I've not been on for ages either - must be a Shropshire thing.
I'm still missing my goats and finding it hard being around smallholders, goat keepers, etc.
When I lost my cow to TB in 2008, it coincided with losing a dog. 2 more died in the following months. When the last of the cows (not to TB) went a few years later I looked around.
To see the place with NO CATTLE, it was a shock and talk about grief. The thought of the work, for me, didn't even come into it. There were no cattle on the place and I hated it. When I couldn't lamb 2016/2017, I actually didn't mind and the following lambing, it made me realise, I DONT want to do it. So I sold quite a few off. I lambed last year, sold more off and 3 lambed in December just gone. The 2 that weren't interested in the tup, they are still here, but to be honest, I don't know whether or not I'm depressed or in pain (knackered my foot in November) but I am seriously considering get rid of the 2 of them and just stick with the 6, 3 lambers, 3 non lambers and my beloved cattle.
And there's the thing, I can honestly say, I have NEVER said I LOVE sheep. I don't. I like sheep. Theres a difference. I love cattle, I love their quirkiness and the fact they use me as a scratching post even though I could have throttled Jennifer last year. (She's now really improved, she was close though, very close!).
People, I can give or take, but my animals, I truly grieve for them. If its your choice if you stop dealing with them then its different then if the choice is taken out of your hands and I truly feel for anybody who has to give up their beloved animals for whatever reasons.