•-------------------------------------------------------•
Username: Sun Bear
Name: Cuileann [su-li-an]
Age: 22 Cow Years [Think ~78 human years]
Name Meaning: Cuileann is an Irish word loosely pertaining to holly, or mistletoe.
Gender: Male
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Physique:
Cuileann is quite a large bull, especially so for a dairy breed, standing at 1.5 metres tall at the shoulder. Though he is old, and much of his skin and muscle has sagged, he still has quite a hefty and solid frame, and could easily be intimidating to smaller bulls.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Personality:
Distant | Shy | Untrusting | Timid | Wary | Gentle | Calm | Accepting
A gentle giant as they say, Cuileann is a shy and good-natured old fellow. He can be quite timid and so patience and kindness will do you a lot of favours when trying to win him over!
Cuileann has a very non-confrontational outlook on life, and will always approach problems by opting to back away rather than stand his ground. He has a very 'go-with-the-flow' attitude, and will always (often begrudgingly) choose to accept his circumstances rather than question or try to change them.
Cuillean will generally to keep to himself, but he is not exactly anti-social: He will generally just plod around in his own little world and doesn't concern himself with others unless they approach him first, in which case he is happy to interact.
He is gentle and patient, and enjoys spending time with young calves and other animals. He especially enjoys watching birds, whether they be on the ground or flying around, and can be entertained for hours if they decide to hang around.
He is quite wary and cautious of what is unfamiliar to him, and is spooked easily, especially in his old age. In fact, Cuileann has quick reflexes for an old boy, and will bolt at the first sign of a threat! This being said, he can be easily calmed and will not become 'scarred for life' if something frightens him. He does not dwell on what has happened in his past and prefers to put it all behind him and move on with his life.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Quirks
Cuileann is a big fan of routine and hates change, though he pretends to not be phased by it. He has a very specific set of expectations which he expects to be followed each day:
• He must always be the second one out of the barn in the morning (after Ng'ombe) and the second one to have access to breakfast.
• He expects pats by his human friends whenever he sees them
• During autumn, leaves should never be raked up in his paddock, yet during winter there should be a path cleared through the snow for him to walk through
• He does not like to be dressed in anything, including blankets, leads and even his own collar.
• He does not like having to leave the farm or be separated from his herd in any way.
Of course, many of these are unavoidable, and he will sulk and ignore you (but not actually resist you) until the issue has been rectified. But Cuileann is forgiving however, and will bounce back to his usual cheery self once things are how he likes it.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Backstory
An old boy of 22 years, Cuileann and his 'mate' Ng'ombe are the two oldest members of their current herd. Cuileann was born on a small farm and was pushed into petting zoo life from a young age. He was naturally timid, but rather than accepting who he was, he fought it by forcing himself to solve his problems with aggression. He did not enjoy his younger years, often furiously resisting his owners during the transportation process and even on occasion charging at children who approached him too quickly. Cuileann had the potential to develop into the epitome of a dominant bull, yet as he grew his attitude changed; He embraced his naturally shy personality and he decided that it was always best to wait out any issues he encountered, rather than fight them.
Cuileann was eventually destined for the life of a show cow, yet his newly adopted outlook on life led him to develop a sense of 'stagefright', and he was retired to a quiet life on the farm at only 3 years old. He served as breeding stock for many of these years on many different farms: Because he was often too frightened to stick up for himself when he was pushed around by other cows, he was passed around from farm to farm frequently. Fortunately, upon meeting his Ng'ombe, he found a life long companion (and body guard for that matter) and the two of them have been inseparable ever since.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Herd Role:
A far cry from being the big strong bull protector of his herd, Cuileann spends most of his days on the outskirts of his paddock, simply grazing and following around his feisty matriach-wifey, Ng'ombe on her daily duties. However, he has no patriarchal duties whatsoever and plays no special role other than being just another mouth which wants to be fed.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Relationships
Ng'ombe
This lively old girl has just as many years experience in the game of life as Cuileann does, but that is pretty much where the similarities end. The assertive and cantankerous Ng'ombe loves throwing her weight around, and is not afraid to put up a fight and stand her ground when challenged. But she enjoys Cuileann's calm and kind persona, and he offers her a more compassionate perspective to issues she may face, as opposed to her usual brutal and blunt mindset. She especially loves Cuileann for his submissive nature: There's never going to be a power struggle in this relationship, and she knows she can get away with anything when he is around!
Cuileann on the other hand admires Ng'ombe's confidence and fierce devotion to her herd. Despite being a relatively small cow, he has seen her stand up to those larger than her and walk away on top. It's a strange bond that these two share, but you know what they say; opposites attract!
Friday
This young cow gets along very well with Cuileann, even though it may not appear to be that way. Like Cuileann, Friday is very shy and reserved, preferring to stay away from rowdiness and limelight, and as a result the two of them often find themselves together when they both need a bit of time out. They would not consider themselves to be friends as such, but more like acquaintances on good terms.
Other Herd Cows
Though he would never protect them if a threat appeared, the other cows in his herd are quite fond of Cuileann. They like the idea of having a large bull in their herd, even if just for appearances. They think he is adorable and is very sweet, and they all make an effort to greet him whenever they see him. Cuileann knows each of his herd mates by name, and although he usually prefers to keep to himself, will try his best to say hello and ask how they are going when he sees them. Cuileann is fond of all of his herd mates and would do anything he could to help them out when they need it.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Why the wreath bell?
Upon arrival to his current home, Cuillean was presented, like all other Buttermilks, with a bell collar. Cuillean didn't like this too much, and proceeded to chew it off. And the one which replaced that one. And the one which replaced that one.
Eventually it came down to finding a material which Cuillean wouldn't want to eat, so that he couldn't chew the collar off.
Mistletoe, although a risky choice due to its potential toxicity to cattle, was what his owners settled on. And Cuillean, who was smart enough to know when he was beat, simply embraced his new accessory in true Cuileann fashion.
Physique:
Cuileann is quite a large bull, especially so for a dairy breed, standing at 1.5 metres tall at the shoulder. Though he is old, and much of his skin and muscle has sagged, he still has quite a hefty and solid frame, and could easily be intimidating to smaller bulls.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Personality:
Distant | Shy | Untrusting | Timid | Wary | Gentle | Calm | Accepting
A gentle giant as they say, Cuileann is a shy and good-natured old fellow. He can be quite timid and so patience and kindness will do you a lot of favours when trying to win him over!
Cuileann has a very non-confrontational outlook on life, and will always approach problems by opting to back away rather than stand his ground. He has a very 'go-with-the-flow' attitude, and will always (often begrudgingly) choose to accept his circumstances rather than question or try to change them.
Cuillean will generally to keep to himself, but he is not exactly anti-social: He will generally just plod around in his own little world and doesn't concern himself with others unless they approach him first, in which case he is happy to interact.
He is gentle and patient, and enjoys spending time with young calves and other animals. He especially enjoys watching birds, whether they be on the ground or flying around, and can be entertained for hours if they decide to hang around.
He is quite wary and cautious of what is unfamiliar to him, and is spooked easily, especially in his old age. In fact, Cuileann has quick reflexes for an old boy, and will bolt at the first sign of a threat! This being said, he can be easily calmed and will not become 'scarred for life' if something frightens him. He does not dwell on what has happened in his past and prefers to put it all behind him and move on with his life.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Quirks
• He must always be the second one out of the barn in the morning (after Ng'ombe) and the second one to have access to breakfast.
• He expects pats by his human friends whenever he sees them
• During autumn, leaves should never be raked up in his paddock, yet during winter there should be a path cleared through the snow for him to walk through
• He does not like to be dressed in anything, including blankets, leads and even his own collar.
• He does not like having to leave the farm or be separated from his herd in any way.
Of course, many of these are unavoidable, and he will sulk and ignore you (but not actually resist you) until the issue has been rectified. But Cuileann is forgiving however, and will bounce back to his usual cheery self once things are how he likes it.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Backstory
An old boy of 22 years, Cuileann and his 'mate' Ng'ombe are the two oldest members of their current herd. Cuileann was born on a small farm and was pushed into petting zoo life from a young age. He was naturally timid, but rather than accepting who he was, he fought it by forcing himself to solve his problems with aggression. He did not enjoy his younger years, often furiously resisting his owners during the transportation process and even on occasion charging at children who approached him too quickly. Cuileann had the potential to develop into the epitome of a dominant bull, yet as he grew his attitude changed; He embraced his naturally shy personality and he decided that it was always best to wait out any issues he encountered, rather than fight them.
Cuileann was eventually destined for the life of a show cow, yet his newly adopted outlook on life led him to develop a sense of 'stagefright', and he was retired to a quiet life on the farm at only 3 years old. He served as breeding stock for many of these years on many different farms: Because he was often too frightened to stick up for himself when he was pushed around by other cows, he was passed around from farm to farm frequently. Fortunately, upon meeting his Ng'ombe, he found a life long companion (and body guard for that matter) and the two of them have been inseparable ever since.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Herd Role:
A far cry from being the big strong bull protector of his herd, Cuileann spends most of his days on the outskirts of his paddock, simply grazing and following around his feisty matriach-wifey, Ng'ombe on her daily duties. However, he has no patriarchal duties whatsoever and plays no special role other than being just another mouth which wants to be fed.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Relationships
Ng'ombe
This lively old girl has just as many years experience in the game of life as Cuileann does, but that is pretty much where the similarities end. The assertive and cantankerous Ng'ombe loves throwing her weight around, and is not afraid to put up a fight and stand her ground when challenged. But she enjoys Cuileann's calm and kind persona, and he offers her a more compassionate perspective to issues she may face, as opposed to her usual brutal and blunt mindset. She especially loves Cuileann for his submissive nature: There's never going to be a power struggle in this relationship, and she knows she can get away with anything when he is around!
Cuileann on the other hand admires Ng'ombe's confidence and fierce devotion to her herd. Despite being a relatively small cow, he has seen her stand up to those larger than her and walk away on top. It's a strange bond that these two share, but you know what they say; opposites attract!
Friday
This young cow gets along very well with Cuileann, even though it may not appear to be that way. Like Cuileann, Friday is very shy and reserved, preferring to stay away from rowdiness and limelight, and as a result the two of them often find themselves together when they both need a bit of time out. They would not consider themselves to be friends as such, but more like acquaintances on good terms.
Other Herd Cows
Though he would never protect them if a threat appeared, the other cows in his herd are quite fond of Cuileann. They like the idea of having a large bull in their herd, even if just for appearances. They think he is adorable and is very sweet, and they all make an effort to greet him whenever they see him. Cuileann knows each of his herd mates by name, and although he usually prefers to keep to himself, will try his best to say hello and ask how they are going when he sees them. Cuileann is fond of all of his herd mates and would do anything he could to help them out when they need it.
•--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------•
Why the wreath bell?
Upon arrival to his current home, Cuillean was presented, like all other Buttermilks, with a bell collar. Cuillean didn't like this too much, and proceeded to chew it off. And the one which replaced that one. And the one which replaced that one.
Eventually it came down to finding a material which Cuillean wouldn't want to eat, so that he couldn't chew the collar off.
Mistletoe, although a risky choice due to its potential toxicity to cattle, was what his owners settled on. And Cuillean, who was smart enough to know when he was beat, simply embraced his new accessory in true Cuileann fashion.
