Sunday 23rd November - All 25 seen

At 10:00 this morning, steers 20, 35, 197, 217, and 222, along with cows 72, 211, and 212, were relaxing in the sunshine on their favourite Sandy Hill corner. As soon as youngster 222 spotted me, he hurried over to say hello and enjoyed endless neck and back scratches. Several more cattle soon emerged from the gorse, having come up the slope from the area around Horse Pond, and joined the group on the corner, quickly settling down to relax and chew their cud. As I made my way around checking on them, youngster 222 followed closely, gently nudging me to make sure he wasn’t forgotten!

By 10:55, seventeen cattle were resting near the corner when cows 214 and 234, along with yearling 271, wandered in from the east. Shortly afterward, youngster 230 followed. They were all very friendly, coming over to greet me and enjoy some strokes and rubs. All twenty-one cattle were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

After spending another twenty minutes with the main group, I noticed that four cattle hadn’t climbed Sandy Hill and had instead continued west along to Longbottom. By 11:30, cow 940 had made her way up Sandy Hill and was grazing contentedly near ///buffoon.alleyway.ranch, while steers 21, 227, and 228 grazed at the foot of the slope. A little later, I noticed that the boys had wandered off to the northeast, seemingly heading back towards Horse Pond. I went to catch up with them and spotted cow 940 following behind in the distance.

By 11:50, steers 21, 227, and 228 were resting and chewing their cud in the sunshine in the pasture northwest of Horse Pond, near ///monorail.jolt.done. The two youngsters thoroughly enjoyed long back scratches. Cow 940 joined them at noon and took a refreshing drink from some puddles. I said my goodbyes at 12:20, leaving all four lying comfortably among the heather. They were all happy, content, and looking well.

When I returned to Sandy Hill at 12:30, most of the herd had moved west, with steers 210, 219, 270, and 271, along with cows 214 and 234, foraging for acorns or nibbling on gorse near the pill box.

The cows were all good today.