Dobby looks for a ‘nice loving family’ this Fieldays

Dobby is a six-month-old Scottish Highland Calf looking to find a home this Fieldays.

Born in rural South Auckland, Dobby had a “rough start in life”.

Because of the drought his mother didn’t have enough milk to feed him and his growth was stunted.

Dobby also caught a case of fly strike, a condition usually found in sheep.

Catherine Atkinson from the New Zealand Highland Cattle Society says that while Dobby is much better now, fly strike is really bad for any cow.

“Fly strike is a sheep thing but cows can get it too, blowflies eat at the flesh and lay maggots, and it’s really just horrible,” Atkinson said.

Ginni Alexander also from the New Zealand Highland Cattle Society said that although he’s just a little calf, Dobby loves attention and is “just a darling.”

“The ideal home for Dobby would be somewhere with shady trees, a nice paddock and a nice loving family who will give him the grooming that he loves,” Alexander said.

Scottish Highland Cows can also be referred to as “Fluffy cows” according to Atkinson.

“People buy them for all sorts of things. A lot of people will buy them for shows, some will keep them for pets and some will buy them to eat,” Atkinson said.

The Highland Cattle Society travelled to Fieldays from Auckland with a pack of five cows.

Agnes is their oldest and “most relaxed” cow and spent a lot of her 13 years in show.

“She used to go to shows all the time and won. That’s why she’s so quiet, she’s happy to just stand there and hang out,” Atkinson said.

All cows will go home on Thursday night and by then hopefully Dobby will be a free calf with a paddock of his own.