The Herd - Princess Bookmark

Princess, the beautiful jersey cow, was born on a dairy farm where she was destined to be used for her milk; however, Princess is infertile, which actually saved her life.

No babies, no milk! Many people don't realise that cows don’t automatically produce milk and must be forcibly impregnated first. Like humans, they will carry their calves for nine months and have a strong maternal bond with them when they are born. Heartbreakingly, it is common practice for farmers to separate mother cows from their calves shortly after birth, which causes severe distress and sadness for the mother and baby.

Having never had calves who were then taken away from her, Princess retained her strong maternal insticts and helped raise many calves at The Retreat, giving them the nurturing and love they had tragically been denied from their biological mothers by the dairy industry.

Princess adored her adopted calves. She also loved munching on carrots and gingernut biscuits, being groomed, rubbing her face on people’s legs, and enjoying long, satisfying back scratches.

As she grew older, Princess spent her peaceful retirement living with the goats, finding the younger cows a bit too lively for her calmer pace. She formed a particularly close friendship with Chip the goat, and the two were often seen cuddled up together. Towards the end of her life, she became a loving aunt to baby Rosa, showering her with the same warmth and gentleness she gave all her adopted family.

Princess loved cuddles and would purr when she was content, showing us all that cows are not so different from the cats and dogs we cherish. She had a beautiful soul, full of love, affection, and kindness, she will be forever missed.

To find out more about Princess and her friends, volunteer, arrange a visit, or hear about the amazing work Billy and the team do at the retreat, please visit: