Old Number 87

I guess the party must be over because the cows are coming home. Get it? We partied until the cows came home. I guess it is true, my family tells me that if I must explain a joke (and I often do) it is not all that funny (and most of the time they aren’t). Bad joke or not, we have started bringing the cows home and that included old number 87.

Last Saturday we hauled cows home from one of our rented pastures and old number 87 was one of those cows. She is legendary for being hard to catch but also a pretty good mama and has raised many nice calves, so we put up with her aloofness. Compound that with the fact that she had not been that hard to catch lately and maybe we were lulled to sleep.

The day was difficult from the start. The wind had picked up and the cows did not here Dad calling them to begin with and required Jennifer and I to get behind them. The cows were strung out farther than we would have liked, but more importantly, it tipped old number 87 off that something was up. We got the cows bunched up and it seemed to be going much better right up until we got to the catch pen.

That is when old number 87 and two of her protégées veered off and made a hard left. They proceeded to go down the outside of the wing on the catch pen and taunt the other cows. Fortunately for us their calves did not follow suit and willingly walked into the pen. The gate was shut and we decided to try to walk them into the pen. This was very hard because the pen was bursting at the seams with all the “good” cows.

Three different times we walked them right up to the gate only to have them separate at the last minute. Then they would turn and calmly walk between us stopping just a few yards away from the pen. We changed tactics and Dad got a flake of hay out and coaxed the cows in with the hay in his hand. Once again the cows got tantalizingly close only to split and walk away when Dad ran out of hay.

We decided to set up a new temporary catch pen on the other side of the pen. Dad once again lured the cows in with another flake of hay (at this point I was sure they were just holding out for more alfalfa). The “good” cows in the pen stared out jealously as the “outlaws” munched on the sweet rewards of civil disobedience. This time Dad got the two rookie cows in the pen only to have old number 87 turn at the last minute and flee to the open range. The gate was shut leaving only old number 87 on the lamb (I wonder if cows hate us using that term).

We decided to ignore her and haul a few loads home. During this time, she never went more than 100 yards away and always seemed interested in the pen. While Dad and I hauled a load in, Jennifer worked her up to the pen with the pickup. Twice old number 87 went into the pen easily only to turn and walk out at Jennifer tried to get out of the pickup and beat her to the gate. It was soon decided that when we caught her she would be next appearing at a McDonalds near you not as old number 87 but as a number 3 on the Extra Value Menu.

We hauled the next to last load and returned just in time to see Jennifer working old number 87 into the pen (old number 87 maybe stubborn but she had met her match in Jennifer). When I came to a stop I just happened to be near the gate and with surprising speed and stealth I blocked the hole before old number 87 knew what was happening (or more likely she gave herself up).

She was caught just in time to go out on the last load. Upon reflection, we realized this was the very thing she did every time. She never ran off, was never wild and always let herself get caught right before the last load. In other words, she did not stand in a crowded pen, got to move around and by the time we caught her, had eaten most of a bale of alfalfa. She did have a nice heifer calf, a good candidate for being a replacement (we have 3 of 4 of her daughters in the herd, none of which are hard to catch). There was the distinct possibility that she was smarter than the average cow (or rancher) and why cull her when her only crime was being brilliant. We were not going to need to catch her again until next spring.

The Best Laid Plans of Farmers

The best laid plans, well we know what often happens to those plans. Each day I walk out the door with an idea of what I am going to do that day. I am not sure why I try to have a plan, very seldom does my day ever go as planned. Often I walk back through the door at night, shaking my head and wondering just what happened to the day. Today was one of those days, and we aren’t even to noon yet.

I had my day scheduled precisely. I needed to get two lambs to the locker to be processed, they needed to be there by seven that morning. I would get up early, do my chores, load the lambs and be back between 8:00 and 8:30. I even had breakfast planned, had located my favorite travel mug to put coffee in, after that I would write my column, drive into town for a lunch meeting and spend the rest of the day running a few errands.

Breakfast, chores and my coffee went along just as I had planned. I caught the two lambs without any problem and loaded them on the trailer. OK, so not everything had gone as planned. When I hooked up the trailer and connected the lights, the ground wire came out of the light connection. I backed the trailer up and fixed the connection under the yard light. I only lost about ten minutes to that bump in the road.

I pulled into the locker plant at 7:20, I am still not real sure where the other ten minutes went but my plan was still intact somewhat. I backed up to the unloading area and noticed a very angry cow. She was next in line just ahead of my lambs and she was not happy about it. I think most of her surliness probably was there before she arrived at the plant and much of it may have been a life-long, and now, terminal condition.

The cow did not want to cooperate and seemed to not care that she was holding up the line. It took some time, all hands on deck and ingenuity to finally get the line moving again. I don’t know what happened to bring that cow to that point but I certainly agree with the management decision made to get her here.

I unloaded my lambs now 45 minutes behind my schedule. No worry, I did have quite a bit of slack in the schedule so the day was not lost. That was when the phone rang. It was Dad and we had a cow out, how far away was I? Too far really, but we could make it work. I would run home, drop the trailer off, grab fencing supplies and my computer. I would write my column after attending to the cow.

I was now starting to worry about my plan. Most of my slack time was eaten up and the noon deadline was looming large. I did not panic. This should be easy, put the cow in, fix the fence and write my column. After all, this was going to give me the idea and inspiration I needed. I pulled up to the pasture and old number 56 was standing in the road. Dad positioned the pickup behind her and I got out to walk her up the road. She did not want to go.

She was not wild or mean, just stubborn and had a sense of where she thought she should be. Her plan for her day and my plan did not match up. By the time we got to the top of the hill and the gate I had nearly decided old number 56 would look better as a number 3 on the extra value menu at McDonalds.

The fence had to be fixed. That should be hard, it was probably a water gap or a tree on the fence and most likely close to where she was located. We fixed a couple of spots but that glaringly obvious spot was not to be found. This also meant we had to walk the entire fence. Quickly the hope for a fast solution disappeared and what was going to be a small bite out of my schedule soon turned into a huge chunk.  It was now 11:15 and I was not yet started on the writing project that was to be started at 8:30 or 9:00 at the latest and due by 12:00.

A quick email was sent off and the lunch meeting was moved to 1:00. I fired up my computer and soon learned that my column was already written, I just had to type it up. Suddenly I had made up time and my schedule wasn’t so shot. But, of course, the day is still only half done and I had a plan for the rest of it.

When Things Go Good!

Calving season is fully underway. I know it is dry and the temperatures are abnormally warm and I really should be concerned about the pattern we seem to be slipping into but it is really tough. I could really get used to checking and tagging calves without the need to wear coveralls and mud boots. All of the poor hay we had set aside to unroll for bedding is, so far, going unused. I know this can, and probably will change by the time you read this. If it does, I am sorry.

Sunday was one of those days you know you will pay for somewhere down the road. Sure it was a little windy but it was sunny, dry and warm. The kids and I were supposed to help with a pancake feed for our 4-H club because of this we left before chores were done. Jennifer was going to finish chores around the barnyard, check the cows at our place and go help Dad tag new calves before she had to leave to help with an FFA Alumni fundraiser. Sunday mornings are hectic but this one promised to be even more so.

Jennifer called to tell me chores were done and we had two new calves at our house and she was going to help Dad tag four new calves at his house. Six new calves is a pretty productive day this early in the calving season for us, and it was a nice day to boot. Shortly after arriving we found out we were double booked to help so the kids and I headed home to tag calves.

Isaac and I fired up the feed truck and made our way out into the pasture looking for one big black cow and one big baldy cow. Just a few yards into the gate we found the big black cow and her big bull calf. With all of the quickness and agility of a teenager, Isaac easily caught the calf and in no time we had him tagged and ready for release. One down, half way done, or so we thought.

As we admired our handy work, we noticed another black cow, slightly smaller with a slightly smaller calf just a few yards away. Quickly we loaded made another tag and eased our way over to the next calf. It was a nice heifer calf and again we easily caught it and worked it while the mother watched us with a skeptical eye. There was really no way this cow could have been mistaken for a baldy so there must be another calf here. We gathered things up and got back into the pickup.

We did not drive another twenty five yards before we found a brockle faced cow with a big brockle faced calf. Maybe this was the big baldy, but it didn’t seem to fit either. We loaded up once again and carefully made our way to the cow and calf. Again capturing the calf was not difficult and the mama seemed ok with us tagging and checking her baby. It was a bull calf. The sun was shining, all seemed right with the world.

We collected all of our equipment again and returned to the pickup just about a hundred yards from the gate. We were still in search of the elusive big baldy cow. We picked our way through the other cows and older calves sunning themselves. Just twenty yard into our drive we spotted her. There stood the big baldy cow with a pretty little baldy calf, kind of a smaller version. This had to be the second calf Jennifer had told us about.

Isaac and I were more coordinated in our capture effort; after all we were much more practiced up. We easily captured the fourth calf and quickly gave it a brand new tag to match her mama’s. We stepped back and admired our work. Four new calves all less than a hundred yards apart, tagged, banded and vaccinated all in less than fifteen minutes. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Jennifer called to tell us that she and Dad had their four calves tagged and she did not seem to feel any remorse about her miscount on the calves. Dad was only fifteen minutes late to church and we continued on with our preparations for the FFA Alumni fundraiser.

I know I am setting myself up for one of those days it is blowing, raining and cold. Nothing goes right and we can’t find the calves. But for one shining moment it was nice to take a step back and enjoy the moment. Content cows, healthy new calves and sunshine, I could get used to this.

Anitibiotics Good For Beef, Good For You

Tonight we are going to sit down around the kitchen table and enjoy one of my favorite dinners, pot roast. There is nothing better than a slow-cooked, properly seasoned hunk of beef and the corresponding vegetables. I cannot wait and the best part of all is that I am 100% sure it is absolutely safe to eat and free of antibiotics.

How can I be sure it is free of antibiotics and safe? I raised the animal this particular pot roast came from and I have followed all of the protocols and precautions to make sure it was free of any possible antibiotic residue. So your response is naturally; great, you raised it so you know, but what about the meat in the case at my local grocery store?

Whether it says antibiotic free or not I assure you that the meat in your grocer’s case is also antibiotic free. I know, each day we are all bombarded with information about antibiotic resistant bugs. I also assure you that farmers and ranchers are just like you and we are all worried about our families’ health. Some of the stories are quite frightening and we are alarmed and for good reason.

It was natural for some to make the leap and assume that agriculture has played a part in the increase in resistant bacteria. Farmers and ranchers are some of the largest users of antibiotics. In many cases in modern animal agriculture, antibiotics are included at therapeutic levels in livestock feed to promote growth and prevent infections. This practice has been around for decades and has been studied extensively.

All animal medicine, including antibiotics used in feeds, are closely monitored and approved by the FDA. Antibiotic resistance in humans has never been linked to the use of antibiotics in animals, never.  Why all the scrutiny on antibiotics and particularly those in used in feed?  An increase in the cases of antibiotic resistance in humans has led to greater speculation. However, speculation is all it is.

I speak for my fellow farmers and ranchers when I say that we are cognizant of the value of antibiotics and the dangers of their overuse. We are concerned about resistant bacteria in our livestock but the concern for our animals pales in comparison when it comes to the concern we have for our families. That is why we are diligent in our use of antibiotics and follow label directions and withdrawal dates. It is simply the right thing to do. We are farmers and ranchers and proud to raise the meat on your dinner plates but we are fathers, mothers, grandparents, uncles and aunts first. The safety of our families is paramount.

I assure you that we are in favor of continued monitoring when it comes to anti-biotic resistance and we will be the first ones to look for solutions if the time ever comes that a problem is found. However, that time has not come and the antibiotics we utilize are critical for the health of our livestock. Just know that the meat on your table is antibiotic free, it will stay that way because of concerned committed farmers and ranchers.

OK, so I am preaching to the choir, we all live this every day and we are concerned about the increased regulations on antibiotics. I am even more concerned about where this might lead. It is very important and even critical that we voice our opinion and educate our consumers about how we use antibiotics and that they are not linked in any way to antibiotic resistant bacteria in humans. We need to tell the story to every consumer and reassure them that their food is safe.

We must also acknowledge our responsibility to use antibiotics in the right way and work closely with our veterinarians to insure that we are. We are under more scrutiny and more people are watching our actions than ever before. I know we are and we will continue to but a good reminder never hurts either. We live in an era of more attention where opinion and speculation often outweigh facts. It is up to us to make sure the facts and scientific proof are interwoven into that public opinion.

Just like my perfectly cooked, properly seasoned pot roast takes time and effort turning the tide of public opinion takes just as much time and preparation.  All of this talk about beef and pot roast has made me hungry so I must turn my attention to the chuck roast slated for supper tonight. You know, the one that is healthy, wholesome and, most of all, antibiotic free.

Winning Isn't All About First Place

The final sheep show of the year is coming up for us in Hutchinson next weekend (or this past weekend when you read this). This is a show that I both dread and look forward too. I look forward to it because my morning and evening chores will get much easier afterward with no show animals to feed but I also dread it because it is the last show of the season and it means another year is gone.

This past week is unbelievably hectic, we are in the middle of corn harvest, sheep must be sheared and the tack must be organized. There are not enough hours in the day and shearing by the light of the garage is really tough. Well, I suppose maybe it is easier since you don’t see the spots you missed. In any case, this is a busy stressful week and we often ask ourselves if it is worth it.

I know many of you have seen articles or even experienced the darker side of youth animal shows and someday we will discuss that. I have definite opinions but we will leave that for another time. Even with all of its warts and problems youth animal shows are still a great thing for kids to be involved in. I know my kids have benefited tremendously and we will miss them a great deal when we are done.

Are there bad apples in the show ring? Sadly, the answer is yes. Are there parents, breeders and fitters who take things too far and give everyone a black eye? Again the answer is yes. Are there families who can simply buy their way to the top? I think we all know the answer is again to the affirmative. It is sad but it is also a reflection on society as a whole and by no means do these flies in the ointment represent the vast majority of 4-Hers and FFA members who participate.  Unfortunately they tend to attract the most attention.

My family has seen the worst of the show ring and we have had discussions about it. To be honest, I have told my kids that in some ways this is preparing them for the real world. No matter what field of work you go into there are always those who will do anything to get ahead, whether it is legal or not. In any business there are those who have more money and resources than you do and they can circumvent hard work with that money. These are hard lessons to learn and bitter pills to swallow.

So why are we involved? It is simple; the vast majority of the youth and families involved in youth animal shows are good, salt of the earth people and the very role models I want my kids to be around. The youth involved in showing livestock are the kind that get up early, work hard and are good kids. They are learning real skills, responsibility and gaining a work ethic like none other. They know what it is like to have other depend on you.

I have had employers tell me that they like kids who come from the show ring. They know how to start a project and see it through to the end. Livestock kids can make a plan, make sure it happens each day and most important, complete it. They know the benefit of finishing strong and doing things the right way. I have heard this many times from people in many different businesses. Livestock show kids are always in demand.

I guess that brings us back to the bad apples. Sure they may win a trophy or two; they may get their picture in the winner’s circle but in the end the few that win by hook or crook end up losing. They miss out on those real world skills and the true life skills that will ultimately get them ahead. Do all winners cheat? Absolutely not, most of the winners are the very kids I am talking about and are very deserving of any award they receive.

I guess what I am saying is that not all of the good things about youth livestock shows can be judged in the final drive. The benefits cannot be counted by the number of buckles and banners won. It is more than that and often the youth benefiting the most are not at the top of the class. That is why my kids are involved and why this weekend is important.

Gerald Schmidt, Great Cattleman, Even Better Man

Gerald Schmidt was a good man. Really nothing else needs to be said. Gerald was also a man of few words and he would probably agree. Even though in his usual awe shucks, humbleness he might be a little embarrassed at the attention. But as I go on for a much longer and wordier tribute, he would also probably smile and say that was par for the course with me.

Last week Jennifer and I attended the memorial service for Gerald Schmidt at the Freeport Presbyterian Church. As I soaked in the wonderful service, I had many memories and thoughts of Gerald go through my head. Most of all I marveled at how someone who I had the privilege of being around for such a relatively short time could have had such a big impact on my life.

In November of 1995 Jennifer and I got married and we moved to Harper County where I was the Extension Ag Agent. Jennifer worked as a horse trainer before we got married and her old boss told her to look Gerald up when we got settled in. At first she did some day work for him but soon Gerald asked her to be his herdsman. Little did I know that her job would change me so profoundly.

Gerald Schmidt was like few men I had ever met. Without a doubt he was one of the most humble, hardest working, most unassuming people you could ever meet. He treated human and animal alike, with kind actions and deep respect. He had a calm, quiet demeanor that drew you in and made you feel good. Gerald made sure that the new, green County Agent attended all the right events and I looked forward to going to them with him.

The first thing most people noticed about Gerald was his honesty and integrity. Gerald had some of the best Angus cattle I have ever been around, but his sale catalogs were legendary and the descriptions of his cattle were one of a kind. I remember one bull in particular. Gerald described his best attributes very well, but at the end of the description he mentioned that if your fences were not very good you probably did not want this bull. I have never seen statements like that in any other sale catalog anywhere else, but Gerald did not want anyone thinking he was anything but straight forward and honest. We sure could use more people like that in this world.

I live each day trying to emulate that same honesty and integrity. However, the one lesson from Gerald that had the biggest impact on my life was the way he treated his livestock. Gerald treated his animals with a quiet respect and was always calm when handling them. I must admit that I am a bit of a hot head and very impatient when it comes to animals, so I marveled at how Gerald worked cattle. I was also impressed with how gentle his stock was and then the light went off in my head.

Livestock are a reflection of how they are treated. Treat them with gentleness and they will seldom get worked up. Then came my biggest revelation, be patient, quiet and move calmly and you will get done so much faster than “ramming and jamming”. The only stories I ever heard of Gerald showing any displeasure was when it came to someone mishandling his cattle. Hitting one of Gerald’s cows was not something you wanted to do.

He used the same approach when it came to dealing with people too. He drew others in because they knew they would be treated with kindness and respect. Gerald Schmidt was a man others wanted to be around because he made them feel good. You couldn’t spend a day around him without feeling better about yourself. That is a very rare quality.

There are very few days I do not think of Gerald, particularly when I am working with my cattle. I am absolutely convinced that the world would be a much better place if we had more people like Gerald in it. I just hope that I live my life each day with at least a small portion of the integrity, honesty, humbleness, humility and respect that Gerald showed each person and animal he came into contact with each day. In the end I must say I am a much better person for knowing Gerald and for that I am very grateful.