Elsie

I do not even know how to write this. . .

Don't even know how. . . 

This photo is Elsie yesterday as I headed down to the house after feeding. . .looking the epitome of the perfect family cow - just the most lovely girl!

At 9:30 am this morning, she was on the hill overlooking the house. . .

We went to the barn to unload hay after noon and
we found her laying down close to the hay shelter,
and she was lifeless . . .

I can't explain our shock and horror. . .

I sat around in the mud with her, too late, and cried and screamed and accomplished nothing except that I scared both man and beast within hearing distance. It surely didn't bring her back or ease the pain of it for me.

It was clearly bloat, which considering we have neither the typical pasture conditions for bloat and that we do not feed alfalfa. . .is bizarre.

We've only had one incident of bloat in all the time we've had dairy goats and we intervened in time, and I've never encountered it in cattle.

She is gone and to something so unexpected and so quick.

I've read it can happen in 15 minutes - from inception to death, but I keep thinking. . . if we'd just picked the hay up quicker, if I'd gotten to her sooner, but I really don't know. . .
and it is such a waste of a wonderful young and healthy cow. . .

I loved her, how could someone not?

. . .but John. . . he loved her most of all on the farm. . .

I don't really know what else to say