Saying Goodbye to My First Highland Heifer
Losing a life on the farm is never easy, but it is even more difficult when it is the first Highland cattle heifer I have ever lost.
If you follow my social media channels, you may remember that on 16 March 2024 my first ever Highlands arrived on the farm. Four beautiful young heifer calves. I had always dreamt of owning these magnificent native breeds, but when I started my farming journey in 2021, I didn’t have the terrain they truly deserved. Now, living on a hill farm in the North Yorkshire Moors, I knew the land was perfect for them and that they would help me manage the upland landscapes.
These girls quickly became a huge part of my daily farming life. Even when life challenges were being thrown at me, they always seemed to lift my spirits. So when I walked up the hill one day and saw my favourite fluffy coo lying down and looking sorry for herself, I instantly knew something was very wrong. She was the matriarch of the group and was always the first to meet and greet me. That day she didn’t even try, and it was completely out of character.
I contacted my vets straight away, and they were amazing throughout the week of checks, tests, and attempts to diagnose what was happening. Sadly, despite all our efforts, her liver began to fail and her platelets stopped coagulating. She was dying, and the only kind thing left for me to do was to end her slow and painful suffering.
It is a decision I have become used to making with sheep, but because she was one of my first Highlands, I found it incredibly hard. Even so, I stayed with her until she took her last breath. To this day we still do not know what caused her illness, and sometimes, just like with humans, we never get the answers we wish we had.
I am grateful for the three remaining fluffy girls, who I hope will be put in calf next year. I am also considering bringing a few more calves onto the farm. My girl will never be forgotten, and here is a photo of the two of us from a photoshoot in April 2025.
Posted: July 30, 2025