November 25, 2001

Are They Just Backwards?

I am very interested in large animal veterinary medicine. I studied the bovine and equine species extensively in veterinary school. I have also observed these two species during my years of practice. Both are rather predictable and do not differ very much even with large changes in environment.

I am asking you the readers for some help and hope you can respond with e-mails (idleacres@cmgate.com) in helping me to understand the owners of these animals.

I was visiting with a retired veterinarian recently and we were comparing the owners of these two species. We both agreed on most points of our discussion.

The first was that the horse owner, many times, was very intelligent and very successful in their chosen vocation. Many had more than adequate resources to buy or build what ever they desired. The horse is not seen any more as an intrigal part of their economic livelihood.

The cattle owner on the other hand, many times, did not have more than a high school education if that. There are some with college degrees but we felt they were not the norm. The cattle owner lives in the rural economy which is struggling in the last few years. Cattle are still produced in most cases as an enterprise that is the main stay of their owners economic survival.

My grandfather, Gustav, died in 1918 from the flu. They tell me that he was a good livestock person. He ran the local stockyards as well as running the family farm he got from his father, Swan. They farmed with horses in his time. He cleaned the horse stalls with a fork and wheeled the waste out with a wheel barrow. He would feed the horses with a bucket, both feed and water. He relied on his good friend and neighbor Frank for suggestions on what he should feed his horses. Timothy and meadow hay was the forage of choice. If they felt a grain should be fed for more energy, Frank suggested oats. Cattle were managed about the same except the cattle got the better forage alfalfa and for energy they received corn because the meat and milk generated more money for the owners.

Today David farms Frank's farm and I am farming Gustav's farm. The work horses are gone but cattle and hogs still are a part of each farms livelihood. The cattle have running water to each stall and the manure is handled by mechanical cleaners or a flush system. The feed is blended and delivered by computer operated equipment. The rations are balanced by college graduated nutritionists to maintain the healthyist and most efficient animal possible. The barns are ventilated with highly engineered systems.

What do you think Frank and Gustav would say about the progress the cattle owner has made compared to the progress of the horse owner if they had a chance to come back for a day? I can just imagine them using some 1918 terms and saying, "aren't they a little backward?"

My question to you the readers is, "If today's horse owner was offered a feed product that had very little dust, a consistent texture, balanced nutritionally, adequate fiber, improved immune system, reduced parasites, reduced colic, much reduced labor in feeding and may even be fed mechanically, reduced manure or waste product and would probably cost less money per day, would they be interested in buying this product"?

The successful dairy farmers today are using this system and are finding it to be very profitable. The animals are much healthier and are much more productive.

I believe that it can be just as successful for the horse owner and the technology is available today. Will the horse owner buy it? What do you think Frank or Gustav would say?

I am very interested in your comments. My e-mail address is idleacres@cmgate.com . If you prefer, my mailing address is 2379 Quimby Ave. S.W., Cokato, Minnesota 55321. Thank you for your responses.