Plastic Bag Question

[plasticbagquestion]

Hey everyone!

I'm not a rancher, but I was hoping you folks could answer a question for me. I was reading some complaints by ranchers about how people leave plastic bags and other trash on their land, and then the cattle eat that trash and get sick or die.

My question is: Is this a big problem that you folks see in your own experience? If you had 1000 cows, how often would one die from something like this?

Thanks in advance, and please let me know if I should move this post elsewhere or if I'm breaking any rules and I'll fix it promptly

 

[mrj]

Some of us don't have much experience with bags due to location, but a state hiway does run through part of our ranch, so it isn't unknown for some trash to actually be dumped either along the right of way, or even by someone driving onto our land to do so. do s

We haven't had a cow swallow a bag, but it surely would cause problems. We have heard of cattle swallowing baling twine and having it obstruct digestion and even cause death of animals, which makes me suspect that due to bags being plastic similar to twine, there would be problems with them, too.

For me, the defiling the landscape is enough reason to do something about it. But what to do is the problem. So long as people won't pick up after themselves and the cost to do it for them is prohibitive, those living near population centers where problems with bags are evident, are stuck with it.

mrj

 

[PPRM]

Well said mrs. I'll add, for us, as caretakers, we have to deal with the animal itself. So, how many out of a thousand doesn't really matter when you are working with the one it does affect. Digestive system obstructions often manifest themselves slowly rather than a quick and clean kill. We give all of ourselves to the care of these animals and their daily needs. So, the toll of dealing with this goes well beyond the economic.