About the strongest bond out there is the one between mothers and children and this isn’t just true of people. Cows and their calves are well-known for having strong feelings of attachment to each other. For instance, when a calf hears recorded cattle sounds, it will show a definite preference for its own mother’s voice.
Ellie Laks and Jay Weiner, the co-owners of the Gentle Barn animal sanctuary, rescued a cow named Karma from a farm where she’d been kept in very poor conditions. Over the course of her first night at the sanctuary, Karma cried and mooed for hours on end. Could it be she was lonely? Cattle are far more social than is generally appreciated and become upset if they’re alone, even if it’s just for a few hours. Ellie and Jay weren’t really sure, until they saw milk dripping from the cow’s udder. This sent them back to the farm, where their suspicions were confirmed: the owner hadn’t told them about Karma’s calf.
Being separated from her mother had put Karma’s little one under a great deal of mental and emotional stress. She was also completely exhausted and badly needed nourishment. Ellie and Jay loaded the calf into the trailer and whisked her to the sanctuary.
