BEEF CATTLE AND GOD'S PROVISION

 

   Memory takes us back a half century.  We were living on a farm that belonged to a Christian businessman and his wife.  When he told me to obtain some feeder cattle to raise I inquired of my neighbor, a veteran farmer filled with wisdom, as to whom I should contact.  He referred me to a man who hauled cattle and could be relied upon to get me good stock.  I do not recall the number of young feeder steers he brought but it was, I believe, at least eight.  They were Herefords like those in the photo you see above.  It was late in the summer so we kept them on pasture until winter.

   During the winter I kept them on clean straw with clean water always in front of them.  I kept good quality hay in front of them with a daily ration composed of the following ground up together:  three fourths parts of ear corn (cobs and all), one fourth part oats, all combined with molasses and beef mineral supplement.  This is very different from today's beef rations which tend to put more fat on the beef.  Almost no one has ear corn today since corn is shelled as it is harvested and the cobs go back on the ground with the corn stalks.  But this ration was once recommended at the Ohio State College of Agriculture in the 1950's.  I found that it produced more meat and not excessive fat on the cattle.  At the time it was ridiculed at "taking forever to fatten the cattle".

   I also provided an area outside the barn where the cattle could walk around and not be in mud.  In the spring the cattle reached a weight of around 1100 - 1250 pounds.  The owner of the farm then said an amazing thing:  "Get the cattle processed and give a half of beef to every teacher at Mansfield Christian School".  We were not nearly so large a faculty then as that school has now.  I contacted Nevin Border of Plymouth to process the beef.  In those days he and two helpers came to the farm to slaughter cattle and then took the carcasses to his market to process.  He did three at a time.

   The first time he came to do three he asked me if the people getting the beef would be paying me directly or were they to pay when they picked up the beef at his market.  I said, "Nevin, this beef is all being given to people".  How I wish I had a photo of the look on his face.  When he was finally able to speak he said,  "Well, you tell them they are sure getting nice beef".  Whether or nor the beef would have graded prime or top choice I do not know but to this day my wife Susan will tell you we have never had better beef and very rarely had any as good.

   I should add that it only cost each teacher at MCS about $35 to have their half processed.  Inflation has changed that considerably.  This was just one of many time times that this businessman and his wife helped people in very generous ways.  They are both gone now but I sometimes pray a blessing for their children and grandchildren as I remember these things.

   I enjoy relating all this because there are both spiritual and practical agricultural things to be learned.  As I mentioned earlier, modern feed rations often put excessive fat on cattle or have other drawbacks.  The cobs of the ear corn added good roughage to the feed and the slower growth made for an overall better product in the end.  Much as been made in recent years about Angus (black) cattle being better than Herefords.  Grocery stores advertise "Angus Beef Only".  But I can assure that I have never had Angus beef that came close to the quality and flavor of those Herefords.  But, more important is the example of generosity in all this.  We do not have to be wealthy enough to give away several cattle.  We can share a beef roast at a meal in our home with someone who needs encouragement and bless them in Jesus' Name.