Baby Gopal was born in the spring of 2003 on Deer Run Farm in nearby Columbia County. He was rejected by his mother for some unknown reason. So his owners, Al and Barbara Bluhm, called him “Baby” and lovingly raised him as their pet. A decade later and retired from farming, they needed to find a new home for their 10-year-old, 1800-pound Baby. They contacted Save the Cow, an interview was conducted, and everyone agreed that Baby was a good candidate to join the herd. He arrived just before Christmas 2013 and, Baby, soon “initiated” as “Baby Gopal,” fit right in.
Baby as a “baby”
The Bluhms regularly visited Baby Gopal over the years and financially contributed to his care. Others sponsors included Balavanta and Ballavi Ogle, Naren Godugula, and Anusha Surapaneni. Baby Gopal was a mellow fellow and got along well with other cows including new calves such as Surabhi and, more recently, Madhva.
Baby Gopal and Surabhi, 2014
As he aged he naturally slowed down but remained in relatively good health until just a few weeks ago when Devaki noticed he was eating a lot less than normal and became uninterested in treats. The vet came out, examined him, and found evidence of a heart condition, not unusual for a bovine of 17+ years (equivalent to an 88-year-old human). Soon after that Baby Gopal couldn’t stand up on his own and the vet prescribed some anti-inflammatory medicine, which also provided some pain relief. Hospice care ensued under shade trees in the pasture, which involved keeping him sitting up, making him as comfortable as possible with hay bedding, providing him with fresh water (by this time he stopped eating), spraying him to keep the flies away, and setting up a digital player of Srila Prabhupada chanting.
Waiting for the reunion
The Bluhms were contacted and they came to visit Baby Gopal in the late afternoon. As they said goodbye it was obvious that Baby Gopal recognized them. By the next morning, Baby Gopal peacefully passed on to his next destination having lived a long, good life, much of it in the dhama of Krishna- Balarama, Radha-Shyamasundara, and Gaura-Nitai.
Baby Gopal, the gentle giant
Devaki dasi, of Save the Cow, who was his main caretaker reflects on his passing: Baby Gopal was a gentle giant. Despite his size he was very shy and could be frightened easily. In all the years I cared for him he never once made an aggressive move toward me. I would often go up to him and place my forehead on his (which is a cow’s way of showing affection) and he would stand very still as long as I wanted. When we put little Madhva in with Baby Gopal he was always very tolerant of all of Madhva’s crazy antics and I’m sure Madhva will miss him as much as I do.
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