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Checking out
the livestock
By Bob Robinson
One of the things I wanted to be sure to do was check out the livestock
options this year (maybe next year I can get to the produce… sorry). At
the top of my list were the piglets in the hog barn. I’d been told
about that…
I don’t remember the exact numbers but at six weeks, I think the
piglets weighed about 20 lbs. At six months they weighed over 200 lbs.
It was a fascinating lesson in hog production.
I checked out the cows, remembering all too well the young lady who
tried to educate me a few years back. She did not like the term “cows.”
They were “heifers,” she kept saying. Or something like that. I
honestly don’t remember.
Then there were the rabbits, chickens and turkeys. They seemed totally
indifferent to the activities around them. One hen did her job while I
was there… she laid an egg. A couple days later I got to see (along
with several kids) what happens when the egg has been fertilized.
Chicks were hatching; and baby chicks were busy eating.
The sheep and goats are probably the most entertaining. They are
curious and will stare you down; they will even stare your camera down,
as some of my photos will show.
Finally… the show horses! I have nothing but admiration for the kids
and their families who have to prep so hard to get ready for an event.
Like all the other kids, they’ve worked hard with their animals
throughout the year or over the summer, as the case may be. But then,
instead of just showing the results of their efforts, they have to
“perform!” I couldn’t do it.
More power to all these kids and their families. Ribbon or no ribbon,
win or lose, a future in agriculture or no future in agriculture, they
have all participated in a learning experience they’ll use the rest of
their lives.
Check out the two livestock photo sets at Community
Events Photo Gallery
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