Rolling Acres - This and That

[Baymule]

Been out working this morning, knee feels a lot better. We unloaded 40 bales of hay out of the trailer. It was baled too green, moldy, nasty stuff. We busted bales open, took sections and made a series of baffles on a down hill slope to check erosion. Then we stacked the rest up against the fence. They left wet spots on the trailer floor. Had to get them out of there. DH is taking a shower, I have more to so outside before I quit, but taking a break.

 

[RollingAcres]

All,

I haven't mentioned this here yet. We are going to send our cows(or at least 1 for now, then the other later) to the butcher soon. Our initial plan was to raise them for beef, then we decided that we want to breed them. But when DH got hurt and had surgery last year, we didn't get around to breeding them. Financially we've been behind, so adding a calf to our herd just isn't financially sound at this time. We have thought hard on this and we have finally decided that we are going to send the older one(she's around 3 years old) to the butcher first. The younger one will follow soon after. We already found 2 people to split it with us.

I recently learned from @farmerjan 's post at @Mike CHS 's journal about the BSE rules. Since we have decided to send the older cow to the butcher, reading about that post made me think about my cow's age and we'd have to let the butcher know how old she is.

Today DH told me that the butcher had given him "the date", which will be this Saturday. Then DH asked me if I'm ok with it. I don't know what got into me at that moment when I read his text. I felt like it finally "hit" me that my cow is going to the butcher and I started crying. Is it normal to feel sad when sending the animals that you raised to the butcher?

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @RollingAcres,

I have never owned farm animals so I can't speak from experience. The others on this forum will have to weigh in. But I can easily see how you could be sad at losing an animal that you helped raise.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Mike CHS]

It always bothers me a bit but I'm way more hands-on than a lot of the more seasoned producers. If a lot of sheep growers would see how I treat my rams they would be shaking their heads telling me how dangerous it is. I have a ram now that the previous owners didn't trust at all as they had never laid a hand on him outside a head gate. This boy has been here less than 6 months and he is a carbon copy of Ringo that @Baymule now has. All it took was one punch on his nose the first time he crowded me and he hasn't done it since. So yes, I get attached to all of my critters but the bottom line is I'm proud of the way they were grown out and they were happy and well treated till their last day.

 

[Bruce]

It was baled too green, moldy, nasty stuff.

Nothing to like about that

Is it normal to feel sad when sending the animals that you raised to the butcher?

I do not know from personal experience but my guess is YES! At least when you have only a few and therefore have a somewhat personal relationship with them. Even when they were obtained specifically for the purpose of raising them for food, it must be hard not to get at least a bit attached. That is why if I were to raise meat chickens, I'd make sure they were all the same breed so they wouldn't be easy to tell one from the other. With my layers I WANT them to look different so I can tell them apart.

 

[farmerjan]

Yes, it is perfectly normal to feel a little bit (or ALOT) of sadness when something goes to butcher. If you didn't care for it, and care about it, then that would be different. I have had many animals done over the years and I still have to give myself a stern talking to on occasion when some of them go. I have also sent a cull cow to the market, that I KNOW HAS TO GO, with my son or someone else because they meant alot to me, and I just did not want to see them get off the trailer at the stockyard.
The butcher will be able to look at their mouth and tell that she is older, but best if you tell them. And it has to do with the calcification of the spine too I think. This also gives you a chance to think of the different cuts. Personally, I always get NY Strip and filet rather than T bones so the only big difference for me is the backbone. I like it because it is meaty, and is great to do like you would BBQ ribs..... or makes a great "soup bone". There are other "soup bones" so you will not be deprived.
I don't blame you for making this decision at this point. I had a 4 yr old 1/2 guernsey/ 1/2 jersey heifer butchered because I could not get her bred. She was a little older than I liked and some of the meat was a little tough. Not shoe leather.... but not quite as good as the ones I do @ 27 months. And because I had had such hopes for her as a nurse cow, it was tough.
Oh, also, I looked it up and it is 30 months. still won't help your older animal, but if you have a definite birthdate on the younger one, then get it done before 30 months and you can get the backbone if you want it. You will have to sign something saying it's birthdate or something. Some places are difficult to deal with, some pretty easy. Be honest, it is for your protection. You are not losing that much and only have to change the type of steaks.

'll be tough, but you can eat the meat knowing that they had a good life and you know what went into the meat.

 

[Baymule]

I sent my last ram to slaughter and I raised him. I knew that he was only going to be around for 1, maybe 2 breedings because I was waiting on Ringo, but he was a good boy, calm and good natured. I put him up for sale, got no interest, so to slaughter he went. I eased him off the trailer, calling him Baby and talking to him. I felt bad. His name was Speckles.

Yes, it is perfectly normal to feel sad when the animal that you raised, fed, watered and cared for, goes to slaughter. You are in good company here.

 

[RollingAcres]

Thank you all! It helps reading and knowing what/how others feel.

When we were little, we had raised some chickens and had butchered them for food as well. I was ok back then, I know my brother refused to eat the chickens.

I talked to my DS about sending the cows to the butcher. He said he is alright with it. He then said that he would like to see how butchering is done. Not sure if that's even possible - to watch process at the butcher.

 

[RollingAcres]

but if you have a definite birthdate on the younger one, then get it done before 30 months and you can get the backbone if you want it.

Unfortunately we don't have a definite birthdate for the younger one. When we got her, we were told she was about 2mo old. Based on that she should be around 27mo old now but not 100% certain. It's good to know and we learned from our first experience. Next time we'll know to send them to the butcher younger if we want t-bones or the backbones. I don't normally buy t-bones from the store so we'll be ok not getting t-bones cut from the older cow this time.
Oh what about getting some bones for my dog, other bones are fine but not the backbones right?

You are in good company here

 

[AmberLops]

Ribs, knuckles femur and hooves are all good