be long. They were bringing the cows in two trucks, and the first one was to go back for the eighteen calves. The driver said that the second batch would not be long, and he left to fetch the calves.
I stood on the far side of the feeding trough and watched Richard move quietly amongst the new arrivals, speaking to them soothingly in a quiet voice. We tried to tempt them to the trough to try our haylage, and, as the steam rising from their backs lessened and their breathing became quieter, one or two of them began to amble slowly towards the proffered fare. I have no idea which one it was that took the first mouthful, but I would like to place a bet that it was the one with number 31 on a red tag dangling from her ear. This is Bardennoch Hill Brownie, daughter of Glenapp Trooper and Brownie Voracious of Mosscroft, with ancestors bearing such noble names as Ulysses 2nd of Lochurr and Prince of Glenturk, but more affectionately known to us as Spot, owing to a round white mark at the point of her left jaw bone, about the size of a ten pence piece. She is one of the older cows and has proved to be a great character. She is very much her own cow and can often be found lying down, chewing a peaceful cud on her own, with no thought or worry as to where the rest of the herd are.
After this first move, the others slowly began to make their way over to the trough, and soon there were twelve heads moving up and down rhythmically as they pulled at the grass and chewed thoughtfully away.
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