I could be wrong, but I think when non-farming people picture what a farmer does all day, it probably involves images of a man in overalls driving a tractor out in a picturesque field, milking cows in a tie stall barn, or carrying pails of corn around to feed their cows. There are so many routine and random tasks on a farm each day. From equipment maintenance and fieldwork to feeding livestock and managing manure — these probably don’t paint the prettiest picture in most people’s heads.
One of the seemingly simple tasks completed multiple times each day by livestock farmers is merely making the rounds. Whether done on foot walking through each pen, driving by with the skid loader while pushing up feed, or riding around on an ATV, it’s vital for farmers to check on their animals throughout the day and into the night for several reasons.
Not only is livestock our livelihood financially, but we also simply care about their welfare and want to make sure everyone is safe and healthy. Doing a lap around the farm to check on our animals may be an uneventful (yet necessary) task most of the time. However, on the more eventful strolls throughout barnyards, sheds, and pastures, we can encounter a slew of scenarios.
In the more celebratory sense, my routine walk through our maternity pen often results in the discovery of a new calf or a cow in the process of calving. That happy revelation can quickly switch from being an observatory situation to a high-stress, quick-thinking time to save a calf or a cow’s life.
On a routine walk through the freestall barn filled with our milk cows, we could discover something noteworthy like a cow in heat or that lost its ear tag. Or, on a less-than-ideal day, we could come across a cow that somehow got stuck, a sick animal in need of treatment, or a waterer overflowing.
Two situations come to mind that will immediately have a farmer’s heart racing and their stomach dropping to the floor. The first of which is the classic game of “dead or alive.” Let me explain for those who haven’t experienced this game. Sometimes we’ll look out into a pasture or pen and see an animal flat on its side, not moving. That may prompt us to whistle, clap, or holler to get the animal’s attention, but on the rare occasions, none of those noise-inducing tactics work to get the animal up. That’s when we start to panic and likely race toward the animal with concern that something is horribly wrong. And, you know what? Almost every time, they are either sunbathing or sleeping. They usually pop up, looking a bit dazed and sleepy-eyed, and mosey along as if nothing happened. A deep sigh of relief from the farmer, and they’re onto the next thing, grateful for the brief misunderstanding.
The second situation that will end in everyone involved is the dreaded, “the cows are out!” discovery. Yes, you may be doing a final late-night drive around the farm to check for issues, only to stumble upon a loose cow (or many cows) from a gate being left open or them getting out some other clever way. And you know what? Sometimes you don’t even need to be doing your rounds because the cows might just do rounds of their own . . . on your patio, licking the house window, or mooing from closer than they should.
For all these reasons and so many more, it’s important for farmers to do a thorough inspection of all their facilities and animals multiple times a day. An uneventful, quick stroll is obviously ideal but catching issues in a timely manner before they become bigger problems is always the best policy.
The author dairy farms with her parents and brother near Hawkeye, Iowa. The family milks approximately 300 head of grade Holstein cows at Windsor Valley Dairy LLC — split half and half between a double-eight parallel milking parlor and four robotic milking units. In the spring of 2020, Molly decided to take a leap and fully embrace her love for the industry by returning full time to her family’s dairy.