monday 30th - STAFF POST

Sorry for the late blog!

Yesterday (monday) we rounded all 25 cows up and walked them over to Camp 45 in order to change batteries and recollar the few who managed to escape theirs. Today they will be getting their hooves trimmed and given a flyspray.

We will post again when we move them back to caesar's. 

Thanks!

Sean

Monday 30th March - All 25 seen

 Between 07:45 - 10:00

All seen in 4 areas as follows, 

Sussex 197 was alongside Sandy Hill Road, only managed a quick look as there was no where to park the car. He looked good despite being on his own.

Came back to the Aldershot end of the site where I found Brie and Sarah opposite the Enterprise car rental at ///pink.sheep.bridge, both were quite happy and content.

Walking further along I then found Sussex’s 210,211,212,1640 and 1396. Also here with them was 219. They were near the entrance to the site at the top of Cranmore Lane, ///scared.vocal.beats. They were all happily eating a good selection  of leaves.

The remainder were scattered on the slopes north east of Horse pond. ///surpasses.microchip.packing. The last Sussex 1626 was here although he had become separated from the rest. I tried to coax him into following me back to join the others but he was more content standing in the sunshine.

All the cattle were good this morning.

Sunday 29th March - All 25 seen

At 09:25 this morning, a mixed group of twenty-two cattle were spread out grazing south of James Bond Pond. Several were browsing gorse and heather in the pasture near ///clicker.cared.crop, while the others were dispersed among the bushes lining the two paths to the north. The cattle were very friendly, with nearly all coming over to greet me and enjoy plenty of scratches. After saying hello, they would return to grazing. They were all happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At around 10:25, ten cattle gathered at the southwest corner of the pond to rest, either drinking from the large puddle on the path near ///loaf.dollar.shred or going into the muddy area to the north for water. By 10:45, they started to drift off again to graze or return to the pasture to lie down and chew their cud.

It was great to see that steer 210 had found the other Sussex cattle and was much happier than yesterday, although he was still fairly vocal at times. I suspect this was simply to ensure the others were still nearby.

I said my goodbyes shortly before noon, leaving a group of fifteen lying in the pasture and the others still grazing among the gorse bushes.

At 12:05, cows 72 and 940, along with steer 219, were resting in the bracken on the hillside to the west of Horse Pond, near ///highly.invent.staked. They were all looking very comfortable, relaxing and chewing their cud. They were all happy to be approached and enjoyed plenty of strokes and rubs. Youngster 219 especially loved the attention, and after an extended neck rub, stretched out fully on his side for belly scratches. All three were content, relaxed, and in good condition. I said my goodbyes at 13:00, leaving them all peacefully resting.

The cows were all good today.

Saturday 28th March - All 25 seen - Sussex steer 210 was on Gelvert - now back on Caesar's

At 09:15 this morning, steers 217, 220, 222, 228, 230, and 271, along with cow 214, were resting and chewing their cud on a grassy patch at the Royal Pavilion end of the site, near ///dollar.lost.river. Steers 30 and 227, together with cow 234, were grazing in the bramble to the southeast. Youngster 222 had a small scratch on his front right ankle, likely caused while grazing in the thicket, but it wasn’t causing him any issues. They were all very friendly and enjoyed plenty of strokes and rubs as I made my way around checking on them. At 10:55, steers 20 and 35, along with Sussex cows 211 and 212, were grazing in the swampy area to the southeast of the covered reservoir. Cow 212 soon wandered over to say hello and enjoy plenty of strokes and rubs in the sunshine. At 11:30, a group of ten cattle, including four of the Sussexes, were resting in the heather and bracken near ///repeats.attic.save, northeast of James Bond Pond. They were positioned within an area that the army had cordoned off for cadet training. They were all happy, relaxed, and looking well. Despite a thorough search, including returning to all three groups to double-check I hadn’t missed him, I was unable to find Sussex steer 210. Determined to locate him, I crossed over to Gelvert, where I eventually found him grazing on lush green grass beside the larger fishing lake at 13:50. He was reluctant to leave the fresh grass, but he did follow me back to Caesar’s through the gate at the water treatment plant at 14:10, which had been left open after the makeshift string lock had been cut. Having found some thin rope near the fishing lake, I used it to secure the gate. It took some time to guide him back to other cattle, but by 15:00 he had been reunited with steers 20 and 35 near ///beats.golf.stowing, close to the main entrance to Gelvert. He didn’t seem particularly content, and I suspect he was hoping to rejoin the other Sussexes, although cows 211 and 212 were likely nearby, as they had been with the boys earlier. He had been very vocal along the way, frequently calling out as he tried to locate other cattle, but none were close by. Hopefully, he will settle, and the group will move off together to find the others. The cows were all good today.