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The thing about raising
Angus cattle that you can be certain about is that you’re going to
have those weeks that contain not only days of triumph, but days
of tragedy as well. On the Angus barometer herd numbers list, our
diminutive group is barely peaking at the “very small” label, so
that may be one of the reasons that when one of ours is sick or
hurt it is more then just a number to doctor that day. This past
week may have been one of the saddest I’ve experienced since we’ve
owned a cow. The first bull born to our program “Famous Addiction”
had to be put down due to an injury he sustained earlier in the
month. As I write this I have to swallow hard to get past the lump
in my throat and work hard to keep my tears at bay. I’m sure there
are plenty of breeders that might not understand how you can
become so emotionally attached to these animals, but I’m equally
certain that there may be just as many of you that truly
comprehend what I’m writing about.
When you raise small
numbers like we do, it is not about the money. There is no way
raising them in the environment that we do that we’re ever going
to get rich. The reason we do it is because we genuinely have a
passion for the breed and have a love for the cattle we own. My
great days aren’t the so called glamorous ones, traveling, or even
vacationing. My great days are spent at our small spread working
the cattle, spending time with the calves, helping in the show
barn and attending the daily chores that without fail are always
there. “Famous Addiction”, or Chad as we nicknamed him, was a show
barn baby from the beginning when he traveled with his mother to
shows. As a calf, one of his signature moves was to curl up in
Mercedes’ lap like a puppy; and it didn’t take long for him to
quickly become too big for such things, although his gentle
disposition and his love for myself and Mercedes was always
evident.
At 2600 pounds we could
lead him anywhere with just his nose ring, through huge crowds at
the National Western or past groups of cows he would of rather of
been hanging with. Not once that I recall did he ever give either
of us a moment of apprehension. I don’t mean this to be a eulogy
for a bull but rather to serve as a testament for all of those
breeders that head out to the corrals each day because of what
each of those animals means to us. I sincerely believe that for
many of us in this breed that make up the “small breeder” ranks
that it’s not about EPD numbers, winning at shows or having the
top seller. It’s about doing something that you genuinely love. In
this day and age I can guarantee you that there aren’t many folks
that have the opportunity to say that they wake up each day
thrilled to be doing what they’re doing.
The up side to this is
that we are all privileged to get to spend time with these cows
and pursue the life that we love. The downside is that we are
going to experience all the triumphs and tragedies that come along
with working with these animals. Rest In Peace Big Bull – we’ll
miss you. Until next month…
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