This morning we woke up to a mixture of rain, sleet, snow and a North wind that was blowing hard. In short it was a really nasty start to the day. As I waited for the sun to come up, I heard the sleet hitting the windows and really didn’t want to go outside. But any of us who have livestock know that is not an option. So at 6:45 a.m., I put my chore clothes on a headed out.
During my rounds I came across a calf that was born two days ago, laying all by herself with no mama in sight. The easy thing to do would have been to go on, but again we all know that is not what we do. So I went to the place where I had unrolled a bale to provide place that was warm and out of the wind for the cows and calves to ride out the storm. I found the wayward cow and started to drive her into the wind toward her calf.
As the sleet stung my face and the wind went right through my layers of clothing, a thought occurred to me. Where are all the “animal welfare advocates” of the HSUS, PETA and related groups. My guess is they were at home, probably asleep and not giving animals a second thought.
Before we start calling certain individuals (Carrie Underwood for one) advocates for animals and their welfare, they should have to prove themselves like the hard working men and women who spend their lives attending to the health and well-being of the animals on our farms and ranches. It is easy to talk a big game in the climate controlled comfort of an office or a meeting room, but entirely something different to spend a morning like this proving it.
That is why we as producers need to open our farms and ranches to the public. That is also why those who don’t live on a farm or ranch need to go visit one.