Bottle feeding a newborn Belgian Blue- precious but vital

Sometimes I wonder if the novelty of feeding newborn animals will ever wear off and then I get back into the calf shed and realise that that will never be possible.

This weekend, I headed into the depths of Wales to meet dairy farmer and calf consultant, Anna Bowen, to see her herd, get stuck in and record a podcast episode.

Anna and I met through a mutual friend on social media and have been planning to meet up for a while.

With Willow (my trusted corgi) at my side, we drove to Ceredigion and spent a few hours learning more about Anna's farm life, consultancy, Nuffield Scholarship and everything else she squeezes in between.

Throughout the journey, I was delighted to find messages from Anna about how after a slow couple of days, the cows were calving and I would soon arrive to find newborns waiting for me.

Anna welcomed me with open arms and we soon headed up into the hills to find her 300 herd of cows and all I can say is what a view! With the sun on my face, the curious cows coming to say hello and the real feeling of spring, I felt at home in the vast countryside.

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Spring Block Calving: Anna farms in block calving which means that her cows calve in set times of the year (spring and autumn).

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Once I'd seen the herd, Anna asked if I'd like to help bottle feed one of the newborn calves- a baby Belgian Blue- and without hesitation, of course said yes!

If you've ever had the chance to bottle feed any young animal, you'll understand the real magic of spending time with something so precious; the way the calf is still a little tacky from being born, the weight of their head on your hand as you hold the bottle and the feeling of connecting with nature.

Feeding this calf was precious but also vital- ensuring that he received all the nutrients and colostrum needed for a healthy life.

After bottle feeding, Anna made us a good cuppa and we sat down to record a podcast episode.

Make sure you listen to the episode out soon on the podcast.