South, that is the south side of a farmer’s pasture, divided by a local highway is a new event happening.  Molly, one of the farmer’s favorite cows, just gave birth to a solid black male calf.  Bully, as you might guess is the father, and where is he at this time.  Well, to tell the truth, he has been sold but would not have been present any way.  Hmmmm? What to call this black calf?  Smut, no not black enough.  Ebony, no not masculine enough.  Well, he has to have a name.

Molly, being a good mother, had found an isolated spot in the pasture of the south.  Often predators will attack these animals giving birth so they stray away from the herd so not all are in danger.  Here she stands waiting for ‘what’s his name’ to get to his feet so he can suckle.  The body is compact and is supported by stout legs but they are short as is typical of most Angus calves.  Plop, there ‘what’s his name’ is down on the ground again.  He must have a name.  Okay, Blackie, that suits him, I shall call him Blackie.  Well, finally Blackie is on his legs again and has found where he can suckle.

Typically, mother cows keep their new babies away from the herd, but other mother cows will graze close by just to get a look.  Well, Molly was no different.  Way back on that south portion of the south pasture she had Blackie, suckled him and protected him from too close encroachments.  Other babies followed their mothers and they too wanted to see this new creature called Blackie.  So in about five days, there they were, baby calves romping around each other, racing back to their respective mothers for comforting, and back to playing with other baby calves.  A few of the older ones would butt heads as if giant bulls but this was natural.

On the sixth day the herd moved northward to graze in a fresher part of the pasture.  Tomorrow the lead cow would possibly move them all to the north pasture.  This was on the other side of the highway, but they had a safe tunnel to cross under the highway.  A few of the young calves were old timers when it came to going through the tunnel, having gone to and fro several times during the last few weeks.  They would tell horror stories to the newbies.  Blackie being the youngest got a lot of this attention.  The stories would get a bit exaggerate so it would frighten Blackie just a bit more.  Much like we humans do one another.