Would This Happen To A Rancher?

[Cody-n-Nancy]

Wife and I watched a documentary on PBS called The Last Pig. It showed the daily operation/duties of a pig/hog farmer, including taking pigs to market/slaughterhouse. He was raising some very nice looking pigs, but became overly compassionate towards his pigs and decided to get rid of all he had.

My wife really enjoyed seeing this documentary, since she knows that my high school years were living on a small pig farm in northeastern Indiana. Seeing the slaughtered/cleaned pig meat hanging from hooks at the slaughterhouse, didn't bother her at all. She knew that our pigs were raised for money and meat for our freezer. When I seen the meat hanging from hooks, all I could think of was...........delicious baby back ribs, pork shoulder steak, pork chops, pork roast and so on.

Now, what I'm wondering, has there ever been a documentary made of a cattle rancher who decided to give up his cattle and/or ranch due to his increasing compassionate feelings for his cattle?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I think I have heard of someone but don't remember the details.

 

[leanin' H]

All ranchers have compassion for their animals. But it's also our livelihood. Our calves provide healthy, delicious protein to people all over the world. I also have compassion towards hungry folks who rely on my beef for feeding their family.

 

[Leilani]

Yeah me and my dad love the animals on our ranch and before they are sent to slaughter we thank them for what they are doing for us especially the cows that are old we send to slaughter we thank them for the most part becuase they have served their time with us and have fed us for a long time our goats get kisses before we drop them off to the sale barn the sheep do as well. here's a couple of our home bred show wethers who got sent off with our buck kids we didn't need anymore (excuse our goat barn btw that is where we keep the show animals and the animals overall they a
Were mostly outside during that photo so it was pretty clear in there the two wethers were in our slaughter pen/sale barn pen for the animals who are getting put in sale barn or going to slaughter.

 

[DosArroyos]

It is always a sad day when I take an old cow or one that is injured to the packer.Sometimes it bothers me for a few days.

 

[Cody-n-Nancy]

I remember, after working as a Show Ring Stewart at a large County Fair, hearing about young 4-H and FFA members getting upset over their prized livestock going to auction. Then, the parents have a talk with them and calm them down. Some livestock are raised as pets and some definitely aren't.

 

[Faster horses]

When a good ole Hereford cow (wow, that was a long time ago!!) that was one of my favorites......we called her 'old ugly' came up open one fall, I went to the house and cried.
Old cowboy told me once, "don't love something that can't love you back."

 

[Leilani]

When a good ole Hereford cow (wow, that was a long time ago!!) that was one of my favorites......we called her 'old ugly' came up open one fall, I went to the house and cried.
Old cowboy told me once, "don't love something that can't love you back."

I get people think that cattle don't love people back but all animals have feelings for the people who love em not disagreeing with him but cows will love you if you take care of them people don't give em the credit they deserve they serve us people a perpose to feed us

 

[Evans]

Dont fall in love with a cow.
Not trying to sound hateful or anything. Same with horses, cats,dogs etc.
Cows are on earth for food. Horses to work cattle and cats to eat mice.

 

[Faster horses]

Dont fall in love with a cow.
Not trying to sound hateful or anything. Same with horses, cats,dogs etc.
Cows are on earth for food. Horses to work cattle and cats to eat mice.

Horses can be a partner or a slave. It's up to you.

 

[Leilani]

Horses can be a partner or a slave. It's up to you.

I consider our horses as partners but they still work the cattle with us also

 

[leanin' H]

Headed to the sale barn tomorrow with 5 cull ewes and a gilt that wouldn't ever catch when we bred her. Also an old boar pig it's time he goes as well. The kids have a bunch of time and energy invested in the ewes and the hogs. Isn't going to be easy, but they know it's necessary in order to keep things in motion with the sheep herd and pig project. It's about 130 miles one way to the sale. I'll try and take a few pics along the way.

 

[Evans]

Horses can be a partner or a slave. It's up to you.

Agree,but they all die eventually. The better they are or the more I love them the more apt they are to get something wrong with them. It feels like thats how it works with everything.
But they are what they are. You can't think of them as pets.
I dont know how to put this in words but I will try. I really like animals and horses are #1 with me but everything dies. Animals are individuals. Some I like more than others but they all die or have to be put down or there is just no limits to what can go wrong but everything eventually dies one way or another.
Honestly I feel if I love something that I'm just jinxing it.

 

[Faster horses]

I consider our horses as partners but they still work the cattle with us also

Same with us. We used them, didn't abuse them. That's the makings of a good partnership.

 

[Faster horses]

Agree,but they all die eventually. The better they are or the more I love them the more apt they are to get something wrong with them. It feels like thats how it works with everything.
But they are what they are. You can't think of them as pets.
I dont know how to put this in words but I will try. I really like animals and horses are #1 with me but everything dies. Animals are individuals. Some I like more than others but they all die or have to be put down or there is just no limits to what can go wrong but everything eventually dies one way or another.
Honestly I feel if I love something that I'm just jinxing it.

I'm sorry. That has to be a terrible feeling for you. If you love something and lose it, you have to have the thought that it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. So many times things we lose or the loss of dear friends, our life was better with them in it. Death/dying/loss is part of living.
Right now our old cat is 18 1/2 years old. When he dies, we will be very sad, but it was worth it to have him all this time. I am not into seeing how long an animal can live; when the quality of life isn't 'quality' we will decide what to do at that point. I don't want anything, animal or human to suffer, but sadly, suffering happens. There is a lesson in it, I think. Up to us to know what it is.
As for thinking of horses as 'pets', we have used horses for years to work cattle, rope on, etc., we didn't think of them as pets, but the good ones, most certainly as friends and partners. What a feeling to ride a horse that knows what you want and will do all he can to help. That's a partnership, a feeling you can't get from a piece of machinery. We are blessed to have experienced it many times so we do our best to take care of them. At one point the end will come for them so we can rest assured they have had a good life with us. And we welcome the good memories.