ANIMALS HAVE FEELINGS!

Cattle resting in their winter pasture.

           

            I have heard the comment that “animals are people too.” In my mind that is ridiculous. But I will admit that animals do have feelings and personalities just as humans do.  As we have an opportunity to watch and work with animals every day, we see those things.

            The calves run and jump and play. If they could smile and laugh you know they would when they are doing this. They seem to be playing a game of tag as they run around each other and then race off to the end of the pasture. It's like watching kids out on the school playground.

            A cow that has just lost her calf, though she doesn’t have tears running down her face, will moo in a mournful way. She will stand around the area where the dead calf was last alive; she will sniff the ground around it; she will lay down there, and she will mourn in her bovine way.

            A group of older calves will walk the fence looking for a way to get out. They remind me of teenagers trying to break out of the binding rules and regulations of life. And when a hole or a break in the fence is found, they will all go through. But, unless they are weaned, when mama calls they will run back to her.

            Most cows will become very protective of their new calf as soon as it is born. Some, especially first time mothers, have to be taught to take care of their calves. Maternal love and nurturing does not come natural to every animal nor does it to every human mother. But with care and patience, it can be taught.

            My dad raised sheep and I remember him skinning a dead lamb, putting that hide over an orphan or “bum” lamb that he wanted the distraught mother to adopt. When she smelled the skin of her own baby, she would be more willing to accept the new one.

            Dogs learn to understand what their owner wants them to do, and they develop the ability to communicate with them. Our dog, Spotty, almost seems to talk to us. This time of the year Boyd doesn’t spend the day in the field like he does when he can busy farming. If Spotty thinks it’s time for Boyd to go out, she will start whining as if to say, “Come on, we need to check the cows.” Then when he does go out, she gets in his way of putting his coveralls and boots on because she is so anxious to go out with him. If I have been gone in the car and she has been outside quite a while in the cold, she will meet the car and start whining as soon as I open the door. If I tell her she has to stay outside, she quits the whining and slinks off to pout. If I tell her to be patient and I’ll let her in, she sticks close to me and beats me in the door as soon as I open it.

            Boyd often will refer to the cows according to their personality: that’s the one you have to watch as she will be looking for a way through the fence; there’s one that doesn’t like anyone near her and her baby so you can’t  get an ear tag in the new born very easily; that one has always been a good mother; don’t turn your back on that one or she may plow you down, (she will be sold as soon as possible); there’s the one that likes you to scratch her head. He keeps good records of all of the cows and calves and if he has a question about any of them, he can check his notes in his records.

Being taught by his dad, Boyd has shown his sons how to be gentle and patient in working with cows. Not long ago we loaded some cows to ship and the driver said he had never had such an easy job of loading a herd of cows. I attribute that to the way they are treated here in the corrals and pastures. Yes, there are times they need to be prodded and sometimes smacked on the rear end, but usually patience will get things done faster than force.

            It’s recognizing the human traits in these animals and working with them that make life on the ranch interesting and worthwhile, but those traits don’t make them “people.”

IT TAKES A FARM

         

Grandkids at ranch, learning to rope.

          We’ve all heard the statement “it takes a village to raise a child”. I once attended a meeting where a young man received an award. The person presenting the award asked all those related to the young man to stand and remain standing. Then he asked anyone that had been a teacher in any form for this young man to stand and remain standing. Last he asked everyone who knew the young man to stand. The entire audience had stood by that time. The speaker then pointed out that we all have an influence, whether good or bad, on those around us. I think of  life on the farm/ranch and how it affects children raised there is similar to this. For example:

• ·         The farm/ranch offers the opportunity to learn about life from conception to birth to death. Animals become such a part of the life on the farm, that we don’t often see the lessons they teach us. The motherly instincts kick in at the birth of her newborn. She becomes protective if anything comes within range of her baby that might harm it. She gently nudges it to eat and to go out on its own with the other newborns. She is forever watching and listening. If her baby is sick or dies, she mourns – loud. As her baby gets older, she encourages its independence. Still being protective and watching, she lets it wander further away from her, finding its way in life.
• ·         Owners and their children become attached to their animals. We learn on the farm that animals are animals. Whether it is a horse, a dog, a calf, a cat, a bird, a turtle, or any other animal, they must be taken care of. They are to be fed and watered and medicated and loved. And they die whether from an accident, a disease or old age. That teaches a child about responsibility and about death. On the farm/ranch we learn that sickness and death is unavoidable. We learn that there are joys and sadness, and, so we learn to deal with it.
• ·         The seasons of the year become our friends as we learn from them. Right now, winter, when it is cold and snow covers the ground, we learn the importance of the ground resting and replenishing its water supply. We learn the importance of patience and rest for our own bodies to replenish its strength for when the days are longer and the work harder.
• ·         Spring brings the promise of new life not only for animals but within the soil. It is the time for preparing the soil and sowing the seeds. It’s the time for mending fences in preparation for moving cattle. We realize that mending fences is also important in our association with others
• ·         Summers are busy with irrigating, weeding, mowing lawns, and working to make things beautiful and create a crop. We learn hard work, getting up early in the morning and working until late at night, setting priorities over activities away from the farm versus responsibilities on the farm.
• ·         Fall brings harvest and the results of the spring and summer work. Sometimes it is a disaster because of weather or disease, other times it is like hitting the jackpot with beautiful crops, cows and calves that have had enough to eat and drink and thus look good. It is a time for being thankful for blessings, for storing food for animals and humans. For taking stock and looking forward to another year.

Yes, the farm/ranch life is about setting goals and working toward fulfilling them. It’s about budgeting, or at least knowing what money you have to work with to pay bills and wages to workers. It’s about using time wisely knowing there is only so much time to get the spring crop in, only so much time to harvest, only so much time in a day. It’s about treating animals kindly, watching for problems before they become too big to handle. It’s about helping neighbors when they need help and accepting help from neighbors when necessary. It’s about watching the sun rise and appreciating the beauty of it. It’s about watching the sunset and, though worn out from physical labor, appreciating that beauty. It’s about treating everyone as you want to be treated.

These are just some of the things the farm/ranch can teach a child. These things can be learned away from the farm, but it seems to come more natural on the farm. At least they did for this farm girl.