Sunday, September 25, 2022

THE LATEST ON THE ZEUS MOB'S CHILDREN

 THE MAX ALLEN REPORT

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Volume #092522-1300                              September 25, 2022

THE EURIMBULA REPORT

Zeus' mob is thriving and growing.

Latest reports show the Zeus herd now numbering thirteen souls.  With the birth of three new chimera calves, they number as; Zeus, his three chimera heifers, six purloined prize-winning 'borrowed' heifers, and the three new calves, 100% chimera, born in the past weeks.  Now the mob is about to graduate to the size of a full-blown herd with news that the six purloined heifers are all testing positive for pregnancy.  What we know of a calf born of a healthy Hereford and a chimera bull is absolutely nothing.  We just don't know what's gonna pop up.

We know this: The three new calves show precocious development as they eat, drink, and gambol on their newly set up paddock.  A one-and-a-half-acre area has been fenced with a 'barrier electric' fence'.  This is a fence made with iron 'I-beams' wrapped with insulating material and then wrapped in metal wire.  That fence is ultra-heavy duty to prevent a 2900lb bull from pushing it over and electrified to discourage any of the mob even considering it.  The paddock is a clean and well-set area where all of the cattle can run, play, learn, and do whatever it is that chimera cattle do.

I have a quote, increasingly hard to get from Dr. Gopal Subramaniam who is the attending physician; "The children [meaning the calves] are really very sweet and quite intelligent.  I watch in fascination as two of them are walking upright on hind legs more and more as the days pass.  The other is only now finding her feet but will certainly follow her siblings."

So, these little guys [currently over 200lbs] are playing as babies do, walking upright as people do, and exploring their surroundings as any curious calf or human would do.  What's of note is that they are able to pick up small objects on the ground such as sticks, and plastic toys left for them to explore.  Says Animal Psychologist, Mabel Thoreau; "I've watched their development and already find it to be quite precocious.  They have actually kicked a football [soccer ball] back and forth.  I am honoured to be working with these affectionate and intelligent 'children'."

There's not a whole lot to add to the last report other than the fact that Zeus has shown excellent fathering skills and seems to pamper the calves as much as their mothers.  There was a story told me by Adel, an attendant.  "A new worker hopped the fence to get inside the paddock where the cows are.  He meant no harm and was just quite boisterous if you understand how a young bloke can be when on such an important and unusual assignment as this.  Anyway, he was approaching one of the calves and it immediately ran to mummy and slid under her for cover.  The calf shivered in fear.  Here comes Zeus trotting right up to the fellow and put him 'nose-to-nose'.  The bloke backed away slowly, got out of the paddock, and Zeus trotted off to play with one of the other calves.  I was amazed at what I saw.  Imagine a huge Hereford bull weighing 2,900lb and standing at the shoulder as tall as the bloke.  I wouldn't challenge that.  Nope, not me."

There you go.  For now, there's nothing to report as security forces have established their routine and the cattle are in their new paddock and have new shelter quarters set up.  In all they're quite happy and let's see if we don't have another six babies by year's end.  That'd be a herd of nineteen!

Keeping you up to date, I'm Max and that's the way I see it!

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