Last week the inlet valve on the herd’s water trough became blocked leaving them without water for about two hours. They drank the trough dry and then panic set in.
The entire herd grouped around the empty trough as one seething, bellowing mass. We quickly replaced the broken valve and water flowed again but it was at least another two hours before the cattle relaxed.
With the possibility of going thirsty awake in their minds every animal needed to drink as much as they could as quickly as they could. It didn’t matter that they weren’t actually thirsty. It was every animal for themselves.
It is just part and parcel of living in a group; think toilet paper and pasta.
