Truth is Stranger that Fiction

Seems like the mastitis is healing up slowly but surely. I gave Priscilla a nice massage this morning and extracted at least a little milk. She still had a lot of udder edema, but maybe a little better. I let her and Coco take the girls outside to graze in the yard.

Off and on Dulce gave her mother her version of a massage. Bump. Bump. Butt. Butt.

I was happy to see that Dulce appeared much more lively today. We didn't even give her a bottle, hoping she would nurse more frequently.

As we adjourned to the dining room for lunch today we looked out the window to oooh and aaah at the darling little calves. Dulce was busy nursing her mother when the pastured pigs came running over to check out the situation. Sniff, sniff and a snort, snort. We couldn't believe our eyes.

One of the pigs went up to Priscilla and proceeded to nurse! All seven of us piled around the window, laughing so hard we could barely stand up! Things got really funny when Priscilla got the memo and saw that instead of her precious little Dulce, a big pink pig was signing up for adoption! A swift kick and swipe with the horns seemed to be enough to convince the pig that maybe Priscilla wasn't his type after all.

I remember a dog we had when I was a little girl. She was part doxie and we named her Foxy. She was such a mother, she not only let her puppies nurse, but invited the housecat to nurse as well. What a mama. But I never dreamed of a pig on a cow.

I feel much more hopeful about Priscilla's condition today. Maybe we are on the mend. I am grateful for Dulce helping with her mother's health care plan.

It is a dark and rainy night tonight.

Ask me how I know!

Philip and I were out trekking the 45 acres looking for Priscilla, Coco, Carmelita, Dulce, Panda, Ribby and Duncan. Apparently Priscilla pushed through a gate and the girls joined the herd. They love each other very much and hate to be separated, but we like keeping the little ones near the house so we can put them in the barn at night.

Philip is still out there, doing the last sweep.

I read in some research that one of the best things you can do for a cow with udder edema is let her get some exercise.

I suppose Priscilla has gotten enough exercise today and so have I and I don't even have edema.

It was nice to be out for a nighttime walk. The stream was swollen with the rain and melted snow. The rushing waters echoed against the fog. Steady drizzle soaked my glasses and hair, but didn't get through Philip's nice big parka that I commandeered. Muck sucked at my shoes and tried to trip me up, but I managed to stay upright. Silly cows picked a very damp night for their escape. Maybe they were so offended by the porcine effrontery they had to make a break for it.