In the last issue of the Canadian Cattleman, this guy(D. Krinke,Mcbride B.C.), wrote a letter to the editor about not abusing your cows by being cheap with the feed and the straw; especially the straw!
And I have to agree with him. I personally use a lot of straw...I know some people think that is a luxury. I remember once some speaker at a seminar was telling us, cows can just bed down in the snow...I always wondered how he'd like to bed down in the snow when it was -40?
What this D. Krinke was basically saying was the bottom line isn't everything. I have always believed if you can't take care of them properly, then don't own them.
I remember when I was young, the Canadian Wheat Board were getting all of us rich by giving away our grain to the Russians, and the price of grain was really good. Cattle were in the tank, at the bottom of the cycle. Well being young I knew everything and I told my old Dad we should lose the cows and break up the hay and pasture and get rich growing grain. I never forgot his reply...."Those cows bought and paid for this place. They let me raise six kids. They've kept me for the last thirty years so I guess I can afford to keep them for a couple of years"!
So don't cheap out! Take care of them and they will take care of you!
And I have to agree with him. I personally use a lot of straw...I know some people think that is a luxury. I remember once some speaker at a seminar was telling us, cows can just bed down in the snow...I always wondered how he'd like to bed down in the snow when it was -40?
What this D. Krinke was basically saying was the bottom line isn't everything. I have always believed if you can't take care of them properly, then don't own them.
I remember when I was young, the Canadian Wheat Board were getting all of us rich by giving away our grain to the Russians, and the price of grain was really good. Cattle were in the tank, at the bottom of the cycle. Well being young I knew everything and I told my old Dad we should lose the cows and break up the hay and pasture and get rich growing grain. I never forgot his reply...."Those cows bought and paid for this place. They let me raise six kids. They've kept me for the last thirty years so I guess I can afford to keep them for a couple of years"!
So don't cheap out! Take care of them and they will take care of you!