That Animal Ain't going in the Trailer!!

Now, this post is going to upset some people, but it's reality.

Tomorrow we will haul several bulls and heifers to the auction. It's a big auction, and these animals are the headliners along with some others.

So there's that.

But, on another note; some cows get old, and they really do get old...just like us. Sorting cows and herd bulls, and calves, and all other manner of animals can be tough. It's stressful sometimes, very.

Sometimes, people close to the animals will have different opinions about how to deal with them. So tonight, my wife and I got in a bit of an argument. She was big on not letting our herd bull in with certain cows...because they couldn't stand for him. I had a much harder view.

My view was...I don't care what those cows can do because they will never leave this ranch on their feet. (In other words, the are unable to load into a trailer, so therefore they will be processed in place (cows aren't worth much, but for hamburger).

Now I'm a butthead. You risk your life every day with these animals, handling them in close quarters, feeding them well and all such. You doctor them, help their calves, nurse some and feed others. But sometimes you have to say "good bye" to some.

You have a choice; you can think everything will be okay, or you can expect that things will not.

You know, cattle don't live forever, they don't. In fact, they live a shorter life than a dog. Sometimes they die...and sometimes you have to deal with it.

it's a hard lesson sometimes.

BUT...sometimes...that animal "Ain't going in the Trailer"!!!

That is all.

Please find a militant vegan Facebook page and post this, then give me the link so I can just sit back and enjoy the carnage that follows.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

Go right on ahead with your bad self!

I will enjoy it too!

If this upsets you, then far be it from me to post it on Fail-Book.

P.S. I'm the guy with smashed fingers, limping from being stepped on and still having a positive attitude.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I just love cows.

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Please find a militant vegan Facebook page and post this, then give me the link so I can just sit back and enjoy the carnage that follows.

"Carnage." I see what you did there.

The bulls don’t care. Because they’re off to “breeder” pasture


^^^^^ did you see what I did there ?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Huh. Didn't know the life expectancy of a cow. Since you mentioned it, I looked it up...18 – 22 years.

That's way longer than most dog breeds....10 – 13 years.

a reply to: loam

22 years!

That’s older than most of the folk signing up ATS these days!

a reply to: loam

Yup a cow can live up to 20 years if you wanted to die on your front porch as a pet .

But if you wanna make money from slaughter it’s between three and six years .

originally posted by: loam
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Huh. Didn't know the life expectancy of a cow. Since you mentioned it, I looked it up...18 – 22 years.

That's way longer than most dog breeds....10 – 13 years.

The long age of a cow if you are making a living off them is about 8 years.

He's not raising them to grow to a long age.. he is using the females to make calves to sell and then culling as he goes to market for meat.

Just a thought from something great-Grandpa told me.

Here. A song for the vegan types.

youtu.be...

In other news. Hestra makes some freakin awesome leather gloves. Their cow hide work gloves feel like butter.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: loam
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Huh. Didn't know the life expectancy of a cow. Since you mentioned it, I looked it up...18 – 22 years.

That's way longer than most dog breeds....10 – 13 years.

The long age of a cow if you are making a living off them is about 8 years.

He's not raising them to grow to a long age.. he is using the females to make calves to sell and then culling as he goes to market for meat.

Just a thought from something great-Grandpa told me.

So, they're culled at about a 1/3 of the age they could live normally?

Why? Is the meat better?

What would happen to the meat if they were allowed to live, say 15 years, and then killed?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Hi, I am a newb here but have a couple questions on your post. First i do not know anything about ranching so am unaware the significant difference in the life of a cow making it on the trailer and one that does not. Don't they both end up on a plate or am i misguided? It sounds to me like you do your best to treat them humanely why they are alive you provide for them their whole lives and when its time they provide for you and yours when is their turn. I apologize for my ignorance what does "wont stand for the bull " mean? If it means they have no interest in him, does not evolution provide them a way to express this dislike? I appreciate the cattle education in advance and thank you for this post! I find it interesting and I love that you can express yourself without being sanctimonious or preachy great thread.

originally posted by: Mahogany

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: loam
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Huh. Didn't know the life expectancy of a cow. Since you mentioned it, I looked it up...18 – 22 years.

That's way longer than most dog breeds....10 – 13 years.

The long age of a cow if you are making a living off them is about 8 years.

He's not raising them to grow to a long age.. he is using the females to make calves to sell and then culling as he goes to market for meat.

Just a thought from something great-Grandpa told me.

So, they're culled at about a 1/3 of the age they could live normally?

Why? Is the meat better?

What would happen to the meat if they were allowed to live, say 15 years, and then killed?

Part of it is about the meat, but the biggest part is the ability to birth calves.

The OP can tell you a LOT more than I can, simply because it is his livelihood.

You would actually be amazed at the amount of science and math goes into being a cattle rancher. It takes ta real businessman nowadays.

It isn't just feeding Flossy and sending her to market... it is a dizzying amount of factors that all have to line up right and an amazing amount of sheer willpower to keep it going.

I have a few hundred acres of pasture so my neighbors are always bugging me to raise cattle.

I looked into it. Never gonna do it.

It's... hard.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: Mahogany

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: loam
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Huh. Didn't know the life expectancy of a cow. Since you mentioned it, I looked it up...18 – 22 years.

That's way longer than most dog breeds....10 – 13 years.

The long age of a cow if you are making a living off them is about 8 years.

He's not raising them to grow to a long age.. he is using the females to make calves to sell and then culling as he goes to market for meat.

Just a thought from something great-Grandpa told me.

So, they're culled at about a 1/3 of the age they could live normally?

Why? Is the meat better?

What would happen to the meat if they were allowed to live, say 15 years, and then killed?

Part of it is about the meat, but the biggest part is the ability to birth calves.

The OP can tell you a LOT more than I can, simply because it is his livelihood.

You would actually be amazed at the amount of science and math goes into being a cattle rancher. It takes ta real businessman nowadays.

It isn't just feeding Flossy and sending her to market... it is a dizzying amount of factors that all have to line up right and an amazing amount of sheer willpower to keep it going.

I have a few hundred acres of pasture so my neighbors are always bugging me to raise cattle.

I looked into it. Never gonna do it.

It's... hard.

I might be surprised but not that much.

Temple Grandin is one of my favorite movies! LOL

Is that like saying you're not racist because you have that one black friend? LOL

For real though, I know it's tough work. My train of thought was, is it the meat quality? Is it really that much better? Would a non-connoisseur like me notice a difference in flavor between a 8 year old cow bourger and a 16 year old cow burger?

Is cutting their lives in half worth the difference in flavor of the meat?

But it looks like there are many more reasons than just flavor, as you pointed out. Thanks.

a reply to: Mahogany

I know that I won't chew on a 6 year old deer.

I don't eat commercial meat... I kill an elk, a deer or two and a bear each year.

Most I give to family members after I smoke it, sausage it, hamburger it, etc.

So I probably should not have ever spoken up except I have a lot of ranchers in the family and remembered some things about cattle.

I love meat and that's about all I have to say here. It is what it is and the whole vegan thing is frankly pretty stupid on a planet where so many people are starving.

My advice to vegans is they should focus more on things they can control. Like not eating meat if they don't believe in it and not reproducing (at all) because more people creates more hunger.

a reply to: Lumenari

For not being in the cattle business you've done a pretty darn good job answering some of the questions! Clearly you were paying attention when listening to your rancher family members.

BTW...got any water on that pasture you've got? I can put some 'pasture art' out in that pasture and you can make some money without having to lift a finger! Let me know.

a reply to: Mahogany

Temple Grandin is a legend. Probably one of the only animal rights activists in history who actually "increased" revenue in the cattle business. She's an absolutely brilliant person! I could go on and on about how her methods have saved us time, effort and money. Truly amazing how her methods work. We've actually met her and had a chance to speak with her about methodology.

In fact, we'll be using some of Grandin's insight even this morning. As the animals go through the chute this morning they'll be headed north, exiting almost due north into the trailer. This, to keep the sun out of their eyes so they don't spook or balk. The chutes they pass through will be curved (like an 'S') so they can't see too far ahead of where they are. All the chutes are clear of anything which can cause shadows, and the trailers will be lit from the front so they exit into the light rather than into the dark. All these things to keep the animals calm and moving, and all of these things methods Temple Grandin teaches to those willing to listen and learn. No hot sticks required, the animals pretty much load themselves.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

My first loss was hard. Big Red or Bent Horn, yes I name them, died of old age. She didn't come up for dinner one day and was gone the next. I have sisters that live in LA and Europe and they can not even handle a short clip of my wife and I making a steer calf. Most will not understand your OP. I get it %100