Happy Retirement for Vera the Jersey cow

We love a happy story at the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT), and this one involves friendship, fresh fields, and a well-earned retirement!

Vera, a beautiful Jersey cow from Pierrepont Farm in Surrey, has officially stopped milking and moved to her new forever home to carry out conservation grazing at the nature reserve of the British Wildlife Centre, founded by CRT trustee David Mills.

When Katherine, one of David’s much-loved Jersey cows, sadly lost her long-time companion, Apple, she was left feeling lonely.

David, a former dairy farmer, has always kept a few retired Jerseys as pets, both for companionship and as a reminder of his farming roots.

He said: “They also act as wonderful stress-busters. When you hug a Jersey, everything becomes far less stressful!”

Knowing that Katherine (above right) was missing her friend, David reached out to Kayleigh, our tenant farmer at Pierrepont Farm, to see if there might be a suitable companion.

Kayleigh knew just the right cow, Vera (above left), who was ready to enjoy her own retirement.

“I can give an old cow a happy retirement home for the rest of her days!” said David. “As you can see from the photos, Vera has settled in really well. Katherine is 14 and is so happy she now has a female companion. They are inseparable!” said David.

The pair have even been spotted spending time with David’s two Highland boys, the beginnings of a very special four-strong herd. Rumour has it they’re already planning to take up golf and start a Bridge club together!

How to support us

If you’d like to support our work to protect wildlife and restore habitats:

Join as a CRT Friend

Volunteer on one of our farms

Attend events and workshops

Published: October 2025

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The CRT promotes nature-friendly farming to help reverse biodiversity decline and combat climate change. We believe nature is integral to good farming and we protect, promote and regenerate our land and all life on it. We put our philosophy into practice on over 2,000 acres of working farms, small-holdings and woodland across England.
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