The Line is Drawn

Dwayne and I have made a very important decision in our lives, regarding our Irish Dexter Cattle.  In the case of FF Freedom’s Artist (ADCA #027128)… If he does not sell by July 31, 2017 he will be scheduled for slaughter.

Once we are pushed into sending this gorgeous animal to slaughter, others will follow.  In the case of PF Patriot’s Cora (ADCA #025073)… she is being scheduled for slaughter at the earliest possible.  In the case of N40’s Anna Maria (ADCA #033480)… she is being scheduled for slaughter at the earliest possible.

We have placed ads through Facebook… our website… Craigslist… Dexter Cattle Club of Tennessee (for which we are very grateful to Sally Coad).  I’ve bumped ads at Craigslist.  I’ve done all I can.  There’s no reason this animal should not be moving on to another herd, considering the gorgeous animals he has sired.  And it just destroys me inside… the fact that he will pay the price at the end of the day.

At this time… we’re almost reaching a 2-month period of dry air.  And this is not the first time.  We’ve not been able to sell one single animal.  We’ve paid our annual dues.  We’ve tried to help others when we could.  We’ve paid out money to attend clinics and conferences.  We’ve donated to sponsor at shows.  Nobody seems to understand the difficulty we’ve struggled around… just to leave this house for a whole day.  It’s been a real gamble for us.  When only one of you can leave to attend funerals… Ya’ know?

But the bottom line to the ‘opportunity’ we have received through being members of the American Dexter Cattle Association has been… money down the drain.  LOTS of money…

Every single day of our lives… Dwayne and I awaken with the first thing on our minds being the fact that we’re able to depend on God leading us in the right direction of our wishes with our lives.  I give every day to God.  I DO have a very tight relationship with Him.  He knows me better than anyone, including my own husband.  My relationship with Him… our ‘personalities’ and choice of not attending church may not be as pure and PC as others.  But He knows we’re giving the days to Him, watching all that happens… and giving Him the Glory for all that we see happening.

For quite a while now… we’ve been walking through a fire of not understanding why things kept happening that kept us from the funds to get our other girls tested and registered in ADCA.  And along the way… we’ve kept our eyes open… watching all else taking place.

There are times when silence speaks volumes.  This is what we’ve learned, especially in the past 2 years… and so much more… while we’ve remained members of the American Dexter Cattle Association.  I will be blunt and to the point.  And like I said… if the shoe fits…

There has been so much talking out of both sides of mouths.  Everyone has their own preferences for the type of animals they raise, breed and sell, etc., and all members should respect and welcome such.  But nobody wants to buy anything if its lineage is considered anything but ‘Traditional’… or… ‘Polled.’  Let me say… there WAS a recent time when ‘Modern’ and ‘De-Horned’ was selling.  I know this for a fact… because… we were Buyers.  We’ve been members since only 2012… FIVE (5) years.

We’ve learned that showing Irish Dexter Cattle determines sales.  If somebody knows you… they might buy from you.  If they don’t know you… they couldn’t care less about the benefits the animal brings to the table.  (If you read between the lines… that last sentence was a huge mouthful.)  And while watching who is buying what… THESE days… CLEARLY… we see animals being purchased from chum… or… recommendation of a chum by a chum.  Never mind the composition of the animal.  Only chums who show animals sell animals.  Because that’s what Livestock Show Competition is all about.  Right?  GET HONEST.

Participation is expected.  But not welcome if a party has a business.  Apparently… having over 20 years of ass-busting loyalty doesn’t amount to any credit… nor does it deserve continued ‘participation.’  And if you’re not a chum… you can send in all the content AND your money for having an ad placed on the ADCA website before the Annual General Meeting… and be told your email must not have been received, for some reason… AFTER the AGM… that you’re not able to attend… due to not having any help… and are going through the process of waiting for spinal injections… and AFTER everyone has bought all the animals they want and/or need.

There’s more.  And by the way…  I have the receipts.  But… let me just sum up the big picture that we’ve been watching and paying attention to… while things have gone south… the worst part being the fact that we’ve had to put animals in the freezer that… actually… had some wonderful conformation…genetics and great promise.

I’m actually heartbroken and concerned about the lack of education… and the TRUTH…about Irish Dexter Cattle being snuffed out in this whole country.  We have people coming into this organization that have never even lived around livestock before… buying, breeding and selling animals.  And I can grant you… first thing they’re looking for is… ‘Polled’… because they “don’t want to get hurt.”

Out of all the stories I have had shared with me… I have only heard of ONE (1) incident where somebody was gored.  And by my own experience with raising cattle having horns… I can say… somebody became complacent in the moment.  Now… if you THINK you can waltz around those ‘Polled’ animals with all the complacency in your mind… without having to handle them all the time… and not ever have a problem getting hurt… you’re dead wrong.  Horns are only ONE (1) of the MANY ways a Bovine… ANY BOVINE… can… not only hurt you… but… kill you.  And if you’re not interested in learning about cattle behavior BEFORE you get involved… you really have no business being involved with ANY breed of cattle… especially THIS breed… which had a problem with their existence… not too long ago.

Lately… I worry about the quality of the genetics that Mother Nature put into these cattle being wiped out in this country… let’s be honest… over money.  “Tame animals… they take up less space… more bang for the buck… easy money!”  NOT if you don’t understand everything about cattle.  Period.

At this time we have 4 females that will be tested through University of California, Davis and registered through the Purebred Dexter Cattle Association.  Our intentions are to keep 5 of our girls that we are especially attached to with every ounce of our hearts.  By the way… all 5 of them have horns!  😉  And they’ll give us plenty of offspring for providing beef for us and our extended family.

We will not be renewing our membership into the American Dexter Cattle Association.

This posting is not intended for receiving any comments.  The effort was for the purpose of providing Food for Thought.  If you think I’m angry… you’re wrong.

I’m beyond feeling angry about this.  I’m broken.  I’ve cried so much that I’m numb.  And just… broken.

I care about the cattle… this breed in particular.  But we’re not draining our bank account any longer… to even try replenishing the good traits and genetics that Mother Nature, originally, had already embedded into these cattle.