Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on August 14, 2017.
Mitchell Miner and his heifer Audri have been together almost every day for the past two months. They have built an unspoken connection in that short period of time.
So when a photo of them snuggled up and sound asleep was posted on social media, it was clear that they were witnessing a special bond between the two.
“She likes to lie down quite a bit,” Miner told The Register on Monday.
“She enjoys my company.”
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A 15-year-old miner from Williamsburg and Audrey are getting ready for the Iowa State Fair’s Youth Dairy Show. He guided, clipped, walked and bathed her non-stop until last Saturday.
On the day of the show, Minor and Audrey woke up at 3:00am, the third early morning to put the finishing touches on Audrey.
Miner said she ended up in fifth place out of seven contestants. Needless to say, they were exhausted. So they took a nap after doing a show together.
Minor’s father, Jeremy, saw his son and Audrey. he took some pictures Posted one on Facebook the next day.
As of 1:30 PM on Monday, the photo has received over 15,000 interactions, 790 shares, and 290 comments.
“I was asleep. I think she was too,” Mitchell Miner said.
Many of the responses are from others who share similar memories, with the typical and well-deserved “adorable” and “precious” comments.
Minor’s mother, Laura, said people enjoy seeing that kind of relationship between children and animals.
“I think they get really comfortable with you when you spend a lot of time with them,” she said.
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Laura Minor added that the family has been renting these animals for the summer.
Jeremy Miner said that both he and his wife grew up on a farm, but today they are the first generation to leave farm life.
“We learned a lot from the farm,” he said. “We have those values instilled in us and we try to do what we can to maintain them.”
This article originally appeared in the Des Moines Register. Sleepy Boy and Heifer Win Internet at Iowa State Fair