You can't leave out our dog, Riggin. He's an Australian Shepherd and is the smartest dog I've ever had the privilege of owning. He's great with my 5 children and is protective of all his barn cats. When it comes to strangers, though, he's not a dog you want to mess with. If he doesn't know you, he won't let you out of your car or through our door. He's good like that.
Anyways, back to our farm. We recently bought a few egg laying chickens, which has been surprisingly fun! I have never been a lover of beaked animals so I wasn't thrilled with hubby and his idea of raising chickens. But they are generally low maintenance and we happened to get friendly chickens. I really enjoy having the convenience of the unending supply of eggs. We get about 7 eggs per day in the winter and 10 per day in the warmer months. Tractor Supply was selling chicks so hubby decided he wanted to try his hand at raising the chicks and used the excuse that the kids would learn responsibility. Needless to say, the kids did really good at taking care of them when the chicks were little but now the chicks are bigger (have their feathers now), the kids don't frequent the chicks anymore. Lesson learned.
Did you catch that word I used to describe our cattle? Rodeo? Yes, we have cattle that are bred to buck. They are their own "breed" now and have a separate registry. We have been raising these cattle for about 7 years now. My hubby is passionate about his cattle like I am about my horses. We own a retired PBR (Professional Bull Riders) bull, 590 Felix. He is our breeding bull right now and is a really cool looking bull.
Just to clear the air about the misconception on how rodeo bulls/cows are treated, we have never and will never mistreat our animals. The ability to buck is bred into them just like the ability to run is bred into a Thoroughbred. We don't abuse them to make them mean, it's their natural instinct to protect themselves. In fact, we probably take better care of our athletic bovines than the beef and dairy industry does of their cattle. We need our cattle in the best health possible so they will perform to the best of their ability. They get wormed and vaccinated on a regular schedule, as do the horses. If we notice one is being pushed off her feed, we separate her so she can get her fill. We love all of God's creatures and treat them all with love and respect. Oh, and we DO NOT tie up the bull's testicles to make them perform. It's simply a rope wrapped around their flank to annoy them...that's all. Most bulls will buck without that rope being there. If you have any questions regarding our cattle operation and the way they are treated please ask. We have nothing to hide and welcome visitors and their questions at any time.
Until next time!
Quote for the day:
"Happiness often sneaks through a door you didn't know you left open."
-John Barrymore
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