The lick of friendship

 The Lick of Friendship: How Bottle-Feeding Shapes Our Farm Animals' Characters

    Have you ever been licked by a cow? It might sound unusual, but at our farm, it’s a common sign of affection from our friendly animals—especially our Angus/Holstein cross bull, Chocolate. This quirky behavior isn’t just a random habit; it’s a reflection of the unique personalities our animals develop, shaped by their early experiences with us.

A Lifeline for Rejected Calves

    Unfortunately, not all calves are welcomed by their mothers. Sometimes, due to illness, weakness, or other factors, a mother cow may reject her calf. When that happens, we
step in to provide the care these little ones need to survive. We bottle-feed them, ensuring they get the nourishment and attention required to thrive. At our farm, we pride ourselves on offering a loving home to all our animals, whether they were bottle-fed or raised naturally.

Shaping Personalities Through Care

    This early human intervention does more than just keep the calves alive—it plays a significant role in shaping who they become. Being bottle-fed creates a strong bond between the animals and their human caretakers. From a young age, these calves learn to trust and enjoy human company, often growing up to be more sociable and affectionate than those raised solely by their mothers. While every animal has its own unique personality, we’ve noticed a clear trend: our bottle-fed animals tend to be more comfortable around people and more eager to interact.

Meet Chocolate: The Licking Ambassador

    Take Chocolate, our Angus/Holstein cross bull, for example. As a calf, he lost his mother and had to be bottle-fed by hand. Fast forward to today, and he’s one of the most outgoing animals on the farm. Chocolate loves to greet visitors, and his favorite way to say hello is with a big, friendly lick. For cows, licking is a natural behavior—it’s how they groom themselves and show affection or acceptance to others in their herd. So when Chocolate licks you, he’s essentially saying, “You’re part of my herd!” It’s always a surprise for first-time visitors, but it’s also a heartwarming testament to the loving nature that bottle-feeding helped nurture in him.

A Bond Built on Trust and Affection

    The story of Chocolate and our other bottle-fed animals highlights the incredible connection that can form between humans and animals. It’s a relationship rooted in trust, care, and mutual affection. These animals don’t just survive because of our intervention—they thrive, developing characters that make them special members of our farm family.

If you’re ever in the area, we’d love for you to come meet Chocolate and the rest of our friendly crew. Who knows—you might even leave with a slobbery lick or two as a souvenir of the visit!