rockridgecattle
Well-known member
I read a few posts tonight and now I am having a soap box moment.
So rather than get all flustered and write something that did not make sense, I took a shower to warm up cause it's cold outside and I got real wet and frozen. In the shower, I tried to work out what I wanted to say. It came out so eloquent. Now, I can not remember how I worded it. So I will try not to offend anyone or make what I have to say clear as mud.
As a cattle farmer or rancher we have some responsibilities to bear, such as feeding, mineral supplement and animal husbandry. One of the other responsibilities is doing things we do not like to do. For example, getting a calf to suck, assisting in problem birthing, treating foot rot, pneumonia, and anything else that comes up.
Along with this responsibility comes the need to have safe facilities to do these things. We need to keep in mind the safety for the animals, but most importantly safety for us the owners of these beasts. The facilities do not need to be expensive, or elaborate. But they need to keep us safe so we can do our job. 1000# to 2000# animal can cause a lot of damage if not restrained properly.
Here is yet another bee keeping analogy. We know a commercial beekeeper who is also a honey broker. He defines hobby and commercial beeks this way. Not by the number of hives, but by how they work with their bees.
A hobbyist will only work with their bees in the sunshine. It will not matter if there is a time crunch or not, they will only work with the sun shining.
A commercial keeper will work sun or cloud. If the timing is crucial, and it is cloudy, the job will get done.
Maybe the same can be applied to hobbyist and cattle ranchers. It's not numbers that define what we are but how we handle our cattle and keep ourselves safe.
A cattle rancher/farmer could be defined as one who is prepared for most eventualities. They have some sort of facilities to work with animals when the need arises, doing what it takes to keep the animals healthy. Note that I did not say expensive or elaborate, just something to keep us safe and get the job done
A hobbyist is a farmer who figures everything will be a bed of roses. No trouble will occur and all we need to do is feed them, they will give us a calf and all will be well.
If we are unwilling to do what needs to be done because we do not have the facilities to restrain a dangerous animal, maybe we need to look at goats.
And so ends the soap box moment!
RR
So rather than get all flustered and write something that did not make sense, I took a shower to warm up cause it's cold outside and I got real wet and frozen. In the shower, I tried to work out what I wanted to say. It came out so eloquent. Now, I can not remember how I worded it. So I will try not to offend anyone or make what I have to say clear as mud.
As a cattle farmer or rancher we have some responsibilities to bear, such as feeding, mineral supplement and animal husbandry. One of the other responsibilities is doing things we do not like to do. For example, getting a calf to suck, assisting in problem birthing, treating foot rot, pneumonia, and anything else that comes up.
Along with this responsibility comes the need to have safe facilities to do these things. We need to keep in mind the safety for the animals, but most importantly safety for us the owners of these beasts. The facilities do not need to be expensive, or elaborate. But they need to keep us safe so we can do our job. 1000# to 2000# animal can cause a lot of damage if not restrained properly.
Here is yet another bee keeping analogy. We know a commercial beekeeper who is also a honey broker. He defines hobby and commercial beeks this way. Not by the number of hives, but by how they work with their bees.
A hobbyist will only work with their bees in the sunshine. It will not matter if there is a time crunch or not, they will only work with the sun shining.
A commercial keeper will work sun or cloud. If the timing is crucial, and it is cloudy, the job will get done.
Maybe the same can be applied to hobbyist and cattle ranchers. It's not numbers that define what we are but how we handle our cattle and keep ourselves safe.
A cattle rancher/farmer could be defined as one who is prepared for most eventualities. They have some sort of facilities to work with animals when the need arises, doing what it takes to keep the animals healthy. Note that I did not say expensive or elaborate, just something to keep us safe and get the job done
A hobbyist is a farmer who figures everything will be a bed of roses. No trouble will occur and all we need to do is feed them, they will give us a calf and all will be well.
If we are unwilling to do what needs to be done because we do not have the facilities to restrain a dangerous animal, maybe we need to look at goats.
And so ends the soap box moment!
RR
