Zanfara boss cow

[Louisa Gidney]

A rather late response to Saffy's request for more info on my boss cow.
She is Zanfara Thomasina, born 7/2/05. She is my attempt to breed back to Doesmead bloodlines. So far has had fourteen calves, of which eleven have been heifers and the three bulls were all registered and worked. All have been excellent calves and she's a good mother. Now undisputed herd boss as second ranking cow has no ambition to challenge for top rank and Thomasina has outlived all previous challengers. Thomasina is in excellent health with a good udder, particularly when compared to her mother, Clarissa, who at this age who had lost a quarter, had regular bouts of mastitis and was a little stiff in her back legs, but was only put down aged 19 years as she wouldn't get in calf.
So far, so good.
Now for the cons. She's a Big Momma so cannot travel with anyone but her own calf and is very disruptive when trying to catch and load other cattle to go to summer grass, or when coming home. In the barn in winter, she has to have a larger pen than anyone else and bullies the occupants of the neighbouring pens so a lot of "cot sides" are needed to prevent this. A big cow and a big pen mean more fodder, bedding and mucking out. If she's outside, she will hog to herself a shelter big enough for several animals. When there's a big bale, she'll eat her fill then lie down and cud by it so low ranking cows can't get near. If I spread fodder out, she'll walk to the other end of the field to chase a cow off it. She's been haltered since a calf but is still a pain to catch and lead. If she decides it's time for spring turn out, she'll go over the top of her pen and out of the barn door, regardless of any door fastenings.
I always wanted a long-lived cow but now I begin to wonder whether I haven't wished too hard.......

[Saffy]

Wow Louisa, she is a beauty! "A friend of mine used to like to admonish me with...be careful what you wish for - you might get it." But that cow is stunning!

As for her behaviour, I did have a very nice cow that was very like her. And that cow although dun, the only non Woodmagic in her way back was....Doesmead a foundation herd for Beryl, interesting???

With the dairy herd here, I noticed that whilst physical things were inherited, so were behavioral things and they were not picked up from being with the dam, as they were usually only together 24 hours and then popped on the bucket.

[Louisa Gidney]

Behaviour is definitely from the sire's side, Hill Farm Thomas. Thomas jumped the fence once too often into the neighbour's field so had to go on a one way trip. All Clarissa's many other calves had her sweet nature and I ended up keeping Thomasina! On the plus side, all Thomasina's progeny and descendants seem to have inherited the placid nature of her dam.