Cow with rare skin condition gets a new home

Chard - Harriet wanted to make friends, but the other cows wouldn’t accept her because she was different. The Hereford heifer, who was born with a rare skin condition, was given a new opportunity to make friends when she was taken to Ferne Animal Sanctuary.

The bovine was not just unable to make friends in her first home, she was being injured by the other cattle. She had scratches and a severe gash from being kicked by the other cattle. Harriet is bald on her shoulders, neck and face because she was born prematurely, reported BBC News. Her hair did not have the opportunity to develop properly in the womb. Because much of her skin is black, the baldness is not easily noticed from a distance. Naomi Clarke, of Ferne Animal Sanctuary in Chard, Somerset said the farmer had to keep her indoors, away from the rest of the herd. "Cows were beating her up because she was different but fortunately our cattle here have accepted her but I think that's because they're all a little bit different," Clarke told BBC News. At the sanctuary, Harriet’s skin is protected with factor 50 suntan lotion and aloe vera moisturiser. The information on the bald cow on the Ferne Animal Sanctuary web site says: “She is certainly one of the prettiest cows at Ferne, but needs a lot of time and care making sure her leathery skin is comfortable. Never one to complain, Harriet has settles in well and loves to say hello to all the staff who work with her, by rubbing her face on the gate.”