08/29/2026
🤍🐮 TROOPER UPDATE — The Part You Don’t Always See
Trooper continues to improve and get stronger every day, and we could not be happier with the progress our little guy is making! But I wanted to share a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes when you’re trying to save a calf like Trooper.
Right now, Trooper receives four bottles a day. At every feeding, his temperature is taken and monitored. Every time he goes potty, it is documented and watched closely, and because of everything his little body has been through while fighting pneumonia and the medications he has needed, sometimes he requires a little extra help to keep everything moving.
Someone has to be home with him throughout the day.
We are also milking his mom, Skye, twice a day so he can continue getting as much of her milk as possible. Unfortunately, she is currently producing only about half of what Trooper needs, so we supplement the rest with whole milk, fresh cow's milk from a friend, and goat's milk.
Then there is life with a 50-pound Highland calf living in your house.
Because he needs to remain in a climate-controlled environment while recovering, our house has temporarily become Trooper's barn. That means LOTS of cleaning, lots of laundry so he always has clean, dry bedding, washing bottles, preparing milk, and carrying a rapidly growing 50-pound calf outside every time he stands up and needs to potty. My arms are definitely getting a workout! 😂
His activity also has to be limited while his lungs continue to heal. We let him run, play and explore for about 30–40 minutes in the morning and evening, when it's cooler. During the hottest part of the day, his outside adventures are limited to about 15 minutes at a time before it's back into the AC.
And Trooper isn't the only one who needs us.
We currently have four more cows we're watching and waiting to calve, plus all of the other cattle and animals that still need their normal daily care. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I still have my regular 8–5 day job in Phoenix. 😳😂
I share all of this because sometimes social media shows you the cute part, the fluffy calf sleeping in the house, drinking a bottle or bouncing around outside.
What you don't always see are the hours, the expense, the laundry, the worry, the interrupted schedules, the constant monitoring, the physical work, and honestly…the mental exhaustion that can come with trying to get one of these babies healthy.
Highlands are fun. They are beautiful. They have some of the biggest personalities, and they are probably some of the best cattle I have ever owned.
But raising livestock—especially when something goes wrong—can come at a great expense in time, money, energy and emotion.
And I wouldn't change any of it. 🤍
Watching this little guy get stronger every day makes every bottle, every load of laundry, every temperature check, and every trip outside with 50 pounds of fluff in my arms worth it.
Keep going, Trooper. We're getting there. 💪🐮🤍
And stay tuned… because after this serious update, I think everyone deserves to see a little MILK-DRUNK TROOPER. 🍼😂
"Trooper the Milkshake Menace: Cute, Creamy & Causing Trouble” is coming soon! 😂🐮🥛
