(LIZZ HERE) Nessie had an underlying and untreatable condition that began to show its face during her milk fever ordeal. I worked closely with the vet to make sure we were doing all that we could for her, but in the end, her condition took over. As much as it hurts to let a wonderful girl like her go, it was the best thing to do. I have been around a while now, and have been a part of the dairy circle of life many times and I can tell you that it doesn't get easier. Every cow is unique deserves someone who loves them enough to hold them in their first, their worst, their best and their last moments. Rest in peace my sweet lady. Back to Sierra:
I wanted to make a tribute to Nessie to let you all know what a stellar and absolutely amazing lady she was. UM Le-o Nessie was born November 11, 2006 to mother UM Morty Niagra. Being the sweet and fun-loving girl that she was, she quickly became a farm favorite.
Not only was she a true kindred spirit, but she was also a superior cow! Classification happens two times a year at Witter. This involves a professional classifier coming into the dairy and examining our cows for ‘dairy characteristics’ such as stature, strength, dairy form (what people might think of as bony is actually dairy form and is normal for a dairy cow), teat placement, udder looks and more! The girls are then graded on how nice those characteristics are. Nessie excelled at these classifications and was last ranked at 88 out of 100 which is an amazing feat! Along with her good looks, she was also one of our highest producers of milk. She was known for sometimes producing over 156 pounds of milk per day, which is about 18 whole gallons!
Nessie was well known at the farm for being a real goober. From messing with the milk hoses during milking to trying to enter ‘human only’ rooms, she was always making life interesting at the farm.
She is survived by her three daughters. Miss UM Freddie Nova, Miss UM O-Style Nefertiti and Miss UM Rudolph-Red Nacho-RC. All three of these girls are exactly like their mother and we know they’ll keep Nessie’s legacy and memories alive for a long time!
Dairy farmers love their cows and although it’s saddening to say goodbye to Nessie, it was the right thing to do. Many of us have had special moments with the legendary Nessie and I know that you’ll keep them in your hearts as we all remember and miss this beautiful, goofy, spectacular Witter lady who was everyone’s friend.