Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary is celebrating the birth of a calf named Little Flower with a unique story.
Sanctuary founder and director Pam Ahern said Little Flower’s mum Petal was recently surrendered into their care with two other former milking cows.
“Their humans loved them deeply and wished for them to be spared the dire fate of all dairy cows who have passed the peak of their productive years,” she said.
It came to pass that Petal, a gentle friesian of about 10 years, was pregnant. And when she recently gave birth, sanctuary carers were moved by what they witnessed.
“We had heard of perfectly healthy birds feigning injury to lure predators away from their young,” Pam mused. “We couldn’t help but wonder if that was what we were witnessing.”
Wishing to check that all was well with the veteran mother and her bub, yet ever cautious not to invade their space, carers entered their field.
“From afar, Petal spied us,” Pam said. “And as we made our way that little bit closer, the doting mother took a gentle lick of her baby, then slowly moved away, never once looking back. She nonchalantly lowered her head and ate some grass, then looked our way as if trying to divert our attention to her.”
When carers left the scene, Petal immediately returned to her baby and lovingly caressed every inch of her form with her tongue.
“Normally around this point in Petal’s previous birthings, her babies would have been taken from her,” Pam said.
“Little Flower is the baby she will finally get to keep. There are few who could have witnessed this tender scene and not have been moved.”
Little Flower’s arrival comes just as the sanctuary are gearing up for All Mother’s Day, an initiative encouraging people to pledge to eat kind and give kind this Mother’s Day.
“From sharing a delicious plant-based brunch to choosing gifts that are not tested on animals, there are so many ways to make kinder choices for all mums, regardless of species,” Pam said.
Those who pledge will receive a free recipe eBook, a printable Mother’s Day Card, and will go in the draw to win a hamper full of ethical goodies.
To find out more visit: allmothersday.com.au
