Hi all, I have just returned from Castle Bottom, having found all the cows sheltering together in the woods (area 10), and the ponies up at what seems to be their favourite spot by the corral. We looked at the patches of bare skin that are developing on two of the cows, and checked that the skin looks healthy, with no wounds/rashes/sores/scabs to suggest any health problems. I spoke to the grazier who confirmed that this is relatively normal this time of year, as the cows are moulting and losing fur anyway, and perhaps might lose a clump in patches dues to licking/excessive rain/rubbing on vegetation/fencing posts. So it seems like it is just another thing to keep an eye on and monitor.
The ponies seemed quite calm today, although judging from their recent behaviour it may be wise to exercise caution when undertaking checks. It can be a good idea to carry a large stick, as an extra barrier between you and the animals, and to make you look bigger and therefore dominant. Although the ponies are not wild animals as such, they are not tame either, and can behave unpredictably as their moods change. Please do let us know if there are any further incidents involving the ponies - it might be useful to keep some kind of record of their moods/behaviours, to see if we can identify any trends or triggers.
All the best,
Natalie
