Last month, the Foothill Veterinary Technology program welcomed in their two newest residents, a pair of 6-month-old Miniature Hereford male cows named Toby and Logan. Hereford’s are known for their red and white fluffy coats, as well as being very docile and great for handling.
A hint in telling the two apart; Toby’s white fur extends farther onto his back than Logan’s.
Herefords and Miniature Herefords are often used as beef cattle, but Toby and Logan are going to live long and spoiled lives according to Program Director and Instructor Shae St. Onge-Cole, most likely living to about 15 years old.
St. Onge-Cole was kind enough to introduce the cows to The Script and give some insight into how they ended up at Foothill and how they will benefit the program.
As per the accreditation requirements for Vet Tech programs, students must work with two separate kinds of animals. Foothill is home to six goats of two different species, yet in the past Foothill’s students would travel to a partner school to fulfill the accreditation by handling and performing procedures on a second type of animal, usually cows.
However, those opportunities would often only be available one day per week, causing time restraints for students and overwhelming days for the cows. With Toby and Logan now being full-time residents of Foothill, students have chances to work with the cows and goats every day.
The program had been looking all over for cows that would be a good fit, and they eventually found Toby and Logan through the same unlikely source as they found their goats; Craigslist.
Toby and Logan were part of a breeder’s stock about three hours north of Foothill in Penn Valley. With the breeder planning to retire, he was looking for a new home for their animals, including these two young bulls. After a long search, Foothill had found their cows.
Although Toby and Logan are and will remain miniature in comparison to other cows, they’re still big boys. They are currently between 450-475 pounds and will weigh anywhere from 800-1000 pounds when fully grown. Despite their size, they’re extremely calm and docile. They get along well with their sisters (the goats), although there is sometimes good-mannered food thievery from both sides.
It’s imperative to say that although Toby, Logan, and the goats are very cute, giving them their space is extremely important. They are on specific diets and any act of feeding them different foods can be extremely damaging to their health and well-being.
If you do want to see Toby and Logan up close and in all their fluffy glory, please do so through Foothill’s Veterinary Program Information Night on Monday, November 4th from 6-8pm. You can register here to learn more about the wonderful people that make life for Toby, Logan, and the goats so comfortable.
