Wally, the red tractor, was busy ploughing the damp earth after the recent rain. Grasshoppers and other insects flew up ahead of his wheels. He loved the smell of the freshly turned moist earth. So did the white herons, who came flocking to where he was working. Some caught the insects flying up ahead of him. Others walked behind, picking up fat white grubs in the freshly turned earth. For the birds, this was a feast.
On the other side of the land stood a herd of cows, watching all the excitement. Once the land was ploughed and raked, Jim, the farmer, was going to sow oats there. With the winter rains, it would grow fast and produce excellent fodder for the cows.
Wally was enjoying all the attention. He liked to make the birds and animals happy. But then he noticed that one of the cows was standing all alone on the far side of the field. Her head was hanging low and she was the only one not looking at Wally ploughing the field. What on earth could be wrong with her, Wally wondered?
He lifted up the plough and drove over to where she was standing. Whoa, said farmer Jim. Where do you think we’re going? We are not done here yet! But then he looked up and saw the lone cow. Oh no, he said, it is Buttermouse, my best milk cow.!Something must be wrong with her.
When Wally stopped, Jim jumped off and ran to Buttermouse. He stroked her nose and scratched her ears, but she paid no attention to him. You are feeling a bit hot, Buttermouse, said Jim. What is the matter? But Buttermouse did not even moo. I think you may be getting sick, Jim said. Come to think of it, you produced a bit less milk than usual this morning. I think we should call the vet. The ploughing can wait.
Jim took his mobile phone out of his pocket. Luckily he had saved the vet, Dr Marianne’s number on speed dial. Hi Jim, Dr. Marianne said. I haven’t heard from you for a while. Things must be going well at Peregrine. I’m afraid not, Jim said, Buttermouse seems to be feeling sick. Please can you come and see her? Sure, Jim, I am coming right away, said Dr. Marianne.
So Jim and Wally waited with Buttermouse. She just stood there , feeling very sorry for herself.
One by one the birds flew away from the land. The other cows were wondering what was going on and came to see. Move along girls, said Jim, Buttermouse is not feeling well. Mooo, said Creamcup, Buttermouse’s daughter, I want to stay here. Moo, moo, moo, moo said all the other cows - we will stay too. Actually they were more inquisitive than concerned.
Soon they saw a rapidly approaching dust cloud coming over the hill. Dr. Marianne was on her way! She stopped just before she ran into the herd of cows and shoo-ed them away. Then she drove forward and stopped next to Buttermouse. She looked at the colour of her gums. They were rather pale. Then she took her temperature, which was very high. She placed her stethoscope on Buttermouse’s chest. Her heart was beating very fast. Then she felt whether Buttermouse’s stomach was moving by making a fist and pushing it into Buttermouse’s left flank. Then she told farmer Jim that Buttermouse had Redwater, which is a disease spread by ticks biting the cows. She took a drop of blood from Buttermouse’s ear and spread it on a glass slide before staining it with special stains she kept in jars. She plugged a microscope into her car’s cigarette lighter and examined the blood smear. Oh NO, she exclaimed. It is the dangerous kind. We will have to treat all the cows to prevent it from spreading. When they heard this, the healthy cows all ran away.
Buttermouse was too sick to run, and anyway, she wanted to get better, even if it meant having injections. Dr. Marianne gave poor Buttermouse three injections. Now Wally and Jim and Dr. Marianne had to round up all the other cows. Jim and Wally went to the left and Jim and Wally to the right. When they came closer, Jim and Dr. Marianne herded them on foot into the small camp with the crush, while Wally and the bakkie blocked their escape route. Finally they had them in the crush. Once the gate was closed the cows were pressed close together and could not move, but they sure made a lot of noise! They moo-ed and moaned all the time while they were in the crush. Quiet now cows, said Dr Marianne as she quickly injected every cow. Because they were still healthy they only got one injection each. It did not even hurt much and was over before they knew it. While Dr. Marianne injected them, farmer Jim treated them for ticks.
By the time they were all down, the sun was low in the western sky. The ploughing would have to wait for the next day. Farmer Jim woke Wally early the next morning. When they got to the field they were happy to see Buttermouse grazing happily with the other cows. None of the others got sick. They were treated just in time. Wally dropped the plough and started to turn over the sweet scented earth once again in neat row after row, while the cows admired his handiwork and the hungry birds came flocking in to follow the plough.
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