Forlorn. That's the simplest way to paint Dottie's demeanor after removing her pigs yesterday. Maybe we don't give animals enough credit for being able to sense the same way we do, but watching her walk up and down, and up and down the fence line all day today gave me pause.
I usually don't wean the pigs out of earshot of their mothers, but in the field rotation it came the time where the pigs go to the field farthest from the breeding pasture. When I started feeding this morning I noticed that Dottie didn't seem all that interested in eating which was mighty strange for a creature of her enormous girth and voracious appetite. Thinking little of it, I went on and finished feeding and watering, and afterwards was when I noticed Dottie at the fence line, peering this way and that, looking but not finding, moving and looking some more, on constant vigil the rest of the day.
Whether it's just instinctual or some other factor, Dottie looked all the world like she missed her pigs. I know that by tomorrow her seeking will pass, she'll be back to her mean, cantankerous self, but for a split second today I felt sorry for her. The bond between mothers and their offspring, no matter the species, is a beautiful thing to see.
Here's a photo of her litter in their new pasture:
An FYI about the farm tour. There's a decent chance of rain Thursday and/or Friday, and if we get a large downfall the roads and the farm become difficult to navigate, so if we have to postpone we'll reschedule for October 9th, which is the Saturday after the Cherry Street market closes. I'll send an update e-mail out this Thursday or Friday. Thanks for reading!
Pork & Greens