Jacqueline P Vincent

Baby animal Farm Pt 5

I thought the season had already given me all the joy it had to offer. First came the surprise ducklings and chicks, then the quiet pleasure of eating breakfast while watching the horses graze in the morning light. With our return to sunny Spain planned for April, I assumed that was it for heart‑warming animal moments.

But the countryside always has one more surprise tucked away.

This morning, as I looked out over the fields, the Welcome Swallows were darting between their nests, the fence wires, and the barns—tiny flashes of blue and rust gathering strength for their long migration. And in the barn itself, two young Charolais calves were curled up in the straw. Both had had a difficult start to life.

Larry, the golden one, has recovered well. Linus, though, is still struggling. He’s being bottle‑fed and given high‑protein, high‑fat feed to help him gain weight before winter. His troubles began early: he was taken from his mother too soon, before he’d had enough colostrum—the rich, first milk that gives a calf its best chance in life. Without it, he’s been vulnerable to every bug and stomach upset imaginable.

After the vet’s most recent visit, he warned that Linus would need supplements, special food, and continued bottle‑feeding. It all sounded expensive, and my daughter and her husband quietly raised the possibility of putting him down. I couldn’t bear the thought. So I stepped in and said I’d take on the feeding, the supplements, and the cost of the special food. I simply couldn’t watch this gentle, pretty calf fade away.

My daughter looked at me and said, “Then he’s yours.”

My heart gave a little leap. Suddenly, I had the beginnings of my very own Charolais herd. Determined, I set up a feeding schedule and soon headed out with a giant two‑litre bottle of special calf milk to the paddock where Linus lives with Larry.

They have a cosy barn for shelter, a small paddock, and—thanks to the recent pattern of rain, sun, rain, sun—plenty of lush grass and clover. Perfect for building up a calf who, once he reaches 100 kilos, along with Larry will join the other house cows in the big field.

When I fed him today, Linus looked brighter already. He guzzled his bottle with real enthusiasm, and for the first time in weeks, I felt hopeful. With a bit of care and a lot of determination, I think this little calf will thrive.

And just like that, the farm has given me yet another unexpected joy.

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