The coos

I've just been watching the shiny black cows graze their way across the paddock in front of our house. The sun and warmth of the recent weeks has bleached the once green grass to a pale sandy colour. Sweet and juicy still too this herd. I love how the cows leave a leg cast behind them as they lean forward to try the next mouthful. Effortless bovine elegance! Maybe there will be an enticing smell to change course for. The leg: a backstop. Speculative investment in tastier pastures. Meanwhile two bulls (if we’re not mistaken, and Matt's a grazier's son) occupy the area of the paddock to the left. My attention has been caught by the one on the left pawing the dusty earth, while jettisoning a prodigious amount of shit in interrupted spurts. The one on the right approaches, head down very slowly behind Lefty. He bows and sways, almost cow-like. We took another good look at that animal but they're the same size and definite male features. 

I'm like: I never knew they might pasture two males together in a herd? 

Matt's all: if the cows aren't in cycle it's doable. Bulls actually get on most of the time. 

Righty nuzzles Lefty in the neck. Lefty leans in. 

Matt: They play-fight. They like hanging out with each other. 

Me: yeah I guess you see it in most mammals. It's just economics that keeps the bulls isolated. Fuck. That's a bit on the nose. 

Matt: You're reading a lot into this, you know. 

Me: Yeah OK. Hey look, they're giving each other a massage!

At this point, Righty lifts his head over the back of Lefty, nose in the air, as 6 more cows slow- motion jetée their way along the fence. 

Lefty moves around to face Righty. 

Me: Oh here we go!

But instead of an altercation, they lean on each other's foreheads. In the foreground, one of the new arrivals arches her tail and enjoys a long, unhurried piss. 

Is this what they mean by bucolic? 

Me: I know, I'm anthropomorphising. I mean not that they're all over there making up stories about the animals in that box over the road, but you and I, Matt, we are mammals. Maybe we understand them better than we think?

Matt: yeah nah.