Welcoming a new arrival at Quinta Castanheira
We’ve been so excited to welcome a newcomer to Quinta Castanheira. This adorable little bull is the latest addition to our mini Cachena herd, and while we were quite nervous about his arrival, so far, all has gone wonderfully smoothly.
As Cachena, he belongs to a rare heritage breed, which means that there isn’t a great deal of information online about his unique behaviours and characteristics. The journey we’ve shared until now with our field-dwelling friends has been quite the adventure because, when it comes to these small and nimble mountain cows, our knowledge of larger animals like horses, pigs, and goats doesn’t always translate!
As we prepared for his first day on the smallholding, we read (about cows in general) that when introducing a young male to a herd, there was a chance that he might be bullied and excluded, and that we’d need to keep an eye on our girls – especially our feisty Matriach Zelda – to make sure that nobody stops him from eating.
To our surprise, the ladies did none of the things were concerned about, but instead embraced the little guy immediately. They follow him around the field, eating as a group before snuggling up together to take shady afternoon naps under the trees. They also play with him just as they used to play with each other when they were his size!
Better yet, having met the serene and dignified father of our young bull, we are optimistic that he will also remain a gentle soul as he matures, which is so important when raising and handling cattle. So far, his vibe is seriously laid back. What a cool little dude.
Having enjoyed a warm welcome himself, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see us greet you when you arrive for your visit!