The babysitter….

….is one of the unsung jobs in the herd but, in fact, it’s an important job and apparently something of an honor.

Currently that position is being filled by that young steer , not even a year old, with four of his charges.  Several more  are just out of camera range.

Normally, it’s an older cow that stays with the very young calves while the herd is off grazing.  Clearly that cow has power of attorney to control and even discipline those assigned to her.  When a calf is first born, her mother keeps her close by and doesn’t return to the herd for several days.  That’s the important bonding process and where the calf learns about survival in a sometime hostile world.

But when mom decides the baby is ready, they set out from their isolated corner of the field and go back to the others.  It is then that the babysitter takes over for hours at a time.  As the calf gets older it, too, pretends to graze and gradually widens the area in which it roams.

Why the main herd has decided to appoint this young steer their babysitter we do not understand.  He’s always been very good to the youngsters and they are affectionate with him.  Now, no matter where they are in the pasture, when it’s time to relax they just naturally gravitate to him.