Every day thousands of airplanes take off and land safely, but the only plane that makes the news is the one plane that doesn’t land safely. The same is true in agriculture. Thousands of farmers & ranchers care for livestock the correct way on a daily basis but they never make the news. This week yet another abuse video hit the news with grueling scenes of abuse. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the people responsible for such abuse should be punished and held accountable for their actions. There are no excuses for abusing livestock.
Two weeks ago, a farmer in our county was doing a well cattle check with his veterinarian on his farm. While the veterinarian was examining a bull, the bull chose to charge the farmer. The bull got the farmer down and mauled him repeatedly. The veterinarian tried hard to get the bull’s attention so he would stop attacking the farmer but failed. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the bull left the farmer alone. This farmer was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital where he was in intensive care for over a week. This week he was flown to yet another hospital to undergo a series of operations. He suffered crushed bones in his face, jaw, and chest, collapsed lungs and a bruised aorta of the heart to name just a few of his injuries. To my knowledge, this farmer is still in the hospital and isn’t out of the woods yet.
This is one of the many hazards of working with livestock. Livestock can be unpredictable, and no matter how long you have cared for them, you can’t always predict their movements or behavior. As farmers and ranchers, we care deeply about our livestock and we are willing to risk our own health to protect the well-being of our livestock. That is exactly what this farmer was doing on May 12th when his bull attacked him. He was making sure the bull was healthy and receiving the best care possible. In the process of caring for the bull, he was injured badly.
Did this story make the nightly news or appear across the internet? The answer is no. This is not an uncommon story though; there are thousands of stories like this where farmers are injured while trying to protect their animals. It’s a risk we are willing to take to ensure our livestock are well cared for on a daily basis. These are the stories that need to be on the news. Stories showing the care that farmers and ranchers give their livestock daily to produce a safe food supply for their families, and yours.
The next time you see an abuse video, it’s ok to be upset and angry at the individuals abusing the livestock. Remember though, that is not how farmers and ranchers care for their livestock on a daily basis. Remember the story of the farmer in my county who is fighting for his life as a result of protecting his animal’s health. This is how 99% of farmers and ranchers care for their livestock.