Rascal, the blind calf, isn't a calf any more. He is a big boy now as a 1 1/2 year old. He weighs about 750 pounds now.

Rascal still has a sweet personality and gets around the pasture as well as ever. He finds his way nearly as well as the Highlands that can see.

Rascal seems to have no problem finding the hay feeders over on one side of the barnyard and the water tank over on the other side. He seems to navigate by the touch of his feet on the paths. When it rains and the texture of the soil changes Rascal seems to be more unsure of where he is going.

Rascal still likes to sleep in his pen at night even though he is a big boy now. He comes and stands outside the gate to his pen until we let him in. He sleeps best when he knows he isn't going to be bothered by other cows. In the morning Rascal stands inside the gate waiting to be let out.

He can't see light at all, so Rascal doesn't differentiate between night and day visually. We think he goes by the sounds of the other cattle. He can hear when they quit moving around and lie down for the night. Likewise,  Rascal can tell when it's morning by the sounds of the other cattle milling about.

We are always amazed when we watch Rascal find his way through gates and between trees. He is really good at it. Rascal normally only runs into a tree, a fence or a gate when he is distracted by something he did not expect. Raising Rascal has been quite a rewarding experience. We don't know what his future is, but we hope he will be with us for a long time.