Old Cows and Old Folks: The Circle of Farm Life

I can’t help it. People are always giving me a rough time because I get so attached to my animals. Yesterday, I had to haul a couple of old cows that, for one reason or another, had to go. They were both 10 years old, and I know that by their tag numbers. It was awful. I loaded them up, and they looked at me like, "What is going on here? We are supposed to be going out with all the others. We’ve been here 10 years; we know the routine." It got even worse when I pulled out of the gate onto the main road. They were both standing in the trailer, facing the hills where they knew they should be. I shut the gate and told them to take one long last look because they were not going to like where they ended up.

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I thought to myself, "That is what’s going to happen to me when I get old and they come to wheel me out to some old folks’ home for crazy farmers." That's not going to happen. As ranchers, we get to know our cattle like you know your kids. They all have a different tag number, so it’s just like having a different name for your children. The difference is that when your kids grow up and leave the house, you at least know you will eventually see them again someday. I mean, after all, the cows have given you about 8 or 9 really good grandcows. I told you, I get too attached to my animals.

See you tomorrow at 5.