Highs and lows

As I have said many times before, the life of a livestock farmer has huge highs and equally huge lows. 

Let us start with the lows ... yesterday we lost one of the Gracie Moos.  Number 1 Gracie Moo was the first calf born to our little herd of pedigree Sussex in 2009.  She was a lovely big girlie and, like the other cows, has never had any health problems at all.

So, I was shocked to find her suddenly extremely ill in the field when I went to check on them on Sunday night.  We did what we could for her but she only got worse and a very early visit from our wonderful vet on Monday morning only confirmed what we already knew.   That there really was no hope and she would have to be put down.  Doubly tragic as she was in calf and, at less than halfway into her pregnancy, there was absolutely no way the calf would be viable if we could even try to save it. 

Unlike goats who are usually euthanased by the vet, the best way to deal with a huge animal like a Gracie Moo is, unfortunately, to have her shot.  Not pleasant at all but something all livestock farmers have to face.  All done professionally and quickly.  Poor Gracie Moo.

But tonight came the high point.  Ellie's Dairy Fresh Goat Curd has won a Silver Award at the International Cheese Awards in Cheshire.   Hurrah!!!

We had, as usual, entered a few classes just for the excitement of participating in the World's Largest Cheese Awards.  Judging took place today and I was scanning the results to see how many awards our friends at High Weald Dairy had won when I came across our name!  Amazing!!  Didn't expect that to happen.  We will get a certificate and everything ... how exciting is that?! 

Doesn't make up for Gracie Moo but it did bring a smile to the face :-)