Genetics in Progress

No, they aren't twins, but they look like they could be.  These two look-alike calves are very similar in genetics; the difference is with the maternal grandmothers who were registered Angus.  The mothers had the same Brangus sire and these calves had the same Angus sire.

When I saw them nursing together late yesterday, my mind went back to childhood.  "Mom!  Can Alan stay for supper?"

These two half-sibling Fall-born calves spend all their time together.  They were born on the same day.  Their mothers are half-sisters.  I suppose it was inevitable they would share a meal occasionally.

One of my favorite parts of raising cattle is the young calves.  It is entertaining to watch them grow.  They will sometimes run as if they are racing you across the pasture.  You see them gain confidence and start hanging out with other calves rather than just mom.  You see them start to spend time away from the herd.  Each one is a little different in their behavior, but all of them go through similar processes which slowly lead to weaning and separation from the cow.

Cattle seem to have the process down.  It is genetically programmed into the animals and the environment in which they live determines, to some extent, the way each step occurs.  Humans need to take a lesson from cattle.  When I look around our country I think we, as a country, have lost the art of "weaning" children and of teaching them survival skills.  Sigh.  I'm thankful mine learned enough life skills that they are doing well on their own.

Oh, by-the-way, for those of you not in the cattle business, the breeding system outlined above for these two calves is how you get a uniform cow herd.  You build the uniformity of characteristics on the maternal side by introducing the genetics you need on the paternal side.  It's better to pay a little more for good bulls, or for an AI program, than to live with average genetics.  Fortunately, we started with outstanding genetics and have been tweaking the program ever since in order to adapt specifically to our local environment.  I'm pleased with the results.

Natural Inspiration and Technology

We have been covered up with Horseflies this summer.  This photo is of one that was sitting on a gate latch a couple of days ago.  He sat there and let me take a number of pictures -- almost as if he was posing for me.  This is a Tabanus sulcifrons.  They are common in the eastern half of the U.S.  In actual size it was about 1 1/4" long.

I had never really looked at the detail on a Horsefly until I took this photograph.  The eyes, especially, are intriguing.  It looks like it's wearing expensive Sun shades.  It was either too full and fat to fly, or just "cool" enough to think it was invincible when I was taking the pictures.  I let it live because it was such a good subject.  Normally, that wouldn't be the case.  They literally torture the cattle with their bites which are a prime vector for disease.

Entomology was never a subject that held much interest for me.  After looking closely at this photo, though, I begin to see how it might be intriguing to some.  I wonder what the purpose of the feathery features on the front part of the body might be?  I also see what look to be horizontal flaps lying against the body, beneath the wing; what do they do?  Are they a vestigial wing?  Or, perhaps they are used to make a noise?  Maybe they are a shield that protects some vital organ?  What is the purpose of the tiny needle-like projection on the knee?

This critter stimulates my curiosity.  It also stimulates my imagination.  It doesn't look particularly aerodynamic, yet it is able to fly.  Man has developed many types of aircraft, but we don't have anything that flies or, even looks vaguely like this type of insect.  In science fiction we often see craft that fly much more like insects or, birds.  They have the ability to zip quickly across the landscape and then to drop rapidly to the surface in a "pouncing" move that appears to hover just over a target which might be an enemy that is captured by a grappling device -- much like the legs of the insect would grab prey.  Man hasn't quite mastered the air to that level.  Insects -- even ungainly appearing ones -- do it with ease.  So do birds.

I wonder if there is a way to utilize disease vectors such as the Horsefly to deliver vaccines rather than infectious agents?  When it is time to vaccinate the herd, just turn loose a handful of vaccine-laden insects that are genetically programmed to target cattle and which are unable to reproduce and have a short life.  Maybe we could do that with micro-drones?  Just think how little stress that would cause the animals.  Of course, you might lose a few drones to a swatting tail.

I wonder what other information could be gathered by such micro-drones?  Horseflies bite the animal; perhaps the drones could take blood samples and provide information about nutrition, health, gestation, etc.  I keep mentioning micro-drones because it is my understanding that a number have been developed that are designed to mimic insects.  One of the biggest issues is battery life.

If you happen to be a young, aspiring engineer, I would think a career focused on energy storage and transport would hold a bright future.  With macro projects such as the efforts to travel to Mars, or with the miniaturization of technology such as smart watches and phones, there is great need to be able to store and transport energy efficiently.

I've strayed from the Horsefly.  I suppose my point is that there is much we can learn from nature.  We need to be good stewards of it or, that tremendous reservoir of creative solutions will be lost.  Think about that.  Nature has already solved many of the challenges we face in technology.  Is our approach the correct one?

A Pretty Flower or, The Devil's Shoestring

Every day we are bombarded by messages designed to entice us to open our wallets to some product, service, or cause.  Some are worthy, some are needed and some are like the Pied Piper.  The Trumpet Creeper Vine (Campsis radicans) is a common vine found in the forests of the Southeastern U.S.  The photo is of one on our place.  It's showy flowers attract hummingbirds.  It will grow and cover trees until, eventually, it kills the tree.  Have you made the connection with marketing yet?

We each have limited resources within our care.  For some it is the weekly paycheck.  For others, the available capital may include legacies acquired from family.  Sometimes, good stewards will actually save money until they accumulate a sizable sum that is available for investment, or for spending on luxury items.  They key, though, is limited resources.

When we allow enticements to continuously draw us to spend on things that are unnecessary or, frivolous, we have less to invest and grow -- no matter our income level.  The marketing messages which constantly assail us include subtleties inferring that if we don't have the newest, latest, greatest, then we aren't acceptable to society.

Often, when I pass through a neighborhood, I see garage sales.  In every garage sale I see versions of the same cheap "junk" that was once treasured by the purchaser.  Piles and piles of it end up in our landfills every day.  Yet, we continue to spend and purchase items because the message we allow our mind to receive is that we need it.  Once we have it the luster quickly fades and we find it didn't fulfill us at all, but instead, prevented us from something that would perhaps be much more worthy of our hard-earned money.

Don't be enticed by the pretty flowers.  They just might be the Devil's Shoestring. 

Parasitism or Responsibility?

Standing on the edge of time I looked and saw a tree

Apart from lesser beings creeping in its shadow

And I noted great stature;

Tall and proud.

I felt small beneath this looming immensity

Yet, it was anchored in one place,

Unable to enjoy that

Which was not present.

Fibrous feet reached deeply into the earth

Over which it towered with arms

Appearing as though

They held the sky

While I merely passed by to other sights and scenes

Remaining not a part, but an observer

Who cultivated,

Who harvested,

Who lived as a scurrying infestation rushing about

Upon the surface, taking sustenance

Rather than building

And anchoring.

It was then I asked if parasitism was my lot or,

Was my purpose much higher than the

Flora which sustained

This place?

The light of awareness lifted me

And I saw within, the responsibility for stewarding

These resources which had been

Provided.

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." -- Genesis 2:15

Birds, Grasshoppers and a Movie

The birds were busy late yesterday.  We spotted a large murmuration when we passed through the gate and then saw multiple flocks as we crossed the pasture.  The Common Starling, also known as the European Starling, (Sturnus vulgaris) is seen throughout North America.  I don't mind seeing them in our pastures this time of year because they are likely eating the guys in the second photograph.  This one is a Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis) that was hiding out in our wood pile while the Starlings browsed the pasture not far away.  I could be wrong about the identity of the birds.  It is also possible these are some other kind of black bird.  They were far enough away that it was difficult to tell.

Yesterday, someone asked me if all the photographs that I use in my posts are from our place; the answer is "yes" for the most part, except for the few that were taken during travels elsewhere.  The main point is that either my wife or, I take the photos.  I try to use only those that one of us has taken rather than to "borrow" one from the Internet.  I do believe that Copyrights should be respected.

In a random aside, we watched the movie "Tolkien" last night.  I highly recommend it to any fan of that great author.  It was inspiring and provided great insight into his writing.

Well, today's post is short.  I have much to do and need to get moving.  I must go feed cattle and then have a breakfast meeting scheduled.  I hope anyone reading this has a great Saturday and may your favorite college football team be victorious.

Working Grasses

Maintaining a strong stand of grasses is critical to sustainability.  Rotational grazing allows periods of rest that give the grasses time to deepen their roots and to produce seed.  This area of our pasture is primarily Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum) which some folks see as an invasive species.  Our cattle love it.  You do have to be careful because of the potential of a smut infecting the grass which causes problems.

I, of course, chose one of the cleanest, best-looking areas of the pasture for this photograph.  It's too bad all of the pasture doesn't look like this!  The rains this year have been helpful as well.

This pasture has had no fertilizer and no herbicide or, pesticide application since we have owned the place.  The soil here is alluvial and is sometimes covered with silt-laden water that pushes out of the nearby creeks.  The silt is captured by the grasses and the water running off of the land is cleaner than the water that runs onto it!  I wish the folks upstream from me used better management techniques for their land, but then we wouldn't get the benefit of their soil migrating onto ours.

There is a tremendous amount of "carbon capture" in this grass which is then cycled through the cattle.  The Dallisgrass in this meadow will produce 3 to 4 tons of hay per acre each year while maintaining this type of stand, anchoring the soil and capturing all that carbon while it filters the water passing over it.  That's a lot of work!

The meadow also offers food for a number of wildlife species.  Early in the morning, or just before sunset, we often see deer grazing in the meadow.  Our game cameras capture them at all hours of the night as well.  Without the open meadows of healthy grasses, wildlife populations would be significantly diminished.  Deep in a dense forest there is often a lack of food sources for wildlife.  With the variety of both grasslands and forests, the number of food species increases dramatically.  The "edge" where the transition between forest and grassland occurs is crucial to wildlife and frequently where they will be found -- close to food, yet within easy distance to cover.

Now, if we just didn't have the feral hogs that roam the area and tear up the meadow....

Mud, Pottery and Food Production

Anybody for a facial?  This mud hole is a semi-permanent hog wallow on our place.  It is at a corner on our boundary which jogs around an adjacent creek.  This area has a clay soil on which the water will sit for long periods -- it doesn't percolate into the ground easily.  I suspect the Caddo Indians who once called this area home used this clay in their pottery.

The mud is now being used by hogs and other animals as a place to seek relief from parasites.  A good coating of the sticky mess is protection from biting flies which are a continual nuisance this time of year.  Fortunately, the nature of the soil is such that the damage to the land is limited to this small area, unlike where the hogs dig for grubs and roots in the pasture.

There are many different soils on our place; they range from alluvial deposits from the creeks to heavy clay which underlays the area.  Erosion from past farming practices has left only thin topsoil in a few places with the clay exposed in an area or, two.  Those practices were ended many, many years ago when cotton was no longer a viable economic crop for the farmers.  The land was left fallow or, allowed to go back to pasture and woodland which is the natural mix for this part of the state.

The clay soils interest me because of their use in pottery making.  The most common is a dark gray clay, however, there are also pockets of red and yellow.  The gray seems to be best for pottery based on a few shards that have been found, but I also have seen some pottery made from the red; it seems to have more sand mixed into it and has a grainier texture.

Because of the poor quality of soils in this area, it is difficult to have a high quality garden.  I have not attempted to garden since we have lived here, but would like to do so.  I was visiting with a friend the other day and we were standing at the end of his very large Fall garden which was pumpkins and black-eyed peas.  I bent down and grabbed a handful of soil and worked it in my hand.  It seemed almost ideal for raising crops.

I asked him about it and he said it has taken a lot of years to get it that way.  He has hauled in sand, peat and composted manure to get it to the consistency that it now has.  He uses a roto-tiller to work the soil and always turns the plant residue back into the soil.  His flock of chickens were working hard to remove any bugs they could find among the young plants as we visited.  He had planted some older varieties of peas and we talked some about heirloom plant species.

Once again, I have taken a wandering path in my post.  What I want to convey is that ranchers and farmers care about the land.  When working within a natural system there are many areas of knowledge that require attention.  Today, there are many who want to move away from traditional agriculture.  I have posted previously about skyscraper greenhouses clinging to the sides of a building and about the use of robotics and artificial intelligence.  Those things have a place, but I hope we never lose the general understanding of how to grow our food utilizing the resources within a natural system.

The Caddo Indians understood the land.  They raised crops, hunted wildlife and were able to find all they needed for survival as provided by nature.  They cooked their meals in pots made by their own hands from the soil that supported the wildlife and plants that went into it.  I fear much of that knowledge is disappearing in our technology-focused world. 

Food In Balance

There is an area behind our Vet Shed that is not accessible to the cattle and the grass tends to get very lush.  A water hydrant is located there for the occasions when we need to hook up a hose and fill a tank, or whatever.  Late yesterday as I was waiting for my spouse to turn the water on so I could fill a tub, I could hear her talking.  I couldn't make out the words and thought she might have received a call on her cell phone.  Nope, she was talking to this little guy who was hidden in the deep grass.

We have a number of cottontail rabbits that hang out around our place.  I believe this to be an Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus).  It is estimated they have an 85% mortality rate prior to reaching maturity -- most of that before ever leaving the nest.  They also are very fertile and have 4 to 5 litters which average about 4 babies each year.  I think their primary role in the environment must be to provide food to predators!

I enjoy seeing the rabbits.  To me, they are an indicator of the health of the land and our local ecosystem.  It is also a joy when the grandchildren spot one.  Their excited voices and happy chatter thrill my heart.

Taking care of the land for future generations is important.  It is something the ranching community does very well.  Usually, there is a multi-generational outlook with a strong desire to see the land passed down to children, grandchildren and more.  Because of that view, ranchers tend to be good stewards and have been practicing sustainable techniques for generations.  Certainly mistakes are made, but subsequent generations apply new knowledge and seek to leave the land in even better shape than that in which it was received.  That is why we see wildlife thrive in areas where ranching is strong.

Just like the rabbits which provide food for carnivores, the cattle are destined to be food.  It is the way the natural system is designed and it is something that many fail to recognize today.  They see the rabbit and think, "what a cute bunny!"  They don't think about the high mortality rates due to it being a food species.  They see a newborn calf and think, "what a cute calf!"  Also, not accepting intellectually that it is destined to be food.  The movement toward an anti-meat society is as destructive of the environment as is the paving of our cities and suburbs.  It doesn't account for the required balance that must occur between plant eaters, meat eaters and carrion eaters.  Our children need to be educated in the realities of a natural system that is one of balance.

Cows, Cities, Water and Wildlife

We have a few cows that like to go swimming.  They don't stay in the water very long, but nearly every afternoon at about the same time they walk into the water and hang out for awhile.  This was taken yesterday as we were checking cattle, which we do every day.

When I saw this, my mind overlayed a scene from the movie "Apocalypse Now" when the guy rose up out of the swampy water.  It also made me think of the character John Clark of Tom Clancy novel fame when in "Rainbow Six" he goes into Vietnam on a rescue mission and spends a great deal of time in a similar situation of using the water as cover and then rising up out of it.  Of course, the most obvious mental comparison is to an alligator, or crocodile, sitting motionless in the water with just the top of their head showing as they lurk in hope of unwary prey.

Many people claim that black-hided cattle don't do well in a hot humid environment such as we have in our part of Texas.  You can tell from the photo that this lady is, ahem, well-insulated.  Yes, she takes a dip in the pond to cool off, but she seems to do quite well at maintaining a beyond respectable body weight.  In reality, only about 10% of our cows regularly enter a pond to cool off -- even on the hottest days.  I think that number would be similar for almost any breed of cattle in our climate.

We provide separate, clean drinking water for our cattle.  We have water tanks available that are plumbed to the rural water system so the cattle always have fresh, cool water available to drink.  We also have plenty of areas where there are shade trees deliberately left standing in the pasture in order to provide a place in which the animals can rest.

Those trees also provide roosting and nesting sites for birds.  The ponds provide a home for fish and turtles and a place for wildlife to find water during periods of drought when water is difficult to find.  A lot of people don't realize that many of the water resources for wildlife across the country are there because of cattle ranchers who build the ponds and other small reservoirs to provide water to their stock.  The added benefit is to the wildlife such as waterfowl who are often seen on those stock ponds.

Depending on the time of year, we often see ducks and geese migrating through.  The stock ponds make "safe stops" for those waterfowl -- sort of like a "bed and breakfast" with a meal and place to rest.

 The ponds also help to control erosion.  When there is heavy rain, they provide a "check" to the rushing waters that would eventually eat away the land and leave deep gullies and washes.  Instead, there are grassy waterways which filter the water which goes first into the pond and then as it becomes full, pass over a spillway and continue further down a grass-covered waterway to the next pond.  It prevents the full force of the waters from rushing into streams and rivers and helps to reduce the flooding by slowing runoff.

Flooding is becoming worse because we have so much development with housing and concrete and paved roads.  The water doesn't percolate into the soil, but instead runs off.  On ranch land the story is different as described above.  Not only is the speed of flow reduced, but the water is filtered by the grasses and therefore much cleaner when it enters the streams which often flow into large reservoirs which then are used to provide drinking water to the cities.

Yeah, I'm rambling a bit this morning.  It's a long way from "Apocalypse Now" to city water supplies -- or, maybe not.  I fear that the amount and availability of sufficient drinking water for exploding populations may be the largest single potentially apocalyptic situation we face.  We see flooding in the east and drought in the west.  People are blaming it on climate change yet, we hear lots of rhetoric and hand-wringing and little understanding or, action.  By action, I'm thinking in reference to how cities are growing and spreading and adding to the problems while the ranchers who do the things like controlling erosion and encouraging grasses to cover the ground, which by-the-way also have a cooling effect, are being blamed.  The thinking is absolutely upside down.  That's par for the course, though; it is the people who are exploiting the situation that push the messaging which inspires panic in order to profit from others -- much like "war profiteers" who did the same during the various conflicts that periodically occur around the globe.  I suppose, in a way, that completes the circle from a cow in a pond to "Apocalypse Now."  Well, sort of....

Close Encounter

I almost ran into these guys yesterday as I was walking along the edge of a wash in our pasture late yesterday afternoon.  Because of the light at different angles, it looks like two different nests, but it is actually the same one.  It was hanging on a branch about face high to me and I was looking at cattle rather than worrying about what I might run into.  If it wasn't for the buzzing, either the thorns on that branch or, the wasps were going to take a toll.  Fortunately, though my hearing isn't what it once was, it was adequate for the occasion and I avoided the hazard.

When I was a kid, every wasp was a yellow jacket.  They looked very much like these and that's the name I was taught.  I am learning there are a lot of different kinds of wasps.  These are a type of Paper Wasp, probably Polistes exclamans or, P. apachus.  Paper Wasps are very common throughout Texas.  True Yellow Jackets are a bit larger and thicker bodied with a distinct black and yellow pattern.  Growing up, I didn't know the difference, just that their sting caused a reaction that seriously affected me and the afflicted area would swell.  I learned to avoid them.

Wasp nests are an amazing feat of construction.  Each chamber will hold a developing wasp behind the thin door which, when fully grown, will emerge.  They bring to mind the Pueblos of the American Southwest.  I wonder if the early Puebloans got the idea of their construction techniques from wasps?  It wouldn't surprise me.  We can learn much from nature if we just pay attention.

Blending In and Standing Out

Coloration in animals is interesting to me.  I'm not thinking about it from the genetics standpoint, but from the way it helps them to blend into their surroundings.  Take this white calf for instance; from a genetics standpoint his mother was black and daddy was white (dominant genetically), but from a blending in standpoint he looks like you could spot him a mile away.  Did you notice the one behind him in the photo?  There is another one just as white standing in the shade and blending in nicely with the trees and grasses.

We also have some black calves.  They are from our Fall calving herd.  They have black mothers and black fathers.  From a genetics standpoint, it's an easy one; from a coloration standpoint, you'd think they would also be easy to spot.  Not so!  Even in the open pasture with nothing around but grass, they will lie in the deep grasses and flatten their head to the ground and at a distance, if you can see them at all, might look like a "cow patty" (manure pile).  When in the shadows, they completely disappear.

There have been times when we headed out to check cattle and had to hunt pretty hard to find them because they were lying in the shade somewhere.  From a distance they just looked like shadows.

The amazing thing to me is that the same coloration that makes the animal highly visible in some cases makes them virtually invisible in others.  When you think about that within the framework of the predator-prey relationships of animals it makes sense.  The adult prey animals, such as cattle, sometimes need to be highly visible in order to attract the attention of predators away from their more vulnerable young.

There are times that I am trying to get a good count on new babies and have to search pretty hard to find them.  The mothers will "plant" the babies in cover somewhere then go off to graze or to find water.  I also think they deliberately leave them at a distance (but within their sight) to teach them the discipline of remaining hidden in cover.  It is instinctual and programmed into their genetics to do so.  As I am searching for the babies I keep my eye on the cows.  Sometimes one will give indication that I am getting close to her hidden calf through her behavior.  It is often greater attentiveness or an "act" of calling and moving in a different direction as if searching for her calf.  If I appear to be a threat to the baby she will often come at a run in order to protect.  Sometimes she brings "friends" along too.

When I think about the predators, though, I see something slightly different.  Most of them seem to have a coloration that helps them to blend into almost any natural color scheme.  They are typically some combination of gray, black and tan that is of a pattern natural to their native environment.  Leopards are spotted in a way that mimics the pattern of leaf shadows.  Lions are the color of dried grasses.  Polar bears are as white as the snowy landscape in which they live.

Watching animals teaches me a lot about people....

Contentment or Distraction?

There were four birds upon a line

Watching cattle grazing.

Said the one upon the left,

"Isn't that amazing?

They eat the grass and then lay down

To chew upon their cud.

They have no ambition

And do no kind of good."

Another bird, one of the four,

Said, "That's not the life for me.

I'd rather go exploring

And nest up in a tree."

And still another looked at them

And said, "Traveling is best;

I'm just stopping here awhile

And then I'm headed west.

Being stuck there in one place

With naught to see but grass

Would simply drive me crazy;

On that life, I would pass!"

The fourth looked at the other three

And said, "I love to fly!

Can you imagine life

Not reaching for the sky?"

So, each of them within his turn

Found reason to complain

While they looked down from their perch on high

With comments all in vain.

Along there came a hunter

Looking for the flying dove

Who saw the birds upon the wire

Distracted there above.

He slipped up quietly on them;

When startled, they took wing

But, only a short distance

Before the shots did sing.

The lesson that they might have learned

While looking on the cow

Is that they should have focused

On the simple here and now.

Judging others from on high

Based on what you see

Distracts you from your purpose

When it might be time to flee!

(If you look closely, in the top right portion of the photo are four birds on the wire.  I didn't notice them until I had posted the picture for today.  They sent my mind down the path of this poem.)

Sometimes We Need Help

Animals, just like humans, sometimes get sick.  This little guy is an orphan.  We don't know what happened to his mother, but one day she seemed perfectly healthy and the next day she was gone.  This young (about 6 week old) bull calf was "stealing" milk from the other cows that had calves at their side and had started eating grass.  We watched him closely for a few days and he seemed to be doing okay, but then on Monday of this week I spotted him off by himself and showing signs of respiratory distress.  I immediately got out of the pickup and herded him to the corrals on foot.  The fact that I could do so was an indicator that he didn't feel well.

We began to treat him for the respiratory problem and to hand feed him.  He was going downhill, so on Wednesday we took him to the Veterinarian.  She has access to more powerful tools than we do and by Wednesday evening he was feeling much better.  The photo is from late yesterday when he nearly knocked me down to get the bottle.  It was gratifying to see that he seemed to feel much better and signs of the respiratory issue were gone.

Unlike humans, animals are unable to ask for help when they are in distress.  In fact, animals such as cattle are naturally wary of giving any indication that they don't feel well because they are naturally prey animals.  It is the sick and distressed that are usually first to fall to predators.  I have observed sick cattle "put on an act" of feeling well and "pretending" to eat in order to appear healthy.  Sometimes it is very difficult to spot a health problem until the animal is extremely sick and difficult to heal.

As I have mentioned before in this blog, we feel a deep responsibility to the animals within our care.  We monitor them daily in order to make certain they have adequate food and water and that they are healthy.  Occasionally, something will happen to one of them that is inexplicable -- such as the loss of this calf's mother -- but, for the most part, we are able to catch any problems early and to deal with them expeditiously.  It is important that we have the tools to do so in order to prevent undue suffering.

The movement to ban the use of antibiotics in livestock production is one that threatens our ability to deal with issues, such as the respiratory problems this calf had, in a timely fashion.  The medicines with which he was treated will be completely metabolized and gone from his system within a matter of a few short weeks.  The labels include withdrawal times and dosages which we record and keep, along with other information about the event, in a file if an animal must be treated.  Hopefully, this calf will be able to go on and live out a normal, healthy life in which he will thrive until he fulfills his ultimate purpose of providing nutritious protein for human consumption.

As I think about it, I realize that the inability to ask for help sometimes applies to humans as well.  In us, it isn't so much that we are incapable, it is that our pride or, our personality make it extremely difficult.  We also are influenced by the way in which we were raised -- especially in rural America where independence and self-reliance are deeply rooted in the culture.  For some reason this morning, I feel it is important to say that it is okay to ask for help.  Don't be like the calf in the photo who would have died in his loneliness had I not observed his condition and intervened.  If you need help, ask for it.  Ask friends, neighbors, family, or one of the many organizations that are out there for help.  There are good people who will be there for you if they know you need it.

Just my thoughts this morning....

Working Together for Conservation

Sometimes as I am searching through photographs for an image to use in a post I come across one that makes me think of something completely unconnected to the particular picture I am viewing.  This is one of those images.  It was taken on our place last November.  I remember it being one of those perfect Fall days and I decided to take a walk.

It was the kind of day that deer hunters love.  I wasn't hunting, just walking and looking.  When I see this photograph, though, I think of quail hunting.  I miss quail hunting.

When I was growing up I always looked forward to the Fall because it was quail hunting season.  We had a number of places on which we were allowed to hunt.  My father was an avid hunter and very enthusiastic about the sport.  I walked many miles alongside him in pursuit of an exploding covey.

My memories of quail hunting include the slight scent of dust from the dry grasses filling my nostrils.  In my mind I can hear the crunch of frosty forage beneath my feet and the swish of the tall plants against my clothes.  I can smell the light oil on the shotgun and the slightly sulfurous whiff from a spent shot.  Most of all, I remember the feel of the tingling nerves in anticipation of the flushing covey coming up, first in ones and twos, then in a sudden rush that filled the air with buzzing wings as the birds raced away.

The quail populations have suffered a general decline over much of the state.  There are very few coveys left in this area.  To me, the photo above represents ideal habitat that needs quail.

Fortunately, state game biologists and ranchers have been working together to help remaining populations recover from whatever caused the decline.  I have heard many theories, but I'm not certain there is a consensus on the cause(s).  On the positive side, however, is the fact that private land owners have worked closely with universities and with state agencies to aid in the recovery.  That's something the public doesn't hear much about -- the private-academic-governmental cooperation.

It makes you proud of your community when you think about it.  I appreciate those ranchers' willingness to work to conserve this precious resource.

Living to the Next Paycheck

Today is sale day for this group of calves.  They will be sold in the NETBIO (Northeast Texas Beef Improvement) sale.  It is a special sale of pre-conditioned, weaned calves that are certified to have been properly vaccinated and taught to eat from a feed bunk and automatic water system.

I'm proud of this group.  We have been working for a number of years to get our genetics to where we wanted them.  This is a very uniform set that will hopefully do well in spite of a market that has been disappointing recently.

One of the things people outside of agriculture have difficulty grasping is that "harvest" only comes once or twice during the year.  To put it plainly, there is no income, only expenses, for the greatest part of the year.  Selling your crop has to pay all of the expenses required to produce it and provide an income above that to the farmer or, rancher.  It is just a "side gig" for us, so we aren't dependent upon it for our living expenses.

Most people can't imagine living on borrowed money for 11 months of the year and then hopefully, paying it back when you sell your crop.  It makes a person better at budgeting.

Right now, as we enter into the Fall Harvest season, keep the farmers and ranchers in mind.  For many, it has been a very difficult year with flooding, drought, severe storms that brought hail and high winds and it has been a year of "Tariff Wars" that have been highly disruptive of the markets.  Many of the farmers and ranchers won't be able to cover their expenses of producing a crop this year let alone covering their cost of living.

As you enjoy your abundant selection of foods at the grocery store, or in your favorite restaurant, think about the folks that produced it.   They're going through a hard time right now.

Treating Ignorance (lack of knowledge)

Raising cattle requires controlling parasites.  There are many that attack the animals both internally and externally.  The large, flying critter you see in this photo is a horse fly resting upon the back of one of our calves.  If you look more closely, to put it in perspective, you will see a number of horn flies toward the edges of the photo.  There is quite a difference in their size.  Both are irritants to the cattle.

The horse flies are a source of the organism that causes Anaplasmosis.  They carry tiny rickettsial parasites called Anaplasma marginale or Anaplasma centrale which cause severe anemia.  The parasites can also be carried by ticks, but in our area, the horse flies seem to be the primary vector.  Fortunately, it is easily treatable with tetracycline.  Without treatment an animal -- especially mature ones -- will usually die within a matter of a few weeks.

The movement by many toward livestock production without the use of chemicals or, antibiotics is one based in ignorance.  No rancher uses such things unless they are necessary to protect their animals from disease and possibly death.  All products available for use on animals have been tested and the rates at which they disappear from being present in the blood, or tissue of the animal through normal metabolic processes has been determined.  This provides for a known withdrawal date on any products that are used.  Most are completely gone from the animal within a very short time.  Animals can't be harvested for meat if there is any residue and are tested at the harvest facility for such.

One of the arguments against the use of antibiotics in animals is that it causes organisms to become resistant and therefore the treatment becomes less effective over time.  There is certainly some validity to the point, however, the majority of organisms that are treated are species specific and not zoonotic.  Zoonosis is the transfer of pathogens between species -- such as tuberculosis -- but the list of such diseases is fairly short and when they occur in livestock they are reported to the state Animal Health Commission and steps are taken to isolate any infected animals and prevent the spread.

I use fly spray to help control the pesky horse flies and horn flies which attack my cattle.  I've used the same sprays in my kitchen!  It seems beyond cruel to me to allow the flies to constantly attack the cattle and potentially make them sick through the parasites they carry.  The female horse flies have strong cutting mandibles which they use to slice open the skin.  They then will sit and drink the blood from the seeping wound.  As they do so, the parasites they carry within their saliva enter the wound and the blood stream of the animal and present the risk of disease.  If the cattle show signs of sickness I immediately treat them with an antibiotic targeted at the disease.

If you are one who is on the bandwagon of the crusaders who wish to ban the use of such products in livestock, please take a minute to consider the cruelty that will be inflicted on those animals.  Today we are able to produce a safe and wholesome product because those tools are available.  Without them, a lot of animals would die a slow death from disease.

I suppose this seems like a morbid subject early in the morning.  It is on my mind because I am about to head out to doctor a sick calf.  Those animals are my responsibility as long as they are in my care.  I will do my best to raise them in a manner that respects them and provides the best environment in which they can thrive.

Rodent Control

Yesterday morning we loaded out a trailer with a small group of weaned calves that were headed to a special pre-conditioned cattle sale.  We went out fairly early and caught the calves then separated off one that we decided to keep.  I then hooked onto the stock trailer and backed up to our loadout.

Right beside the loadout is an area where we temporarily store empty protein tubs.  We stack them up but, sometimes the stacks fall, or are knocked over.  Some were blocking a swinging panel that we use to close any gaps with the trailer so animals can't escape.

My spouse was helping and used her foot to push a stack of tubs out of the way so she could maneuver that swinging panel.  As she did so she noticed a number of different kinds of spiders and, being a wildlife management major, proceeded to focus on them, observing that one had babies, etc.  Unknowingly, her foot was about 4 inches from this young cottonmouth which was quickly assuming a striking position.  I quietly said, "Watch out.  Step back."  Her response was, "I see them; that's what I'm looking at."  I repeated my warning and added, "There's a snake by your foot."  She said, "Oh, I thought you meant the spiders."

She then noticed the snake and stepped away.  I was thankful she had on cowboy boots with high tops and that the snake hadn't struck.  Otherwise, we would have been making a trip to the emergency room before taking calves to the sale.

Her next comment was, "I need my camera!"  So, she proceeded to the pickup to get her iPhone and take photos (from much too close in my opinion) and a video which she then posted to Facebook -- isn't that what you do with interesting photos and videos?  The almost universal response to her post was an expression of "fear of snakes" or, "the only good snake is a dead one."

We have a fairly benevolent policy toward snakes at our place.  Unless they are a direct threat, they get to go on about their business keeping the rodent population under control.  They don't normally pose a problem if you use a little common sense and basically leave them alone.

I'm not a big fan of snakes.  I have no desire to pick them up or, let them coil around my arm although I have done so.  I do recognize their place in the environment and realize they do a lot of good, so I generally just leave them alone.  Most of the time they will move off and try to avoid humans, but occasionally you will find one that is aggressive.  I've had them "charge" me and I've had them "corner" my kids.  It's a strong stimulus to action when a cottonmouth charges you.

I don't think I have ever seen any sign of mice in our feed room.  I suspect it's because we let the mouse-hunters go on about their merry business of keeping the rodent population under control.

Being Genuine

Yesterday morning as I pulled out of the gate after checking cows I spotted several bugs on a goat weed (woolly croton) along the county road.  My first thought was ladybugs.  Since I'm always looking for things to photograph to use in this Blog I decided to pull out the trusty iPhone and take a couple of pictures.  As I zoomed in and really looked at them, I quickly realized they weren't ladybugs at all.  They were the right size and shape and had similar coloration, but these appear to be segmented -- similar to a roly poly or, pill bug that rolls up in a ball when threatened.  I didn't pick them up to examine closely, but I didn't see any legs either.  So, I don't know if they are actually insect or, something else.

I have posted these photos on a number of sites where there are groups who study "bugs" professionally.  So far, no one has identified them for me.  Hopefully, eventually I will get the answer.  Until then, they remain unknown.

Mimicry is an interesting phenomenon in nature.  It usually involves a species that is "highly palatable" to predators evolving mechanisms, such as coloration, that disguise it to look like something "less palatable" or, even dangerous to its natural predators.  It is a defensive adaptation to danger.

There are other types of mimics who look like some benign species but are in fact, something dangerous.  This is a bit like the "wolf in sheep's clothing" and is often used by predators to attract and catch their prey.  A Praying Mantis, or Walking Stick is a good example of this type of mimicry.  They look like part of the plants on which they wait for their prey.

People use mimicry too and for the same reasons.  Some are predators who appear benign and others try to appear "rough and tough" when they are "softies" at heart.  It is all part of the natural world and the survival mechanisms we have adapted over time.

I prefer genuineness.  It is rare in people.  Most folks either try to stand out, or to blend in -- depending on their personality.  It is great to find those rare individuals who just "are what they are" and don't pretend.  Be genuine.

In the meantime, if you know what those critters are in the photos, please comment and let me know!

Surviving Our Own Blindness

A couple of years ago I was off down in the woods, just taking a walk, when I heard something stirring around in the leaves.  I stopped and stood silently waiting to see if I could spot whatever might be making the noises.  It was only a moment before I spotted this critter poking around looking for something to eat among the detritus of the forest floor.

He walked to within inches of me before discovering that I wasn't a couple of trees standing there.  Upon realization that I was not what he thought, he bolted a short distance and when I didn't follow, stopped and resumed his search.  It's a good thing I wasn't a threat to him.

I think we are often like that armadillo.  We become so focused on our daily routines and tasks that we fail to look up and see the potential dangers lurking around us.  Even worse, we often mistake those dangers for something benign.

It would be very easy to "go political" with that analogy.  I will leave that to the minds of anyone who might read this.  I could also go into the realm of business and examine the many ways this occurs in that area.  It also is applicable to our personal lives and the dangers presented by the various human predators lurking around us -- which brings us back to the political.

Personally, I think a certain level of danger is good for the human species.  Without it we lose sharpness.  Dullness can apply to a blade or, to a mind, or to physical health.  Without the stimulus of occasional danger we lose attentiveness and the ability to respond.

I'm not advocating that we should constantly seek unreasonable risk, but I am saying we are "wired" for danger-awareness.  I suspect it is why there are so many thrill-seekers doing crazy things that we read about or, watch on a YouTube video.  We are genetically programmed to risk danger and learn how to respond to its presence.  It is part of the survival mechanisms wired into the very fabric of our being -- even at the sub-cellular level.  It is that important.

Along with that importance is the tendency to build defenses against the danger.  That leads me back to the political.  A "Nanny State" is not the answer; personal responsibility is.  If we abdicate personal responsibility for our own safety to a "benevolent, all-protecting government" we will find ourselves blindly falling into the hands of the predators who seek those positions of power -- much like the sight-challenged armadillo that walked up to me. 

Yeah, I ended up going political anyway....

Sometimes You Have to Dig for the Reason

It being Friday the 13th with a Full Moon, I thought it only appropriate that I use the photo of a 4-leaf clover in my post, however, I have committed to only use original photos and not something "borrowed" from the Internet and I didn't have one of a 4-leaf clover.  Instead, I will use this Brazos Rain-lily (Zephyranthes chlorosolen) as a substitute.  We had a number of them make their appearance in our pasture after the rain we had a couple of weeks ago.  They aren't large -- about 12" tall consisting of a single stem shooting up out of the ground with a flower approximately 2" in diameter.

To the extent possible, we try to identify the plants we find growing in our pastures.  Some plants are toxic to cattle and we especially watch out for them.  Such plants typically only appear sporadically such as after a drought or, in a particularly rainy stretch at a time of year when it doesn't normally rain as much.  Knowing the flora and fauna on the land within your care is important for that reason, but also for others.

There are numerous rare or, endangered species of plants and animals.  When you speak of such things, most ranchers cringe because of the bad experiences of some where their land was restricted in its use due to the presence of such items.  Various government agencies have a good deal of power to do such and so, most occurrences of threatened plants and animals go unreported due to fear, or to willful ignorance.  I fully sympathize with that.  No one wants how they utilize their land to be restricted due to the presence of some rare salamander, or minnow, or weed.

It is difficult, even for someone who is very much a conservationist at heart, to reconcile the preservation of every single species against the rights and needs of individuals.  I am a firm believer that "less government" is the best government.  Personal property rights are one of the most important foundations of our liberty; without them, there is no free enterprise and very little incentive to grow and create.

A willingness by many to restrict such rights is typically due to a jealousy of the "have nots" toward those who have been able to acquire substantial property.  Is the system rigged?  You bet it is.  Those who have accumulated property have considerably more power than those who haven't.  That is why there is a need for appropriate regulation of the rights of ownership that weigh the needs of the many against the "rights" of the individual.  It is why we have labor laws and regulations against certain monopolistic practices.

When it comes to things of a more esoteric nature -- such as rare plants and animals -- it is sometimes difficult to determine where the needs/rights of the individual end and public needs/rights begin.  I don't pretend to have deep specialized knowledge regarding such issues, but in general, I understand the concept that we need to maintain biodiversity.  Even the most well-trained scientists only understand the "surface" of the intricate workings of various ecosystems.  Each time a species goes extinct, there is the danger of a cascading effect that can cause widespread disruption.  There also is the potential commercial/social value that many plants and animals offer as food or, as sources of medicines and other potentially important compounds.  In summation, we don't know enough to know what we don't know, therefore the wise course is to preserve.

Fortunately for me, the Lily in the photo is not an endangered or, threatened species.  It does however, produce an alkaloid called lycorine, a fungicide, which protects the plant against Phymatotrichum root rot.  That characteristic alone could make it valuable given gene splicing technology such as CRISPR.  The genes from the Brazos rain-lily that cause it to produce the lycorine might could be spliced into the DNA of a cotton plant for instance, giving it the ability to resist root rot in times of too much rain.

Maybe there is a reason to protect those plants and animals after all....