According to National Public Radio, farm animals have personalities. In the August 4th airing of "All Things Considered" commentator Julie Zickefoose provided the following*:"Behavioral scientists are just now trying to establish that fact with quantifiable, reproducible studies. Their work has started to crack the door on animal personalities, starting with water striders and fruit flies, which nobody could hope to think have them. Scientists have just shown that some water striders and fruit flies are demonstrably more aggressive and "bossy" than others; some are timorous and retiring. It's a start, I guess, to look at insect individuality; no one could accuse a researcher of bias in a study of fruit flies.
But those of us who live among animals know that quantifying insect personalities is just the frost on a very large, animate iceberg. News flash: Hominids aren't the only ones out there who think and feel, who chart their own individual course on the planet. And not everything that goes on in the head of a dog, cat, cow or fruit fly can be quantified or reproduced. "
We beg to differ. Not for one second do we think our animals have individual personalities. Take our dogs. Our dogs are unanimous in their love of food. Except for Shandy, who won’t eat when she thinks it might thunder. They are otherwise interchangeable, though Bridget is deaf except when she isn’t and Jack is loyal and responsible. Maisie seeks acceptance and expects little. But otherwise, they are pretty ordinary dogs.
Our horses are just your typical horses. Wendy is a little on the bossy side, Belle more delicate. Rudy the blind dude is smart and patient, and Oreo the Shetland pony is mischievous and friendly. Sunny is a good manager, Bear a bad one. But he is attached to Lily, the blind girl, who worries when he is not around. Rodney is ancient and clever, Fancy strong and opinionated. Norman has an enormous sense of humor. Apollo is trying to find his place in the world, Fallon already knows his and it scares him to death. Nothing scares Folly. Hollywood is a Diva and Chamara a reincarnated princess. Nikki wants a hug and Whiskey wants to hug everyone else. Star is gentle and likes to play with Wonder, his silly best friend. Dandi dislikes challenges to her authority.
The sheep are identical, too. Except that Demaris is bright and curious, Petey is sensible and Hope is in charge.
Nelson the cockatiel enjoys life, Hootie the parrot enjoys attention- and cheese. Sophie the cat is an acrobatic artiste and Arthur always wants you to stay with him just a little longer.
Cows don't have personalities. Except that Rosebud is demure, sweet and well-behaved, while Bessie, well you already know about Bessie. If not, see picture.
Nope, no personalities on this farm. Ms Zickefoose is surely mistaken.
*The complete broadcast can be found at: http://www.npr.org/templates/ story/story. php?storyId= 93270340
4 comments:
Jorg did leave out the 19 chickens, who all have names but absolutely no personalities at all. Well, except for Merlin the silkie cock who thinks he is the size of a turkey, and Baldrick his lady (yes I know, but I always wanted to call one of our animals Baldrick!) silkie who actually reminds me of Baldrick, and...... but I'll let Jorg add to the list. Definitely no personalities there though!
Oh, Noooo!!! I also realize that I left out the calves, who don't have personalities, either, except that Penny is prissy and confident, where Annie is sweet and cuddly.
Waaaak! I was sure I was in for a real icing-down when I started reading your post. Thanks for the mention; unfortunately, the paragraph about fruit fly experiments got cut from the piece when it aired, so the "complete broadcast" is in the text you reprinted.
I think "Two Pregnant Cows and No Experience" is the best blog subtitle I've seen. I'll be back to see how you are faring.
Welcome Aboard, Julie! How on earth did you ever find our little blog? We aren't exactly mainstream. Two goofballs blogging from a farm in Southside hardly ranks up there with NPR.
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