Now was I the only one who thought they were going 'zombie cow' there at the end of this last episode? I know they had to pull the life lesson for the kid there but for a second I thought they were going to jump the shark and have that cow stand up and start shuffling...

FWIW, they have diverged enough from the original comic storyline that I think it's safe to discuss it without fear of revealing potential spoilers.
Also FWIW, I'm thinking Merl is going to re-appear soon... in the group of 30! He just might be a replacement for 'The Governor' from the comic OR just be part of the rabble. Either way, I think there's going to be some use for their prisoner and Daryl's loyalty is about to be tested!