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Farm life can bring plenty of odd couples. Goats and cattle make great companions and serve to break the parasite life cycle. According to Hobby Farms, there's virtually no food competition and they actually work in unison to clear pastures. Sometimes bovine and goats get along so well, they become the best of friends. Such is the case with two Northern California farm rescues, Buckley and Ralphy.
"He was scared," animal owner Leslie said of Scottish highland cow Buckley in a viral video tweeted by The Dodo. "He cried. He cried for like, three days straight. He cried so bad, he couldn't even cry anymore."
She continued: "Buckley came to me at five weeks and he came to me heartbroken. He missed his mom so much. I felt horrible. I just thought 'this poor little calf doesn't know what happened to him'. I tried my best to be all I could for him. I slept in the barn with him, but nothing seemed to calm him. He wasn't eating. I couldn't get him to take a bottle."
Her daughter had the idea to get a baby goat so Buckley would have someone to grow up with.
"And I thought, 'well that might not work but if it doesn't, now I have two babies that are going to be crying.'"
They gave it a try with a mini Nubian goat named Ralphy and Buckley's behavior changed almost instantly. Leslie described the cow's change as "night and day," adding it was a "180 degree turn when Ralphy came into the picture. Ralphy really saved Buckley in the long run."
She said that Buckley's "very connected" to Ralphy but in the best of ways.
"The fist time I ever heard him 'moo' was when he was separated from Ralphy," she said. "I never heard him moo when they were together. They're always together. If one doesn't want to leave the stall, neither will."
Even four years into their bond, Leslie said if Buckley can't find Ralphy, he moos in a panic as if to ask where his friend went. "He'll get upset until he sees him and then he goes 'oh there you are' and goes right back to doing whatever."
Now the two play together everyday.
"It's just very cute how no matter where they are, they're always within 20 feet of each other," she said.
You can follow Buckley and Ralphy's adventures on Instagram and TikTok.
