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Folks,
A couple of months ago, the discussion centered on the need for a
tractor ie. is a tractor a necessary piece of equipment for feeding hay,
and other operations. I've been pondering this question while feeding
every morning. While I am not a fan of tractors, I can't think of many
good alternatives. The problem arises when something involved in a
"make do" feeding procedure breaks down, gets stuck, or won't start. If
you don't have a good contingency plan, you may be sunk. Consider the
following scenario.
Kindest Regards
Steve
Contingency Plans
It is always a good idea to have a contingency plan. This is
particularly true in the realm of agriculture, and especially when the
agricultural enterprise involves livestock. Without fail, Murphy's Law
will take affect, and anything that can go wrong will.
Take the case of Duke and Earl, brothers that run a couple of dozen head
of Angus cross cows at the other end of the county. Earl, the older of
the two brothers, and self proclaimed brains of the outfit summarily
dismissed any need for a contingency plan for feeding the cows based on
his experience with "Ol' Reliable," an almost antique green tractor of
uncertain parentage. "Don't matter how cold it gets," Earl was fond of
saying, "Ol' Reliable will always start on the first turn of the key."
Such boasts have a way of back firing, especially on a farm with no
contingency plan, and especially when the temperature dips to near zero
in an area that is not accustomed to such temperatures.
So it happened that it was Duke's turn to get the cows fed that fateful
morning. The mercury was pushing hard on the min side of the max-min
thermometer, shoving the marker up to the minus side of the zero mark.
Duke looked toward the field where the cows were waiting, and saw the
herd crowded near the center of the field where the first rays of sun
would warm their frosty backs. He walked to the shed where Ol Reliable
waited, climbed onto the cold steel seat, and turned the key. Nothing
happened, the tractor didn't even grunt. Assured that he had done
something wrong, Duke turned off the key, moved the throttle up and
down, pressed harder on the clutch and tried again. Same result. As he
got into his truck to drive over to Earl's house, he noticed the cow
herd had moved a little closer to the gate an anticipation of their
breakfast.
Earl was drinking a cup of coffee and watching the Today Show when Duke
burst into the kitchen. "Earl, Earl!" Duke yelled, "Ol' Reliable won't
start, what we gonna do?"
Earl put down his cup of coffee and glared accusingly at his brother.
"What do you mean Ol' Reliable won't start?" he asked. "Ol' Reliable
always starts. Did you jiggle he gas and push in the clutch all the
way?"
"Sure did," Duke replied. "Just like always. I think it might be the
battery."
"Battery," Earl snorted. "If you want to get something done, do it your
self." Earl stormed out of the kitchen, walked rapidly to his truck and
turned the key. In a moment he was back inside where Duke was drinking
the last of the coffee and watching Good Morning America. "We need to
take your truck," Earl muttered. "Must be water in the gas.
As the brothers drove back to the barn, they could see the cow herd now
massed at the gate, bellowing loudly for their hay. "Pull up next to the
tractor and get the jumper cables, "Earl instructed his brother loudly.
"Um, I think the cables are back in your truck," Duke replied.
"Well, you go get em, just in case we need em. I'll get Ol' Reliable
started while you are gone," the older brother said. As Duke drove off
he could see a few cows leaning over the fence and as he got the jumper
cables out of his brother's truck he could hear the crescendo of moos
growing louder.
When Duke returned, the battery doors were open, and Earl was poking
around the tractor. "Don't know what's wrong," he muttered. Ol' Reliable
always starts. Earl motioned for his brother to pull the truck up close
to the tractor and pop the hood. He took the cables out of the back of
the truck and hooked the tractor to the truck. "Rev 'er up!" he shouted
to his brother. Duke stomped on the gas, Earl climbed up on the tractor
fully confident it would start, turned the key and..nothing, not even a
grunt. "Must be the connections," Earl surmised.
Two hours later, Duke and Earl were still fiddling with Ol' Reliable,
having checked the connections, hooked up an old battery charger and two
pickups to the battery. The cows meanwhile had broken through the gate
and were one weak fence away from the bale yard where the winter's
supply of round hay bales were stored.
"Um, Earl," Duke said softly, "them cows have broken out and are headed
for the hay bales, what should be do.
"Aw, don't worry, there's and electric fence around the bales. Ol'
Reliable will start this time and we'll get the cows to follow us back
to the field," Earl replied as he turned the tractor key. Nothing
happened.again.
"Yeah, but we left the fence down yesterday when we fed," Duke reminded
his brother.
By now a few cows had found the bale yard. The smaller calves were
wedged between bales eating the green grass that grew in the protected
areas. The rest of the herd rushed in and began to eat greedily.
"See, I told you we have a contingency plan," Earl explained to his
brother. "We got the cows fed didn't we. Maybe the tractor will start
tomorrow and we will get the cows back where they belong."
And to this day, if you ask Earl if he has a contingency plan for
feeding the cows he will say "Yup, it 's called a cow self feeder."
