When Pasado’s Safe Haven found Bessie the cow, her days were numbered. She had been badly abused and was near death. Bessie was a “spent milker” who had been forced to give birth every 9 months for years. After consistently providing milk for her owner, though, the strenuous cycle of pregnancy and lactation took their toll on Bessie.
Dairy cows standing in their own excrement and filth.
The lifespan of a cow under natural conditions is approximately 20 years. Natural conditions include grazing on grass, which their multi-chambered stomachs are adapted for, and giving birth according to biological drives, and not the drives of human consumers. In the unnatural conditions of industrialized dairy plants, most cows die well before their tenth year. Their diets consist mainly of corn, which causes myriad stomach problems, and they give birth as frequently as possible. Dairy cows have to be pregnant to produce milk. Once they can no longer produce “enough” milk, as Bessie couldn’t, they are sent off to slaughter, worn and weakened.
Blue, born as a veal calf, was intended to be someone's dinner before he was rescued by Pasado's Safe Haven
The life of a dairy-born calf like Blue is brief, but equally unkind. Calves are taken from their mothers within the first few days of life. The milk their mothers produced for their consumption is instead given to human consumers. Mothers and calves bellow for each other, but their cries go unanswered: the calves are out of earshot, kept in crates that will keep them immobile, ensuring that their meat is tender. Blue must have thought that his calls were finally heard when he met Bessie, but Bessie wasn’t as sure.
Blue was a veal calf when we rescued him. When he first arrived at Pasado’s, the other animals shoved him away from the grain and “bullied” him. While this might seem unkind, it’s typical: Herd animals establish hierarchies, just as people do when establishing who is “in charge” and who complies. Newcomers are tested and vulnerable animals who appear sick or weak receive more harassment. Herd animals are prey animals, with the instincts of prey animals. Signs of weakness in herd members make them feel vulnerable to predators – whether predators are present or not.
Blue’s vulnerability caused him increased harassment, and so we placed him with Bessie. Bessie tested Blue, too, but the little calf kept on coming back for more. He was fond of Bessie, and to our delight, Bessie eventually took Blue under her wing! For Bessie, motherhood had never been fully realized: Her babies were always considered byproducts. Bessie became motherly with Blue, and the two sides of the dairy industry coin – motherless calf and cow with no baby – finally found resolution and contentment.
Bessie is a rescued beautiful black and white Holstein cow who loves to play in the water.
Bessie is our “alpha cow” and she watches out for Blue – who is no longer little, but still looks up to his adoptive mother. The two cows lay side by side, and when they’re eating, sassy Bessie makes sure the other cows give them some time alone to enjoy their meal. Blue has learned this trick from Bessie, and now, instead of being at the bottom of the hierarchy, he’s at the top with Mother Bessie.
At Pasado’s, we’ve seen that each animal has their own unique personality. They choose their friends and families just as people do, experiencing a wide breadth of emotions. Unfortunately, the fate that almost befell Bessie and Blue is a common one for dairy cows, but your support can help us continue to provide for those who are pardoned from that existence. Make a donation today and help us continue to show both sides of the coin – and spend it wisely on rescue, rehabilitation, and lifetime residencies.