The Last Show for a Steer

[Ol' 243]

We don't show cattle. Our kids enjoy cattle and absolute understand why we raise them. And they've not had this sort of crushing experience ...

At our place, our kids will ask, "Are we eating Blackberry tonight? I hope so because Blackberry is AWESOME!"

My youngest, when he was four, was watching a couple of steers graze with me. He asks me, "Dad, she are we gonna eat Rusty?"

I respond, "I don't know buddy? Why?"

"Because he looks TASTY!"

...no need to show cattle to learn what it's all about.

I could not eat one of my own.

What a puss :lol:

 

[slick4591]

We've had a lot of families trade animals so they could eat them.

 

[greybeard]

We don't show cattle. Our kids enjoy cattle and absolute understand why we raise them. And they've not had this sort of crushing experience ...

At our place, our kids will ask, "Are we eating Blackberry tonight? I hope so because Blackberry is AWESOME!"

My youngest, when he was four, was watching a couple of steers graze with me. He asks me, "Dad, she are we gonna eat Rusty?"

I respond, "I don't know buddy? Why?"

"Because he looks TASTY!"

...no need to show cattle to learn what it's all about.

I am amazed they handle it that well. I have what must be a different experience with my cattle. I could not eat one of my own. I am also particular about who I sell them to. I will not sell heifers to my next door neighbor and he has asked to buy. I don't want to look across the fence at a heifer I raised, took care of, played with and see her not treated as well as I prefer.

The first animal I ever raised by myself was a hog. Got it as a piglet when I was in my early teens. Took good care of it, even built it a brick slab so it could eat from it's trough without standing in the mud. Couldn't wait for the day it went to the processor. I wanted that sausage!! I wanted to butcher the first calf I raised too, but it was a heifer and Dad insisted we put her in with the rest to be bred.

 

[mncowboy]

It sucks for them at the time, it's good for em in the grand scheme of things.

I agree 100%, sucks to see it. But I agree 100%.

 

[Bright Raven]

I went through it. Both of my kids have gone through it. But they now realize when we raise a market animal, it's end purpose is for the freezer. Food. That is why we do what we do. It is a part of growing up on a farm.
The nice thing about the heifers? They get to move forward and either stay in the herd or sold for someone else to use as a cow. So the kids get attached to the females, but not the males.
Growing up, my dad lessened the blow by calling our steers names like TJ (tender and juicy), or we had a Peanut (he was a char cross) and dad would walk by his pen, take a deep breath, and say "Mmmmm, smells like chunky PEANUT butter!"

Kris,
When I bought Margo from you. I had a contract hauler out of Tennessee transport her. I met him at Mayslick to pick up Margo. The driver said the little girl lead Margo on the trailer crying, then stood there crying with her arms around the heifer. He swore Margo was crying too.

Margo is unusual. I have 25 head on the farm right now and everyone is a pet but Margo is more than a pet. She wants human contact. She is like a dog!

 

[WalnutCrest]

We don't show cattle. Our kids enjoy cattle and absolute understand why we raise them. And they've not had this sort of crushing experience ...

At our place, our kids will ask, "Are we eating Blackberry tonight? I hope so because Blackberry is AWESOME!"

My youngest, when he was four, was watching a couple of steers graze with me. He asks me, "Dad, she are we gonna eat Rusty?"

I respond, "I don't know buddy? Why?"

"Because he looks TASTY!"

...no need to show cattle to learn what it's all about.

Follow-up...

Tonight at dinner was the following exchange with this son, now 8yrs old ... totally unprompted.

"Dad, I want another cow like Rusty."

"Buddy...Rusty was a steer."

"Oh yeah. I want a steer like Rusty."

"Why's that? What would you do with him?"

"Eat him."

 

[Bright Raven]

We don't show cattle. Our kids enjoy cattle and absolute understand why we raise them. And they've not had this sort of crushing experience ...

At our place, our kids will ask, "Are we eating Blackberry tonight? I hope so because Blackberry is AWESOME!"

My youngest, when he was four, was watching a couple of steers graze with me. He asks me, "Dad, she are we gonna eat Rusty?"

I respond, "I don't know buddy? Why?"

"Because he looks TASTY!"

...no need to show cattle to learn what it's all about.

Follow-up...

Tonight at dinner was the following exchange with this son, now 8yrs old ... totally unprompted.

"Dad, I want another cow like Rusty."

"Buddy...Rusty was a steer."

"Oh yeah. I want a steer like Rusty."

"Why's that? What would you do with him?"

"Eat him."

That boy is a meat eater! How is his singing going?

 

[WalnutCrest]

... different son.