Retrieving pet steer

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Cowdirt

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Recently my cousin with a serious illness (now deceased) and his wife sold their farm and cattle to a young couple from NJ. My cousin had a cattle manager who handled the cattle during his illness. Part of the agreement when the cattle changed hands was that the manager would continue to help the young couple for some time period until they learned a bit about cattle.
Well as you might expect, one of the couple was in to the petting thing. Came time to sell some of the calves and unbeknownst to the cattle manager, he loaded the pet with the other calves and headed to the salebarn, 60mi. away. That evening the pettor found that the petee had been sold. The couple headed to the salebarn hoping to get the pet back before it took the long ride to the midwest feedlots. They were unsuccessful. After examining their sales record, the salebarn people informed the couple that the pet would be at one of two locations. The couple rented a trailer and headed to the midwest. They eventually were successful in finding the pet in Nebraska. They cut a deal with the new owner and headed back to Middle TN with the lucky calf. You folks between TN and the Midwest be alert for trucks with a TN license plate towing an empty trailer; there's some real crazy people on the road.
 
Cowdirt":169wtrir said:
Recently my cousin with a serious illness (now deceased) and his wife sold their farm and cattle to a young couple from NJ. My cousin had a cattle manager who handled the cattle during his illness. Part of the agreement when the cattle changed hands was that the manager would continue to help the young couple for some time period until they learned a bit about cattle.
Well as you might expect, one of the couple was in to the petting thing. Came time to sell some of the calves and unbeknownst to the cattle manager, he loaded the pet with the other calves and headed to the salebarn, 60mi. away. That evening the pettor found that the petee had been sold. The couple headed to the salebarn hoping to get the pet back before it took the long ride to the midwest feedlots. They were unsuccessful. After examining their sales record, the salebarn people informed the couple that the pet would be at one of two locations. The couple rented a trailer and headed to the midwest. They eventually were successful in finding the pet in Nebraska. They cut a deal with the new owner and headed back to Middle TN with the lucky calf. You folks between TN and the Midwest be alert for trucks with a TN license plate towing an empty trailer; there's some real crazy people on the road.

Yeah sounds like the young couple are the crazy ones.
 
Doesn't sound crazy to me.

If they fell in love with this steer and he became a pet whom are you or anyone to judge. They clearly know the true reasoning behind cattle as they shipped the others without a problem , it was just this one steer that made it's way into their hearts.

I have heard crazier stories than that. I would rather someone have compassion than be callous and mean.. :)

I am sure most of you would think I was completely off my rocker when I shed tears as we loaded my cattle to head to the sale barn a while ago. ;-)
 
S&WSigma40VEShooter":3qnyhys9 said:
Cowdirt":3qnyhys9 said:
Recently my cousin with a serious illness (now deceased) and his wife sold their farm and cattle to a young couple from NJ. My cousin had a cattle manager who handled the cattle during his illness. Part of the agreement when the cattle changed hands was that the manager would continue to help the young couple for some time period until they learned a bit about cattle.
Well as you might expect, one of the couple was in to the petting thing. Came time to sell some of the calves and unbeknownst to the cattle manager, he loaded the pet with the other calves and headed to the salebarn, 60mi. away. That evening the pettor found that the petee had been sold. The couple headed to the salebarn hoping to get the pet back before it took the long ride to the midwest feedlots. They were unsuccessful. After examining their sales record, the salebarn people informed the couple that the pet would be at one of two locations. The couple rented a trailer and headed to the midwest. They eventually were successful in finding the pet in Nebraska. They cut a deal with the new owner and headed back to Middle TN with the lucky calf. You folks between TN and the Midwest be alert for trucks with a TN license plate towing an empty trailer; there's some real crazy people on the road.

Yeah sounds like the young couple are the crazy ones.

I was thinking the same thing.
 
...at the risk of sounding callous and mean..... at the end of the day, it's just a steer.


Mmmmm....... grilled steak anyone? ;-)
 
ToddFarmsInc":1hzvspjy said:
...at the risk of sounding callous and mean..... at the end of the day, it's just a steer.


Mmmmm....... grilled steak anyone? ;-)

Clearly it is not to this couple, that is the point . Also none of anyones business either.. ;-)
 
Well, I certainly would not have gone this route, but they did and I'm glad it worked out for them and their calf. He sure is one lucky calf. Great story by the way :heart:
 
ToddFarmsInc":3d5o3zy0 said:
...at the risk of sounding callous and mean..... at the end of the day, it's just a steer.


Mmmmm....... grilled steak anyone? ;-)


Exactly my point. I was not trying to be callous and mean but heck its just a steer.
 
So what happens next? The people find they can make pets out of every calf that is born.
I have watched many young kids in 4H get the reality check when their steers are sold for slaughter. Sounds like these people need to grow up. If they wanted pets they should have gone in the pet business.
Most of my cattle can be scratched in the pasture including calves. Makes for a more tender steaks.
 
novatech":3me8nte9 said:
So what happens next? The people find they can make pets out of every calf that is born.
I have watched many young kids in 4H get the reality check when their steers are sold for slaughter. Sounds like these people need to grow up. If they wanted pets they should have gone in the pet business.
Most of my cattle can be scratched in the pasture including calves. Makes for a more tender steaks.


AMEN.

Massage your animals, feed em beer, and corn, oh wait that is japan and that is wagyus.
 
Nova it was only the one steer, the rest they were fine with selling them .

Now Nova, you mean to tell me that if I came and visited you and walked through your herd you could not tell me the names of your gals and that you do not give their heads a scratch when you walk through and check them.. :lol: :p

Because I for one would never believe you, everyone has had some sort of favorite or "pet" in the herd and if you never had then you are either a liar or completely callous and perhaps working with live animals is not the field you should be in, the slaughter house may be more your speed. ;-)
 
I've had quite a few I could sell or put in the freezer without a second thought - even put one in the freezer earlier this month - but I do have one that's pretty close to a pet. She works to pay her way too, but I could see myself driving after her if she were accidently sold......

Think logically when necessary, but there's nothing wrong with being emotionally attached to a "pet" of some sort if you can afford it.
 
Pets are pets, no matter what the species. Who wouldn't go after their favorite horse if it accidentally got on a load headed to the sale barn? What is the difference? If that is their pet, shut up and stuff it. JMHO.
 
I can pet nearly everyone of my cows, I can even pet the freezer beef I sell, I pet em as they get off the trailer at the slaughter house and tell them job well done you made me some money. Then I collect their weights from the slaughter house, tell em how I want the carcass cut, and head on out without a second thought or second guess. I have favorite freezer beefs all the time and some will even fight the others for my attention to be first in line. Yet I still put em on the trailer and pet em at the slaughter house and tell em job well done and then my mouth waters as I think about them on my plate. Maybe I am callous maybe not but I feel no remorse about eating animals and never will.
 
S&WSigma40VEShooter":2kr5ywwd said:
I can pet nearly everyone of my cows, I can even pet the freezer beef I sell, I pet em as they get off the trailer at the slaughter house and tell them job well done you made me some money. Then I collect their weights from the slaughter house, tell em how I want the carcass cut, and head on out without a second thought or second guess. I have favorite freezer beefs all the time and some will even fight the others for my attention to be first in line. Yet I still put em on the trailer and pet em at the slaughter house and tell em job well done and then my mouth waters as I think about them on my plate. Maybe I am callous maybe not but I feel no remorse about eating animals and never will.

You ought to be a comedian. You could make good money at it.
 
redcowsrule33":33mjjoc9 said:
Pets are pets, no matter what the species. Who wouldn't go after their favorite horse if it accidentally got on a load headed to the sale barn? What is the difference? If that is their pet, shut up and stuff it. JMHO.

A horse is a little differnt than a cow. Cows are born to be killed, even dairy cows are tastey. Horses are born to die of natural causes. I would cross a state line maybe if my horse was transported out of state by a horse theif, but if I got a check for that same horse I wouldn't. Also if I knew that same horse was several states away, I really wouldn't spend the gas to go get it. For me, there are more horses out there. Heck transportation costs for getting that silly steer probably cost more than the animal was worth.

And, I guess that was my opinion. At the end of the day, it's just a pet.

I love my dogs, but I wouldn't travel across several states to go retreave one of them. I love my dogs to death, but if one get's cancer I won't be spending thousands on chemo for the dog, it's going to take a permanent nap!

Maybe it's just me, but growing up on a farm, I learned early in life that there's an end to every begining, and I don't get too broken up when an animal dies, or dissappears, even the pets.

P.S. I got a pet Heffer. She is an orphan, was a bottle calf, bucket calf, now just lives in the corral by the house. She will follow me around the barnyard if I let her out, and she's halter broke, and I would love to ship her off to become hamburger as soon as she get's big enough. Problem with her is.... she's got some wierd mutant backward genetic makeup that is keeping her small, she might be a dwarf. She lookes more like a pot bellie piggy than a cow right now. I might have to keep feeding her for a few years before I can taste her. :banana:
 
dun":1ucm78wl said:
The steer wasn;t named Norman by any chance was it?

I don't know what is name was before his trip to Nebraska but now it most certainly should be "Lucky".
 
Just when I get very concerned about the financial crisis, unemployment, the energy crisis, and the impending collapse of our country, I read this kind of story of people having the luxury of driving several states to get a steer.

Maybe things aren't so bad after all.
 
hillsdown":2f000dhh said:
Nova it was only the one steer, the rest they were fine with selling them .

Now Nova, you mean to tell me that if I came and visited you and walked through your herd you could not tell me the names of your gals and that you do not give their heads a scratch when you walk through and check them.. :lol: :p

Because I for one would never believe you, everyone has had some sort of favorite or "pet" in the herd and if you never had then you are either a liar or completely callous and perhaps working with live animals is not the field you should be in, the slaughter house may be more your speed. ;-)
Like others on here I was pretty much raised on the farm. I had a calf named Brownie that would come follow me around like a dog. Next I new dad had him on the table. Even as a small child I new the end result of all the animals on the farm. It was often my duty to put down the animals for butchering. While going to college I worked for a vet. One duty was to put down animals when necessary. Each and every time I got a knot in my stomach. Yes I have pets with names that will bow their head for a scratch. Just so you know I do not enjoy hauling them to the barn when the time comes, and still get a little knot in my stomach. Over the years there have been many and I am certain there will be many more. I will enjoy each and every one as a pet but also will face reality and haul them to the packer or barn with no regret, when the time comes. They are animals, I am a human. Animals exist to serve me, for pleasure, food, or both.
 

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