And finally... moo baby

A FOAL who lost his dam at eight days old has found an unusual foster mother in a cow named Rusty.

Thoroughbred breeder and dairy farmer Des Devereux, in Co Wexford, told H&H the foaling was straightforward but they lost the mare owing to haemorrhaging.

They tried two foster mares without success, then Des’s eight-year-old son, Charlie, suggested they try the foal, Thomas, on Rusty.

“It wasn’t working the other way [with foster mares], so it was desperate times and desperate measures to keep the horse alive,” he said.

The pair bonded quickly and have “never looked back” since, as the team takes “each day at a time” with hope for a continued happy outcome for both foal and cow.