Part of the cycle of keeping our animals to nourish us and our land, and to contribute to the costs of upkeep, such as fencing, is to send animals to slaughter, which happened today.
We had a big steer, two and a half years old, who we initially meant to keep for ourselves go today, and a youngish cow of four years to go.
They have been having our finest grass for the past six months and are looking extremely healthy, shiny and fat.
The steer should go either for the export meat business, or for premium meat here, and the cow will probably become mince. Her calf has just had an abrupt weaning, and I'll be bringing him back up the hill with Floss later, as he'll be scared, and too fast for me. He'll keep the bull company as they know each other, and will become firm friends.
The stock agent called at 8am to ask if they'd gone yet. What? No, I was having a cup of tea, then I looked out of the window and saw the truck coming down the road!
Right, straight into the car, with the paperwork, and down the drive. Just in time! I kept the calf in the yards with them, so the cow would be content, and he wouldn't be upset.
The driver was very profesional, and they were on the truck calmly and gently.
The slaughter house is just 30km away from here, so they'll have a short trip in the truck.
If I think about them going, it is a bit sad.
But all animals for eating have to be killed in an abatoir, and inspected. We just can't prossess them here. Just our own meat.
The money will be wonderful too, we really do need to sort out our crazy weeds!
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