Tuesday 5th August - All 25 seen

The seven Sussex cattle were at the cow shed at 17:10 this afternoon. Cow 211 and steer 1626 were outside, but were being heavily bothered by flies. Cow 211 enjoyed a long neck rub, which also helped keep the flies away from her face and eyes. The remaining five were inside the shed, lying down, relaxing, and chewing their cud. Steer 210 wandered out for a back scratch before settling down at my feet to rest, but soon decided the flies were too much and returned inside. All seven were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

By 17:40, cows 72 and 940 were grazing near ///icicles.flesh.louder, while steers 30 and 35 rested nearby in the bracken. The lump on cow 72’s neck was still visible but smaller than on Sunday. She showed no signs of discomfort and was happy for me to check the area. After some time, the boys got up, stretched, and began grazing. All four were happy and healthy.

At 17.55, youngster 227 was lying in the heather just north of the trees by Horse Pond. He was very friendly and appreciated having the flies gently brushed from his face and shoulders. While I spent time with him, the rest of the group, who had been resting among the trees, began moving off to the west.

It seems acorn hunting season has started early this year! Steers 20 and 222, along with cows 214 and 234, were foraging under the trees at the far western edge of the woodland by the path. Youngster 227 soon joined them. Meanwhile, another group of eight steers were grazing further west near ///usage.angry.spotty, enjoying the heather and fresh grass growing around the bracken. Steers 33, 217, 220, and 230 gradually made their way south, ending up at the bottom of the slope to Sandy Hill. All thirteen were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At 19:15, older steer 21 was grazing alone near ///driving.hosts.lawns, just east of the covered reservoir. He had become separated from the Sussex group earlier in the day but seemed completely content, enjoying the long grass and browsing on bushes in the cooler evening air. I spent a peaceful 20 minutes with him as he slowly grazed clockwise around the reservoir. Hopefully, he’ll rejoin one of the other groups soon.

Finally, I noted that two of the cattle’s favoured resting areas—among the bushes northeast of James Bod Pond and the trees to the east—were restricted today. These spots have provided valuable shade and access to water during the recent hot weather. It would be really helpful if a blog post could clarify the new grazing boundaries and explain why key rest areas like the cow shed are now restricted.

The cows were all good today.