Mishka (our pregnant alpaca) aborted her baby this morning. The fetus had not been growing for some time from the looks of the birth sack. It was completely formed about the size of a very small lamb, but that was all... I would say that it stopped growing about late February or March. There it lay on the hay for us to find this morning. Mishka seems ok. Honeydew was standing sentinel over the dead fetus... so sad.
We will wait till next summer and then we will try her again... She will need time to heal.
Life and death seems so normal when you live on a farm. Animals come and animals go. While we have a terrible sense of loss when something dies, it is strange that the butchering process does not seem to bother us (alpacas are not included in this butchering process.. just sheep). It is almost as if our hearts harden against the ones we know must die for meat. Yet, there is such joy all around when babies are born healthy. As they grow, we pick the ones that will go on to become adults and those that must pay for the others in the form of meat that we can sell. I am not sure how we do it but there is a sense of resignation when something is chosen to be slaughtered for meat. But these two things are so vastly different from when something dies of natural causes... there is such a sense of loss... as if a good friend just died.
I think, the miracle of birth brings us closer to the sublime.... to God maybe.
While death just brings us closer to ourselves.
2 comments:
Well said, brought a tear to my eyes.
Yes, there is sadness when one has to put one of their animals in the freezer but we take refuge in that the animals did not have to endure the travelling and abuse that befalls many animals who are sent to the slaughter house.At least we maintain the dignity of the animals who provide for us and we are forever grateful for their presence on our wee farm. Arghh... here come the tears again, lol. cj
Oh dear! I didn't mean to make you cry...
Sorry.
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