“Hey you! How are you today?” The voice is tender. The caresses firm and the look behind the dark sunglasses filled with respect. The cow with ear tag number 0389 was born on a summer day in June 2001. She is not just any cow. Marlene is the grom cow. The bell cow of old, the natural matriarch. 22 years old, and reportedly Norway’s second-oldest cow. If she is to become Norway’s oldest, she needs help. Isak Sankar-Øyan (10) is also fond of Marlene (22). Photo: Geir Olav Slåen / news “Would you like the gromkua lell?” For farmer Lars Sankar-Øyan (51), Marlene is special. Admittedly, she has become slimmer over the hips, and her steps a little stiffer. But the thick fur still shines brightly in the autumn sun. Marlene was already a well-grown cow when she came to Telnes Øvre in Tolga. The average age of cows is five years. Marlene was six. When Lars was going to start with røosku, he had decided to buy Marlene. The previous owner said no. Lars could get Marlene junior, but not grandma. Most cows are slaughtered when they are around five years old. If they survive, they can live up to 30 years. Photo: Geir Olav Slåen / news A few years later, the former owner was to retire. He didn’t have the heart to send the grom cow to the butcher’s bench. This is how Marlene became part of the Sankar-Øyan family in Nord-Østerdalen. What’s up with Marlene? Not only has she been an important dairy cow, with her 15 calves over the years. When she arrived, Lars had just become a father for the first time. Before Marlene found a foothold in the herd, it was safer to follow Lars as he walked and carried his son on his chest on the seat. In the first summer, Marlene was sheltered from the herd, and was allowed to be close to the family while they built a cheese factory and renovated the seats at Bjørkkjølvangen. Here she is with Axel and Regina Sankar-Øyan. Photo: Private Lars, Axel and Marlene quickly became good travel buddies that first summer. – She had such a personality that you especially connect with. She was used to being with people, and the one I could trust the most. It is still like that. Two years ago, on her 20th birthday, Lars and Marlene took the trip all the way up to the mountain Litj-Vola, 1050 meters above sea level. On the way to Litj-Vola, Marlene looks east towards Blåkletten. It was on her 20th birthday. Photo: Privat This summer the duo also went on a few trips, despite their age. Because at 22, Marlene is older than most animal calculators on the web can handle. She is estimated to be 99 years old in human years. Hans Storlien in the breeding company Geno says Marlene is extremely old. Because although a cow can live up to 30 years, most cows today are sent to the slaughterhouse when they are between 4.5 and 5 years old. – The economy controls how long you want to have a cow, and a good dairy cow ends up at the slaughterhouse faster. Life’s harvest In recent years, Marlene has been retired and a full-time pet cow. – It is a farmer’s privilege to keep a cow, even if it is not profitable, says Lars. He compares the relationship between them to that between an owner and a dog. But now it’s almost over. The family makes do with cows. In a few weeks, the 35 cows on the farm will be sent to the butcher. Also the grom cow. Unless someone out there wants to house an old pensioner. Could you imagine a pensioner in the yard? 🐄 Yes! ❤️ Yes, but I don’t have room!! 😥 Are you gay! 😨 Maybe? 🤔 No, but I know someone I can ask! 😏 Show result Marlene has the calm demeanor needed to live on a museum farm, for example. – She doesn’t get stressed easily, and manages to handle people and a bit of life, assures Lars. Marlene can grow old, if only she gets a good home. Photo: Geir Olav Slåen / news So far, Marlene is taking life easy. She has been rescued once before. Could it be that all good things are bad for the gromku?
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Gromkua Marlene needs help to become Norway’s oldest cow – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
