My Whereabouts, Some Might Wonder, Some Might Not

@Cody Fousnaugh While rodeo and ranch events get little interest here, the real deal ranch life seems to appeal to even less. My post about staying up all night keeping an eye on a white-faced Angus cow Hereford bull cross at calving time died a quick virtual death. Perhaps I didn't explain or get graphic enough to arouse interest. I take full responsibility for my failures and oversights. Real ranch life isn't an award-winning topic on senior forums.

I know you all are dying, struggling to hang on to the edge of your recliners, to know why a white-faced Angus cow (an Angus bull Hereford cow cross) bred by a Hereford bull would present a problem. Wonder no longer. This mix had a high rate of calving difficulties due to the large size of the calf. Also, a breech presentation was all too common. The Angus bull (a smaller breed) and Hereford cow (larger breed) mix, didn't have this issue because of the size of the mama cow. It was a good mix because calves grew faster and could be sold at a higher weight than pure blood. The Hereford bull and Angus cow mix was unintentional and usually involved the bull breaking out of his pasture.

So young Faye is on call for the night watching small mama heifer from a mix known for birth issues. Young Faye is allowed limitless coffee on this occasion because her dozing off might lead to a substantial financial loss. Faye dons insulated overalls and a coat over her flannel loungewear. With a heavy home knit ski cap and mitts, she trudges out to the barn where young mama cow is penned. Faye fires up the wood heater mounted on a concrete slab. She readies a stack of old towels and fills the syringe with an antibiotic and thumps the air out of it. With one quick move, the needle penetrates the muscle and Faye pushes the plunger and the shot is administered.

Wiping her right hand and arm clear to and including the armpit with EveryClear alcohol, she regrets her careless armpit shave. While no one drank alcohol on her family ranch, this type of alcohol was preferred over rubbing alcohol as it didn't dry the skin and was more gentle on mama's cows' birth canal. Faye had helped with breech presentations before, but this was her first solo gig as her daddy had hurt his back earlier in the day moving 80 lb high-grade alfalfa hay bales into the "nursery" area.

So, young Faye that had turned 13 the previous fall, inserts her arm into young mama cow and apologizes for the discomfort she is causing, but assuring mama cow that it is for her own good. The front legs are found and calling on every bit of energy her scranny body can muster, she gets the calf turned around and pulls the front legs out a bit and then checking the calf's head position which is perfect, she pulls with all her might as she leans back. Lucky for young Faye the calf is smaller than expected and finally slides out. Faye gives mama cow her special salt treat to help with salt loss in birthing and Faye ponders that it might also help flavor the taste of afterbirth.

Both mama cow and Faye are exhausted. Faye leaves her messy overalls and lace-up hiking boots in plain sight in the mudroom so when her mama finds her fast asleep, she won't be woke and confronted with shirking her duties. Under a pile of her mama's handmade quilts, Faye dons her old magnetic headphones hooked to her old shortwave receiver with the BC band, and tunes in Denver rock and roll, and falls asleep.

 

OK, Faye, that was honestly interesting to me. I've never had much in the way of interaction with cows, outside of doing some milking a couple of times (and I turned out to be pretty good at it).

I was reading an account once of a young hand who was instructed to do just what you were describing and had his arm in there when a contraction hit. He described it as having his arm caught in a die press....LOL.

 

Faye, Chains or twine? Going OT here!

 

Faye, PRCA rodeo is a big thing here. That includes: the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, Greeley Stampede, State Fair Rodeo, Colorado Springs Rodeo, Estes Park Rodeo "Roof Top", Larimer County Fair Rodeo, Douglas County Fair Rodeo, Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo (right here where we live) and then, up to the Wyoming rodeos. One of the biggest up there is Cheyenne, that draws in massive crowds and lots and lots of money to the city. Pancake Breakfasts, parades and other very cool things, including the Indian Village where Indian dancing is done. A lot of the locals of Cheyenne, the ones that have nothing to do with the entire thing, don't like it due to traffic. However, they do love the money that it brings in.

 

Well, I'm back, well, sort of. I see I still have to defend my opinions on rodeo, but that's fine. LOL

 

No defending of your opinions of rodeo necessary, Cody. Just remember our opinions are based on our experiences and we can't change that. We could both go to the same rodeo and leave with a different opinion, but that isn't something that needs a defense. I know about Colorado as I was born there and grew up there for the most part on a mountain ranch. I graduated High School there, got married there, lost my only baby there, and became a widow there. I have been to the Greeley Stampede more than once back in the day. I still have a friend that participates in the rodeo and Indian exhibitions at Cheyenne Frontier Days every year.

@Cody Fousnaugh When I said that rodeo and ranch events get little interest here, I was referring to SOC, this forum, not my area. Ranch, farming, and rodeo are what keeps Oregon east of the Cascades alive. It is the lifeblood of every town. All the good tickets for rodeos here were sold out within hours of accepting reservations.

 

Faye, you do know how much rodeo and farming/ranching has changed since "your day". I know I sure have noticed! Rodeos are now playing classic rock music that some "Old-Timers" plainly don't like. But, doesn't bother us a bit. All farm equipment has now changed and there is even computer software for growing crops and raising livestock. Unbelievable, but very, very true.

The livestock auction we attend is all done on computers. At the auctioneers area as well as the office.

 

Yep, well aware of all that Cody. I live within 2 miles of three huge farm equipment places. Last 20 years I worked was delivering packages to farm equipment places, veterinarians, and to farms and ranches some very remote. Some of those places were multi-million dollar ranches. I was given an electronic key card for opening their gates. Once inside the pasture fences had cattle guards. The locked electronic main gate was to stop curious sightseers. One place was 10 miles from the main gate to the ranch houses, shops, and barns. I have seen places very few have seen. Until I got into the delivery business for a secure income and benefits, I had no idea these places existed. The computer control room for one of these ranches and cattle companies had 4 full-time employees that operated computers 40 hours a week. They had their own tractor and trailer rigs and auctions were for a trailer load and conducted all online. Yes, I am aware of all the changes and the reason many live cattle auctions have closed for good.

Gee, I am an old-timer and I love classic rock way more than country. Never cared for much country music, especially the modern stuff. I also don't like much of the modern "cowboy" poetry as it is written by the college-educated with advanced degrees. Great poetry, but not cowboy poetry in my opinion.

I just returned from our 120,000 square foot Ranch and Farm store where the lot was full of big diesel pickups, most dual cab with duals on the rear. Some were pulling trailers and some had ranch names on them. Inside I walked the entire length of the store as the sprinkler head I needed was at one end and the boots I wanted to try on at the other. Out of maybe 100 people, I saw no one wearing western boots or a hat. Most guys were wearing caps with implement logos or their ranch or farm name. Only two women were wearing caps A few guys were wearing lace-up work boots but the rest were wearing athletic shoes as were all the women including myself. It is a cold windy day so I got my walk-in walking around in the store looking for someone wearing western boots and a hat. Generally, there are always a few, especially on Sunday, but not today. Maybe it was the wind that made a cap a better choice. Ranch folks here tend to dress for the day's weather as they do most places I have been in the west. The view in this photo is only about two-thirds the length of this place.

 

Well. ....... as a near lifelong vegetarian/vegan, and an animal rights activist, I have to say, here, that I view rodeo as a detestable display of animal cruelty (save the "the animals are bred for this and enjoy it" nonsense). I see livestock sales as a disgusting act of "feeding the beast," both figuratively and literally

I'm entitled to my opinion, as everyone else is. I'm thankful I can express the same, here. That's it. I will NOT post replies to posts defending/extolling the joys of rodeo and livestock sales. Y'all have fun, in this thread!

 

@Trevalius Guyus

You have some background in Chicago, if I remember right? Do you recall the Stockyards? There was a world-famous restaurant around there; the air for half a mile around stank to high heaven : wondered how anyone could stomach eating there.

Have you any words to say regarding the folks who eat meat regularly, regarding the killing of the animals eaten? Last report I heard, in the U.S. nearly 1/2 MILLION beef cattle and several hundred-thousand hogs are butchered DAILY! The numbers astounded me.......

Frank

 

Please see the quotes about animal cruelty and vegetarianism from Einstein, Gandhi and Da Vinci.

 

Animal Activist have been trying to stop rodeo for years.

I remember, back in 2000, wife and I went to the San Juan Capistrano, California rodeo. I was still a member of PRCA then, but no longer roping. Had my window sticker and I.D.. Parking for contestants was full, so we had to park in public parking. Activists were blocking the entrance to the rodeo arena, so the a Deputy from the Orange County Sheriff escorted us in. The Activist had to let us in or be arrested.

The last time we were at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver (Jan 2020), Activists were outside the Coliseum carrying posters declaring rodeo as "cruelty to animals". Nobody, and I mean "nobody" paid attention to any of them. Those that didn't have a ticket to the performance, went up to the ticket booth and bought. We already had our tickets. The Coliseum was packed! This was before the Pandemic hit. Denver Police Dept. were close to the entrance to make sure no problems happened.
Before the rodeo, we walked thru the livestock barns and plenty of people looking at livestock and taking photos.

There is definitely a gap between rural America and suburban/big city America. There are those that want to go to grocery stores and buy their meat and definitely don't want to know how it got there. They don't want to know why branding is done or why Ear Tags are attached or to cattle or why rings are put into a hogs nose. Heck, I remember, back in my high school days, killing a chicken with a hatchet, plucking the feathers out and my step-mom cooking it. It was really weird looking seeing a chicken's head laying on the ground and the body running all over the place. Professional rodeo has been going on for decades and, while some of it doesn't come from ranching, some definitely does. A rancher just doesn't walk up to a calf, brand it and inoculate it. And, a "squeeze chute" isn't for branding or inoculating calves, it is for inoculating, or whatever, of full-size cattle.

There are those that don't like 4-H and/or FFA, saying, like in zoos, "it's disgusting seeing animals put on display." Well, when these young kids get a Blue Ribbon for 1st Place for showing their beef cattle, both them and their parents are truly very, very proud. Same goes for showing hogs, sheep, and chicken, ducks, rabbits in cages. I know I sure was proud to get a Blue Ribbon!

So, there you have it.

 

Actually for us, we'll take the smell of horses and cattle any day over the smell of hogs.

 

Stay on & Ride em Cowboy!!