Animals of Farm Sanctuary

Ted and Leo: Brothers from Different Mothers

In 2013, we received a call about two bull calves who had been discovered left in stalls at a recently purchased Amish dairy farm. The new owners were also new to the industry and had thought the idea of running a small dairy would be a bit more idyllic. They purchased the property — cows and all. What they discovered in some of the back pens, however, was not expected.

The farm was horrific, and the new owners discovered stalls in the back of the barn where the previous owners had taken some of the unwanted calves — just a few they had been raising for meat. Two bull calves were found tied with rope to the walls of their individual stalls. Both calves were barely able to lie down or even stretch their legs. And although each had endured the same ordeal, the two calves had never met each other. Neither had ever left their stalls. For their entire lives, Ted and Leo had suffered alone.

Leo, the older of the two calves, had lived for more than a year in the same pen, lying in his own feces.  

The younger of the two, Ted, was tied to a post in a stall — again, living in his own waste. The farm’s former owners had used baling twine to tie this little boy. 

Most healthy calves are playful and energetic, but Ted and Leo were found anemic, lethargic, and weak. When we freed the calves from their tethers, their muscles were so atrophied that they fell as they attempted to walk. 

Leo standing up showing his horribly swollen body, sores on his legs from being down, and feces covering his abdomen. 

We brought the pair back to our New York Shelter to start the recovery process. The healing began even before we started treatment for their physical ailments. When they met for the first time, Ted and Leo bonded instantly, forming the friendship they had been starving for — their own little herd of two.

Both calves were very small and had horribly tight, bloated bellies, although they were both very thin otherwise — with ribs, spine, and hips prominent. Both had what is called “hay belly.” This is actually from eating low-quality hay or even straw, which could have been the case for these two boys. It had given the calves a potbellied appearance. 

It is difficult to understand how anyone could allow baby animals to languish in such misery, yet it happens all the time. Dairy cows are kept pregnant so they lactate. The female calves from these pregnancies are typically raised to join the dairy herd, but the males are of no use. Generally, they are sold at auction to be slaughtered for veal or raised for cheap beef. Some calves remain on the farm to be slaughtered there. We have no idea what the plan had been for these two boys, but they were left to suffer alone.

Ted arrived frightened, but also weak and covered in such a thick layer of hardened feces on his legs that it took weeks of scrubbing and brushing to get it off.  

These two arrived at Farm Sanctuary anemic, infested with parasites, bloated, and emaciated. Both were treated for pneumonia, and their blood work showed dangerously low selenium and vitamin E levels — likely the cause of their weakened muscles — so they received injections of vitamin E and selenium. Their hair was caked with old feces, which cleaning was not removing. It took weeks to get the caked-on poop off their legs and bellies.

Although they were very weak, Ted especially tried desperately to go outside and stand in the sun. For the first few weeks, they spent a great deal of time down. 

But with months of treatment, good food, lots of brushing off dried-on poo —  the two boys started to blossom. In a few weeks, they were able to graduate to a few hours of grass a day; introduced slowly, of course, since they were not used to anything too rich. And they loved every mouthful.

Leo and Ted are easily identified based on their stripes. Leo’s is a bit crooked — and is more like an hourglass. 

Ted’s is more of a straight white stripe, with less of a dip in the middle.  

This is what I call a Ted Talk! Mooooooooooooove over Tony Robbins.

As winter arrived, the boys still had some health issues, but they were improving —  and no longer bulls after a quick surgical procedure. They started getting their fuzzy winter coats and saw their first snow.  They still were quiet for calves — not really able to do much playing, and actually stumbled when they ran — although they kept trying. 

Leo as a cute little winter calf — covered in heavy winter fur and giving the coy look (also known in some circles as the stink eye).

When their first spring came, they were ready to roll — and for the very first time, in the mist at the end of the day, these two boys went on the first official pasture run-and-buck of their lives. No more living in a pen, but finally healthy and happy enough to enjoy the freedom they had been granted and the freedom all beings deserve.

The first real run on pasture with two very happy and very free boys!

Leo is a more serious and much more sophisticated steer and has grown into quite a handsome guy. He and his boy Ted are always still together, but Leo is just a bit more mature. (See next picture for proof.)

And their personalities really started to blossom. Leo remained the shyer of the two and a bit more serious in general. Ted is the clown and is always just doing his own thing. He often lags behind the herd while watching deer, or goes too far out on his own or with Leo, and doesn’t notice the herd leaves. But he is not scared — he just takes his time.

Thhhbbbbbbbbtttt — that is what Ted thinks of milk-drinking. Almond and cashew are okay — but not dairy!

Ted also really enjoys time with people — so much so that he will pull himself away from the herd yet again, not just to get attention but to really spend quality time with them. It seems to be his calling — to speak to the people. A visit from his new friend Maggie was a great example. Maggie met Ted and then he walked her down to the barn — even with his whole herd still on top of the hill. When he decided he should be with his herd, he continued to hesitate and check back on his new humanimal pal, until finally she decided to walk him back up the hill to his people. He is a good friend to his humanimals.

Ted loving his new best pal Maggie. (Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur) Notice that the stunted boy has grown and grown!

Hello — it’s me. I was wondering if, after all these years, you’d like to meet. If so, come to the Watkins Glen farm. 

Ted and Leo have very different personalities. Though they are both friendly, one of them is a bit more assertive and once you get to know him, he is always right there!

Ted and Leo are also very popular with their cow friends. They love nothing more than receiving a bathing from one of their Holstein mothers — like Diane, who seems to be rather obsessed with keeping Ted sparkling clean. 

While living in the special-needs herd, Ted and Leo were both very spoiled by the lovely Diane; I think took on the role of their mother. And what a great mother she is! (Note that when a cow licks a steer — the person disappears.)

Again with the cleaning. Diane finds the boys to be dirty and always needing a bath.

Ted Talk on how to really clean out your nostrils.  

Leo loving some time in the grass under the apple trees.  

Most of the time the boys are still connected: BFFs (Bovine Friends Forever)

Please share Ted and Leo’s story. Together, we can encourage awareness and understanding about the deep emotional lives of cattle as well as the unfortunate truth about the dairy industry. With a growing number of delicious dairy-free options and recipes, it’s never been a better time to make the switch. And it is one of the easiest ways to honor cattle like them.

With your support we can continue to promote compassionate vegan living through rescue, education, and advocacy efforts. A compassionate world begins with you!