Kids and cattle aren’t that different…

Although kids and cattle are 2 different species, they’re not much different. This sounds crazy but I’ll explain. Both of them need cared for much the same way. In confinement, both need fed and watered. They both have different personalities that require different attention. Babies in diapers need their diapers changed, cattle manure needs hauled out of pens and pastures dragged.

Growing up we farmed but did not live on the farm. My dad was an over the road trucker and mom did not want to raise all of us kids so far from school/town. Hence the reason we only row cropped and didn’t have any livestock. I would’ve given my left arm to have cattle growing up. However, my parents were fully aware of the needs kids and cattle required.

Now that I have my own family and cattle I am now aware of the similarities. As I write this, my oldest boy is almost 6. I just assumed that since he has grown up with cows he would have the same passion for cattle that I’ve always had. I was wrong. Don’t get me wrong, he almost exclusively plays cows and semi trucks in the house. Unfortunately, this does not exactly translate into him wanting to do much actual farm stuff.

Luckily the older he gets, the more he is realizing how the needs of the cattle aren’t much different than those of his 5 month old baby brother. Now that the weather has been warming up, (he’s a fair-weather farmer) Jayce wants to go check cows or feed or put out hay or collect eggs as soon as he gets off the bus. He is beginning to realize that in the winter the cattle need feed and lots of the hay that I spent so much time in the field baling. The cows bawl at us just like his baby brother bawls when he’s hungry.

Yesterday Jayce was home from school and after a couple hours in the leather shop he asked if we could go outside and work. Not play!!! With that, I promptly took him outside to unload the trailer load of hay parked in the driveway. To my surprise, he was a HUGE help. Who knew a 5 year old would be able to spot me backing the gooseneck trailer in the barn? I showed him where to stand and what to watch for and he did a bang up job!

Once we were all set up, he never hesitated to jump in the trailer and do his best to get bales down to me. He used any means necessary to move bales that weigh as much as he does. I couldn’t be more proud as he never once complained or tried to quit me.

Once the hay was unloaded, Jayce suggested we go ahead and feed. He mainly wanted to learn how to use a pocket knife to cut hay strings. Also to do his favorite, drive the Yamaha Viking. I didn’t once object and away we went loading the Viking. Now he just learned more valuable lessons. Keeping roughage out for the cattle and how to be very careful using a pocket knife.

I know I get frustrated and angry with the boys when they’re all loud and rambunctious in the house. However, if I just step back a minute I can see that they are getting to grow up living the best life. They have tons of room to run and play and get muddy. Very muddy. They get to go to bull ridings with me and see and do things most folks never get to see or do. Shoot, Jayce got to enter his first mutton bustin’ at 3 years old.

The kids and calves aren’t much different. We stress and worry for months before they’re both born. We go to the best hospitals we can and spare no expense making sure our babies are healthy. On the same note, we’re up checking cows all day and night making sure that all the calves make a grand, perfect entrance into this world.

After both species are born and doing well it couldn’t be more fun to watch both grow and change and develop their own personalities. Only farm kids get to watch animals be born literally right in front of them! Being a “tiny rancher” and only having a few cows, we are able to witness the birth of our calves. The cows are quiet enough to allow us to do whatever we need to do also.

Adversely, having the boys outside to feed and whatever else needs done, keeps the cattle quiet. The cows are so used to my boys being out there helping and it almost seems like the cows realize they’re just kids. Especially our bottle-calf bull. I always keep a very close eye but, that bull will come from wherever he is to let kids give him a good scratching. Maybe I’ll have to write a whole post about “Herbie The Hereford.”

So from learning to drive the Viking, to proper use of a pocket knife and a ton of cow talk, my boys are getting quite an education every day. At 5 years old I can entrust Jayce to drive the Viking most places. He can use walkie-talkies to watch over his brothers and let me know when I need to come in and takeover parenting duties. He has seen calves born just steps away from him and also helped haul cattle to the butcher shop. This life has given him a firm grasp on why we take such good care of our livestock. We treat them well so they can feed us well. Until next time, remember to shop SK Leather and eat beef.