THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

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Stanley
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THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

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THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

In late July 1969 Thunderbob presented us with a nice heifer calf. She needed no help, cleansed right away and was feeding the calf less than a quarter of an hour after she dropped it. Perfect! I'd already told Ted I was going to sell her as a newly calved heifer with her calf at foot and asked him to look out for a buyer for me on his weekly trip to Gisburn market on Dairy Sale day but in the meantime we had a bit of a problem.
In order to keep her milk yield up we had to make sure she was milked out twice a day because the calf couldn't take enough to ensure this. Could we milk her? No chance! Edward and I tried but she went berserk and wouldn't let us anywhere near her. Vera said she'd have a go and we tried to dissuade her but being Vera she had her own way and never had a minute's bother! Thunderbob stood as quiet as a mouse while Vera stripped her out.... As soon as the 'beast milk' finished and she got back to usable milk we started using it for the house and giving the surplus to the pigs. It was lovely creamy milk and if you've never had fresh raw milk straight from a healthy cow you don't know what you have been missing! I should perhaps explain that for the first few days after calving the milk is very rich in colostrum and antibiotics to give the calf a good start in life. The old farmers used to use it to make 'beasty pudding' for the house but we didn't fancy it.
About a week later I got home from work one day (I was cattle wagon driving for Richard Drinkall at the time.) and found that Vera and Ted had sold three of our five heifers, including Thunderbob, to a farmer Ted had met at the auction. I was very worried. I asked if they had warned him about her temper but Ted said no, he was an able man and it would be all right. I was expecting a phone call any minute but nothing happened and a week later Ted reported he had seen the man and he was very pleased with Thunderbob. He admitted she was “a bit frisky” but said he likes beasts with a bit of spirit. I told Ted he was a better man than either of us!
So, the next time you hear someone ranting about factory farming and saying that stock keepers don't care for their animals remember Thunderbob. She was with us for a year and a half and despite her funny ways we loved her to bits. She gave us a good profit and I have no doubt had a long and productive life. If you enquire, you'll find that most farmers have exactly the same attitude, if you don't care you'll never make money out of them. Simple as that.

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The Dairy Sale at Gisburn in 1981.
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Re: THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

Post by Stanley »

Bumped and image restored. A happy ending for Wendy and Gloria.
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"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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Wendyf
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Re: THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

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:good:
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Re: THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

Post by Gloria »

👍👏
Gloria
Now an Honorary Chief Engineer who'd be dangerous with a brain!!!
http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk
http://www.lfhhs.org.uk
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Stanley
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Re: THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

Post by Stanley »

Thanks to both of you..... :biggrin2:
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"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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Re: THUNDERBOB LEAVES HOME

Post by Stanley »

Still a good story with a happy ending!
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"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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