Meredith
March 21, 2021 by Anthony -
Those of you who follow CSNW on Instagram may have noticed that we regularly feature images of the four rescued Jersey cattle who graze the pastures around the sanctuary. Since these herbivorous creatures are so different from their chimpanzee neighbors, focusing on the cattle can be a welcome change of pace for the sanctuary staff and social media followers alike.
In the recent “Bovine Break” post from a couple days ago, we shared a photograph of the four Jersey cattle resting together in their winter paddock. They have formed a tightly-knit herd and are rarely seen apart, which is justified given their history and family bonds. Still, they each have their own colorful personality and quirky tendencies, and the image highlighted one of these characteristic traits.
While Betsy, Honey and Nutmeg were all aligned so they could view the hills and forests to the north of the sanctuary, Meredith was turned completely around and facing the other direction, chewing her cud without any indication that she wanted to conform with the others. We always joke that she has idiosyncratic tendencies, but it was nice to capture it visually for all to see. Standing while the others lay down, laying down while the others stand, facing the opposite direction, lagging behind the group… such is Meredith’s nature.
I used her peculiarity to my advantage when I went out to photograph the cattle this afternoon. The other three acted inconvenienced and trotted away, but Merry quietly waddled alongside me at her own pace. She’s not always in an affectionate mood, but she occasionally paused to suspiciously sniff my muck boots and gently lick my hands. We stopped at the paddock gate where she stood and watched the others (who had nonchalantly strolled through together). Eventually, I left them to their own endeavors. Apart from the satisfaction of capturing some nice portraits, I was also content to share a peaceful moment with this odd individual.
9 Comments
Subscribe to the Blog and
Get Notified of New Posts First!
If you like what see, be sure to subscribe. Personally written by the caregivers themselves, 365 days a year, you’ll get an insiders glimpse of all the goings on at the sanctuary. Follow us!
Hi, Anthony!
Funny, I’ve never really thought of cows as having personalities, even though I’ve known some farmers in my time
This was really a delightful post and we so enjoyed it. Individuality is a great feature in our troubled times. Thank You.
I always enjoy reading about the cattle and seeing their pictures. People don’t realize that they have a lot of individual personality and traits. We are all very fortunate to have these gentle creatures in the sanctuary.
Meredith is beautiful… as are the other bovine. Such a great post Anthony.. thank you.
Fantastic photos of Ms. Meredith. Since I’m not on Instagram I can’t access your photos and videos, it’s such a tease and most disturbing at the same time. So I appreciated getting a good long look at these photos of this very big beautiful independent woman.
I never noticed the white dots in the center of her front feet before! Actually looks more like a white “X” painted on each foot. Très chic!
Thank you for the pictures of the lovely Meredith.
Anthony,
Thank you for devoting a blog post to my Bovine Bestie, Ms. Meredith Cow. I find it heartening to read of her idiosyncratic, if contrarian, tendencies. Of course, I suppose that it is possible that she is going through her adolescence and, as such, needs to differentiate herself from her peers. After all, I am sure that she spends plenty of time with them and has heard (herd?) all of their old stories over and over.
Assuming such an introduction can be facilitated between us, I would like to meet Meredith one day. Until then, she and her herd are very fortunate to have humans such as yourself to attend to them. I hope that you will scratch her side for me and her other sponsors, Willy B and Jody.
I think anyone who lives with a feline can understand how different individual bovines can be. Just because we live in a society, doesn’t mean we can’t be our own individuals!