Letter to the Editor Tuesday September 16, 2014

Enough gloom, here's Sucky

I read Letters to the Editor twice weekly. Sadly a lot of the time they are doom and gloom, so I thought I would tell you a story about a cow called Sucky and bring a bit of light relief to your column.

Twelve years ago one of our Angus cows calved, and a month to the day later produced another calf. Most folk thought I was mistaken but no way.

I then happened to meet Heath Harris in town and he said it was possible.

As the cow had no colostrum for this calf she was dragged back home in a woolpack and hand reared, hence her name Sucky.

She thrived, but at a couple of weeks old our daughter was feeding her, and as calves often do, sucked her fingers and swallowed her engagement ring!

As time went on Sucky eventually entered the herd and produced mostly bull calves. She was still very quiet and always came up to me for a scratch.

Well alas this year was to be her last, and sadly she had a dead calf so was booked to go to the freezing works, but seeing the works had shut down for two weeks Sucky had a reprieve.

Just as well, because on September 14 she once again produced a strapping bull calf, 18 days after the dead one. Mother and son are doing well.

So after another depressing, wet, miserable, calving season you have made my day Sucky.

So hopefully spring is on its way and the grass will grow for all us farmers, and Sucky will enjoy her last year with her son. The ring, alas, was never seen again!

SUE CUSACK

Kaingaroa