I was captivated by a calf, barely a week old, as cute as a newborn deer.

But male calves, no matter how adorable, are destined for the butcher once they've served their purpose. Or so it seems.

According to Koyaman, who has been here for about two years and greeted us with sparkling eyes and vibrant energy,

males are naturally few in number at this ranch, and the ratio of young workers is two men to eight women, making it a women's kingdom.

He confided that he somehow felt a parallel between the male calves' fate and their own situation,

which struck him as rather poignant. He seemed happy, surrounded by wonderful women,

but perhaps it's different when they're colleagues. I always imagined cows, like those depicted on milk cartons, as having cute ears. But apparently, they naturally grow horns, which are often burned off when the calves are young for safety...
Could this be akin to having their potential as males neutered?
It's a truly heart-wrenching thought. Yet,
at Nakahodo Ranch, the cattle raised here grow horns.
And as you observe them, you realize that's the more natural way.
Animals that should live naturally in nature find themselves in unnatural circumstances. Prioritizing economics, telling ourselves it's unavoidable for human survival—we can only accept this because,
perhaps, we have drifted so far from nature.
Being here at the ranch, surrounded by so many animals, I feel

that we have transformed into rather peculiar beings.

Taking a life to eat. The animal kingdom, including humans, is a merciless world.

And then, I was asked to give him a name. His mother's name is 'Ganko' (Stubborn).

Just by the sound of it, I murmured, 'How about bomgo?'

The female director also suggested 'Taberou-kun,' so who knows what happened,

For now, here, he's Bong-kun.

The footage I recorded at Nakahodo Ranch
takes time to process, so I'll be sharing it little by little.

First, Bong-kun.

bomgo




← Diary-T 155–158