Saturday 9th May - All 25 seen

At 09:50 this morning, six of the Sussex cattle were gathered under the shade of the trees southwest of James Bond Pond, near ///cheesy.stunts.niece. Steer 210, along with cows 211 and 1396, were resting and chewing their cud. Steers 197 and 1626, along with cow 212, were grazing before later lying down beside them. They were all friendly and enjoyed plenty of strokes. Cow 212 was especially affectionate, thoroughly enjoying a long neck rub and returning the affection with gentle head rubs. All six were happy, relaxed, and looking well.

At 10:50, eleven members of the Caesar’s original herd, along with Sussex steer 1640, were gathered by the Lookout. Several were resting under the shade of the trees, while most preferred to relax out in the warm sunshine and chew their cud. Despite the warmth, there was a refreshing breeze blowing, helping to keep the cattle cool while also keeping most of the flies away. Many of the cattle wandered over to greet me and enjoyed long back scratches. The resting cattle were happy to be approached, with most accepting strokes and rubs. At various points, some would get up and move under the trees for a while to cool off before returning to lie down in the sun. All twelve were happy, relaxed, and in good condition.

The group attracted plenty of interest from passers-by, with several people stopping to ask questions about them, which I was more than happy to answer. I said my goodbyes at 12:45, leaving them all peacefully resting. It was lovely to spend some extra time with the herd today.

Finally, at 13:00, the remaining seven cattle — cows 214 and 234, along with steers 220, 227, 270, and 271 — were resting in the cow shed. They stood together in the cool shade, chewing their cud, with most of them facing the back wall to keep the flies at bay. They all took turns coming over to say hello, with most enjoying long neck and back scratches. Youngster 220 and cow 234 were happy simply standing close to me while resting. Later, youngster 227 came out and joined me at the front of the shed, happy to be fussed over. I said my goodbyes at 14:00, leaving them all resting peacefully. All seven were happy and healthy.

The cows were all good today.