For the first day of Civil Society Media’s 12 Days of Christmas, we feature a Christmas campaign from Send a Cow. Rate the campaign to win a free place at one of our events.

Send a Cow has released a spoof documentary looking behind the scenes at the hidden world of Panto cow farms.

As part of a promotion for its Christmas gift catalogue, the charity has released an 80-second film that features a rural cattle farmer breeding a host of pantomime cows. The farmer feeds up his cows for panto season, and teaches them how to “milk applause” in his milking shed, and auctions them to theatre directors for magic beans.

The Bath-based charity provides livestock, seeds, tools and training to some of Africa’s poorest communities. Send a Cow’s Christmas campaign hopes to turn panto season into planting for African families, by encouraging people to gift practical items which help African families become self-sufficient.

Simon Barnes, chief executive of Send a Cow, said: “This year we've chosen to celebrate the humble Panto Cow to encourage people to think differently about the gifts they buy this Christmas. We don’t have magic beans but we do have lots of practical gifts that can make a real difference.

"We hope that you will support us this year by buying a gift, to help us change even more lives this Christmas and beyond.”

Send a Cow’s catalogue includes gifts such as a “local cow” which, for £205, provides a family with milk and manure for farming.

Other gifts include sending a chicken for £7, an apple orchard for £17, and educating a child for £30. Between now and 31 December, all donations to Send a Cow will be matched £1 for £1 by the UK government.

Send a Cow’s Christmas catalogue is available here.