Going to the Livestock Auction. Might buy some Cows.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
- I'm going on a field trip to a livestock auction. It's my first time and I want to get some cattle.
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They looked mostly clean and dry - no coughing or scours with enough room to lie down. I’m a vet, and those calves seemed fine to me.
Lots of replies here, so I'll just say that I appreciate his mission of forging and sharing a welfare-centric approach to animal agriculture, I really respect what he's accomplished so far, and I wish him nothing but success going forward. I just thought he was mistaken here and am concerned a video like this could hurt his mission by burning bridges that don't need to be burned. Watch his follow-up video if you haven't already.
For some reason people feel they can confidently translate animal behavior into animal emotion based off human emotion lol
I agree with Mike Thompson ...those calves were clean, no scours, reasonably healthy looking,
I'm sorry Morgan as much as I love your videos, there is much you need to learn about cattle... please don't become one of "them" ... there's concern for animal welfare and there's not understanding how the system works...
Yeah, I didn't see anything untoward. Looked pretty clean to me.
As product they appear fine. As living and breathing animals they do not appear fine. If left to nature, those calves would still be with their mothers.
@@breinheimmesotin7166 He's speaking from a position of expertise toward an audience even more ignorant than he is. He has a responsibility to understand what he teaches.
They did "look" sad, and they might have been in some distress because they are separated from their mothers, but as far as physical appearance they looked pretty clean and healthy to me. Honestly I've seen way worse auctions, concrete floor no bedding, packed full. Sometimes you almost want to take them home out of sympathy.
Right. I've seen auctions like that: cold concrete floors, metal fencing, calves shoulder to shoulder and packed in so tight that if one laid down it would get trampled by the others, piles of caked on sludge that would rarely get hit with a power washer so people didn't step in it, and just a rancid almost death-like stench that was just barely masked by the smell of bovine sweat. The auction he went to looked like a four star hotel. I'm not trying to be dismissive of his experience nor the stress the calves were under, but I'm sure they were mostly weary from being transported and away from their mothers- which is bound to happen, no matter how clean the auction is. Do we need to do better with our animal welfare? Yes, always. However, that auction house was quite the cut above, and frankly I was impressed with how nice it looked considering they probably have hundreds of animals through there in a day.
That was hard to hear the little ones calling for their mamas.
It was difficult to hear them calling to their moms. It’s so unnatural to take them away so young. But that’s unfortunately what happens when money and animals get involved. I wish it wouldn’t happen, but it does. Personally, if I had cows, I would let the baby be with the mom as long as it wanted to, for their whole lives.
@@EmmaBall2003 Those are dairy calves. Probably came from a commercial dairy operation. Dairy cows have to be bred each year to stay in milk. It is normal for calves to be taken off the mom so she can go into full milk production. Some heifers may be held back and put on the pail to grow up as replacement heifers. But all bull calves go to auction. They are bought up by farmers set up to handle calves, fed out, then processed. Some go to veal producers, but I have never liked that system and won't eat veal.
Just because you've seen worse auctions, doesn't mean this one was good. Many of those calves were way too thin and the conditions were still bad. Many of those adult cows were also too thin. Overall, commercial farms do not raise their cows humanely and most auctions are just a glimpse of that. I was depressed at the auctions I went to also.
I’m confused. That was the cleanest looking auction house I’ve ever seen video of. Nothing even looked sick. The calves looked like normal dairy calves to me or bottle babies. One calf looked like it had a small cut on its head which could have easily happened on accident in transport (not anything to do with the auction house). And the music you put with the man loading the calf. It was so dramatic and he was being pretty gentle. Like I’ve seen some pretty horrific footage of auction house animals being “loaded” and that was literally the opposite. I mean sure if you don’t want to go to auction houses don’t but don’t bash one that is doing an really good job providing clean and safe environment for the animals.
I’ve heard the saying, “to invest in what you know”. So, it’s a good thing you didn’t invest in any cows today, you’re still learning about cows and aren’t quite ready yet. Good move.
I agree. It’s good to visit auctions, and farms selling cattle. Spend time at your neighbor’s farm. The one whose cattle got on your property. Volunteer there and see what work goes into it. You can’t learn too much, but if you don’t know enough you can certainly get yourself in a heap of trouble. The worse thing would be is to get cows too soon. You need to see for yourself in person. Get toughened up to the reality that it’s a tough business. Especially doing it by yourself. Honestly look at how much space you have, too. I thought although a little sad the calfs look great. What we saw of the cows too. I’m no expert, just trying to see it realistically.
Very true, Lori Jones!
@@GoldShawFarm, Morgan you’re going about this just fine. If you’ll get the barn ready, work with someone else’s cows, and learn, learn learn. Get hands on experience. That’s the most important and safest when at someone else’s farm.
@@GoldShawFarm mate you have so much to learn
so much fail today
I like your content, but you failed today! Ag has a bad enough time with false information peddling activists - please don’t become one of them.
If you’ve never been to an auction before, it can be surprising. The animals that you showed in your video actually looked healthy to me. I saw no signs of illness or even dire distress. It was neat, clean and seemed to be well run. I hope you’ll try going again. You’re in the educational curve. Any animals that you bring home will be well cared for. Maybe take a neighbor who has more experience with you next time to give you a running commentary on what you’re seeing.
Ya I can't imagine making a purchase like that going in blind--he should ask one of his neighbors for advice for sure.
Yours is one of the most educational and compassionate comments here. Love it!
YES a lot of people forget they should have a guide anywhere they feel like an outsider, if possible. Heck I take someone knowledgeable about a single ISLE in the art store if I've never worked on the kind of projects it has products for on the shelves. Saves so much stress. You can get minor culture shock from so many normal things nowadays because the world "being smaller" means the amount you need to know is bigger!
Dude it's temporary. Every animal that comes to my farm has a terrible time. Transportation in a car, quarantined, then getting picked on for the pecking order dance. It's so sad bringing new birds. But then they make friends, find a little place to hang out and soon enough another new bird comes and they are left alone. The auction house is temporary and of course the animals are miserable there, the people too. That doesn't mean that each of those animals didn't go to a loving caring farmer.
We know a few people and its gotten around .. he may be a bit jaded as he was asked not to film .
@@ambermcfarland6273 What has gotten around?
This
Yeah I COMPLETELY agree. Transportation is the main reason why the animals are miserable.
@@ambermcfarland6273 I hope Morgan's not burning bridges with these videos. I imagine a lot of people in his area know about him and have seen the channel. This video is super judgmental and I wouldn't be surprised if the people he recorded were offended. Just seems like a careless decision.
To be honest I didn’t really see much wrong with the auction or holding pens. If it’s only for a few hours during the auctions before they go to new homes... it doesn’t seem too bad
Yah well most of the time if it’s bad then they would stay there and that would be there home pens (I hope not though)
Yeah and the cows are all mooing back and forth saying hello to each other. They looked great. Wish i had land and money to get myself some
@@Yur_l0cal_therian no they wouldn't they would go back to the farm they came from auctions are usually a weekly or monthly thing they would not keep the animals there more then 24hrs because some people check in the night before but everything is gone by the day after.
Tbh I don't think the calves looked that bad. They had enough room to lay down and weren't trampling each other. Yeah, they're not happy, but why would they be? It's only a temporary situation
Keep telling yourself that I'm in a farming county. I've seen worse but good ones including our county the calves are fat w/ milk replacer. The ones I seen that were worse... there was inches of mud (up to their knees) no hay/ straw/ shavings. Cattle with curled up hooves. Hoof rot downers cows. Ribs showing badly ect and they were using shocker sticks. (we used herding dogs. Which is kinder in a cows eyes? hmmm i still say our herding dogs were better) I signed a petition that was going around at one for cruelty to animals. It went to court. They were shut dwn for a long time. GOOD!!!
Removing them from their mother and breaking all the laws of nature makes them totally ok as long as they are not screaming, right?
"They had enough room to lay down and weren't trampling each other" are some very very low standards
@@Nylon_riot I mean people are completely fine when it’s puppies so idk
One of the things I would suggest is to bring someone knowledgable in cattle with you, whether you get them from an independent farmer or auction. They may notice things you don't.
I agree..
All the calf’s looked healthy to me. I have 124 cows. Maybe you should visit a cow farm so you can understand more not trying to be rude I love you channel
I don't think his goals are like yours. You can't raise 124 cows at a good standard. You can keep them alive and healthy, but can't argue that they're gonna be happy.
Which, I'm not here to propagandize to you, but his goals are less profit and more homely.
@@Alex-ui8xp That's a pretty harsh accusation!
@alex I’ve working on a 1200 cow dairy and been to many other dairy’s those are some of the happiest cows I’ve ever seen. Happy cows produce more milk that’s the goal.
@@Alex-ui8xp all of mine are in really good condition and happy. As you have never seen my farm I don’t think you know. Maybe educate yourself
@@Alex-ui8xp I agree that Gold Shaw's goal isn't 100% for profit when it comes to his animals, but stating "You can keep them alive and healthy, but can't argue that they're gonna be happy," seems to be a bit naïve. If you do it right, you can have 1000 happy cows at one time, but the key is doing it right. I believe you and Gold Shaw's issues with the auctions may be due to what *usually* happens to most cattle on farms, which is the mistreatment of the cows, and we are all against that.
I'm not a rancher/farmer myself, but I shouldn't have to be to understand this, "If you treat a cow like a cow and let it live like a cow then there's no better way to raise a cow." Fresh grass, water, and sunshine makes for any number of happy cows.
The place looked pretty clean and healthy. I think you're just very empathetic and feeling the distress of all the calves separated from their mothers.
...which is completely normal for milk cows. They're just not good mothers. They often abandon their calves and they produce too much milk and miklig a cow with a calf is really hard.
But yeah Morgan may just be too empathetic towards animals for his own sake. I hope he'll find a way to keep his cows in a way hes happy with.
@@Rubenwil First of all, I will say that I did not see anything particularly bad about this auction either. Compared to the few auctions I've seen in person, this one looked remarkably clean and well kept, and I thought the animals looked, for the most part, reasonably healthy. However, I can also sympathize with Morgan somewhat, as I also greatly dislike seeing such young calves separated from their mothers. Do dairy cows generally produce way too much milk for their calves? Yes. Are they just not good mothers who will often abandon their calves? No, in my experience, this is absolutely not true. If allowed to properly bond with their calves, and if given a good environment to raise them, most cows make wonderful mothers, dairy or otherwise. I've seen conventional dairy farmers try to argue that dairy cows are not good mothers and that separation is better for cow and calf, but based on what I've researched and experienced firsthand, this is generally not the case. Are there instances where cows don't make good mothers and even reject their calves? Absolutely, but most of the time such cases are directly due to a poor/stressful environment, human interference, and/or inexperience (first time heifers). Even then, such cases are the minority. If cow and calf are given proper care and a good environment, leaving calves with their mothers usually results in many benefits, including decreased calf mortality rates, stronger immune systems, and increased growth rates due to having their mother’s milk (powdered milk formula can never truly be as good as the real thing). The suckling can also help protect cows against mastitis, and calves who are raised with their mothers/in a herd setting develop much better social skills. Also, you can absolutely milk cows who have calves with them. It's really not all that hard once you figure out a system that works for your situation. Many small farmers/homesteaders do just that, and some larger dairy farms (100+ cattle) are starting to adopt the practice as well. Of course, I understand that milking hundreds or thousands of cattle is a whole different league than milking a smaller herd, but even so, the primary reason for separating calves has always been to keep them from drinking the milk. More milk means more profit for the farmers, which is understandable (everyone wants to make a living), but in my opinion, not justifiable. I will always believe that when cattle are allowed to just be cattle, roaming on good pasture, and calves with their mothers, they are happier and healthier for it.
Now, I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but I grew up on a cattle farm (beef) and currently still live and work there. Many of our surrounding neighbors have dairy farms as well (and as far as I am aware, all of them currently do, unfortunately, separate calves from mothers). So I think I am reasonably familiar with cattle and cattle behavior at this point. I've seen the strong emotional side of cattle as they express joy and excitement, as well as fear, loneliness, anxiety, and anguish. I've seen the strong bond formed as cows (both dairy and beef) lick their newborn calves clean, and I've also seen, firsthand, the stress caused by separating calves from mothers, and heard the desperate bellowing as the baby is dragged away. That is something I personally cannot see any way to justify. Maybe I just anthropomorphize animals too much and see emotions that aren't there, but when you really take the time to interact with them and observe their behavior, I just don't see how you can interpret it any other way.
I'm certainly not trying to paint all farmers as bad people. Far from it. There are many great farmers out there, and most of the farmers I know are good people (even if I don't always agree with all of their practices). I'm also really not against raising animals for meat (though I am a vegetarian myself), nor am I against dairy. However, I am definitely against separating young babies from mothers (unless absolutely necessary), or any other practices that have a significant, negative impact on the overall welfare and wellbeing of the animals, both physically and mentally/emotionally. Even if they are being raised for profit, animals should be allowed to be animals and treated as living beings, not as products in an industrial setting. As farmers, we need to really evaluate how we are raising our animals. We should be constantly striving to improve our welfare practices, and It should be our responsibility to give our animals the best lives we possibly can. And if/when it comes time to end that life, it should ideally be as stress free and humane as possible. Hopefully, we will continue to see more and more of the livestock industry improve and align itself with these ideals.
@@scottlepak7068 I definitely agree as a fellow meat eater, we owe the animals we eat a good life beforehand.
@@MtnNerd It's definitely one of the decisions I have faced and one of the reasons I have made certain choices. Maybe not everyone can raise their own meat/dairy/eggs, but there are people who can do it for small groups, and consumers can definitely have an impact on what small producers choose to do.
I'd love to work with a community to provide happy poultry and poultry products for a community. I think it's doable, if everyone involved is willing and able to step up to their ability to effect their food supply. A Consumer Supported Agricultural group can do amazing things, in both directions.
I'm no farmer, but they all seemed good. Sure, they're a bit stressed and nervous, but that's understandable.
@Kratos GodofWar the calves were stressed. This is not anthropomorphism. It’s just the fact of the matter.
I think the real argument is whether or not it’s cruel for animals to feel any stress due to our actions.
In my personal opinion, stress is a perfectly natural part of life and it wasn’t being applied needlessly.
I totally disagree with his take. But I also really can’t understand how you have come to the conclusion that those animals weren’t feeling any stress.
@Kratos GodofWar you do know that we’re animals?
Let’s be realistic here, how do you expect them to properly auction off animals if they’re sitting in a large happy green pasture like you might have imagined. There’s going to be (temporary) holding enclosures bc it’s simply the most effective way of auction off the animals. Sitting in those pens for a short amount of time will not kill the animals lol
Aiden and Jay... while you both seem to find humor in discovering people who have gentle kinder hearts. Who want highest quality possible on everything(life & land). Remember not everyone is willing to settle of less and label it as just fine/standard practice. I am not sure by your use of the word temporary containment. How long is that? A few hours, days,??? Most get shipped in that can take a day or two and sit overnight sometimes for the morning auction. Some go from one local auction to the next a distance away (some animals don't get fed til auction day, some don't eat due to stess) I Have been going to state and county fair's for the last 55+ years. We were allowed to get one food item and pick one midway ride as a kid, the rest of time was spent in barns and watching judgings. I like Aiden's idea of walking in green pastures to bid on relaxed healthy livestock, sure beats the stressful stockyard noisy auctions. Jay, are people really over reacting? Or are you just comfortably numb? Even penned fair livestock never seem to look as miserable as stockyard auction animals. Just saying you might want to re-evaluate your under reaction.
While the one Morgan went to seemed to be better than most that I have seen. The last one this march in sw Minnesota had a mix of health. but many that looked miserable and some very ill. (Side note to vet that commented earlier to a different reply. If you read this. There is a differance in quantity vrs quality. We can find lots of doctors, dentists and veterinarians, finding a quality one, now that's a trick. Sadly it's seems we as consumer's are stuck with having to settle far too often that we eventually fail to recognize what quality should be). The almighty profit dollar has become the benchmark for quality with the least of effort.
I am glad their are still some people that realize quality takes real work, real conscious attention to details. And most important > pride and self respect in offering the very best humanly possible. (And Humanely possible).
@@AngelMGordon you spent way to much time on that, my thread ain’t that deep lmao
@@AngelMGordon are you writing a book?
@@rg3595 Wow, you really are an airhead aren’t you
Gpa said, never buy livestock off site from where it has been living. Buy from an owner that welcomes you to their farm and shows you around.
A young cow becomes an old cow very quickly if the conditions of the farm it has been living on are poor. You cannot see that at an auction site.
This sounds like the “right” way!
100000000000%x infinity AGREED
We always purchased from a local dairy farm. Bucket fed & nuetered. Raised for beef. I grew up knowing where beef came from & how it was on our table. ( Except the steaks were for dad ..would only give us 1 bite).
For your first time at the auction, it might have been a good idea to someone go with you that had experience at an auction. Those cattle looked fine and healthy.
I really like the way you think and care for your animals. Even though ultimately your flock is destined to become ‘groceries’ they still are cared for by you. They will live happily and die happy. You Da Man!!
I own cattle in Mexico and we dont separate the calfs from their mom until they're 8 months
Edit: my cows are for
Beef
But are those milk or beef?
@Mathew U can't you milk the mom to relieve the pain?
@@8happyperson you’d have to do it twice a day per cow,
@@ayoo3849 okay..... and?
@@8happyperson I think the purpose of Mathew's comment was to distinguish that Dairy Calves are weaned sooner than Beef. It is a super common practice and the calves grow up just fine. If you don't like it, that's fine, but it is a common and healthy practice that produces well for farmers.
I didn't particularly see the cows suffering tbh. They certaintly weren't cramped there, they could move but maybe my standards are not as high as yours.
his standards are uninformed, peta-bound nonsense. those animals looked great.
@@bunniesbunniesbunnie His standards are uninformed. That's part of why people watch him. That's the whole point.
I agree those critters looked amazing! I was watching some of those adults and wishing I had access and space. Nice auction, too. Yeah, the auctioneer was a good one.
Now, I live in beef country, and have a herd of pretty Angus to one side, and auction-bought feeders on another. I studied with Ag students in Uni.
If you don't know what's going on, it's a bit rough. It's not a situation to just walk into off the street. Which, if you stop and think, is what he is/was doing.
The guy is making it up as he goes along. If you don't like to watch what he does, or if something about his style bothers you, there are other people on TH-cam. It's a pretty big internet.
I promise. No one will force you to watch him.
@@goldengryphon you sound like you're projecting. let me help you.
@Mikayla Kray Nah.
i’ve worked on a farm for a while and this easter my boss gave me some land and brought me some ducks to start my own business i’m based in the middle of england and love your videos
While i dont know anything about it, sounds like a nice boss! You dont find those everywhere :))
What a nice boss. You should offer him your first and best duck off the line for his holiday meal. Hope all is well in England.
What a nice boss! That sounds like a pretty life changing gift, your boss must think pretty highly of you
wow you lucky bastard! how much land?! I'm in Somerset and desperate for my own land but it seems impossible
Wow nice! I am thinking of getting a farm myself I love animals I really want to have a freind animals never betray you. I mostly care about others than money.
Can't wait to see Toby's face when he sees the first cow arrive. Please get that on camera.
I think Toby needs to consult on this choice. He knows all and sees all, it seems to me.
You joke about that but I would recommend being careful because we had a great Pyrenees who responded to our miniature horse by grabbing him by the leg and treating him like a predator instead of something to be protected. It was clearly instinctive and he stopped immediately when we reacted, but it was quite a surprise!
he'll get kicked in the face and probably get a broken jaw because you know this guy isn't going to carefully introduce him and calves are great at fucking up dogs.
@@bunniesbunniesbunnie Did someone piss in you oatmeal? I mean, every time I see you comment, it's all about how awful you find the channel. If you're really that unhappy with the dude, just watch something else. Seriously. Please.
@@goldengryphon maybe he should do better instead.
Heyo, vegan who grew up on a 64 acre goat farm. This auction was actually a lot cleaner than I've seen, especially for cattle. I've seen some where there were dead/dying animals in the pens and they were standing up to their knees in mud and feces. Not saying it was the best auction or the cleanest conditions but they were only there temporarily and the animals themselves seemed fairly healthy.
I have been to quite a few livestock and just horse auctions in my lifetime,to be honest that one didn’t seem as bad as some. They had decent sized pens and lots of deep ,clean bedding. The sad fact is though that most auctions sell a fair amount of “cull” stock which means you re not always getting the animals at their best. The risk is also that people may be shipping stock that is sick with something that is communicable. Seeing all the calves is sad but as long as they are healthy will potentially be lucky enough to be bought by small farmers and will get a happy couple of years before the get harvested. Many of the older cows may not be so lucky and will be “shipped”. A few may luck out and go home with a homestead type family that are looking for a family milk cow. Stay true to who you are Morgan,your integrity will continue to make you a good farmer and steward of the animals and land in your care.
Beautifully put!
honestly i think you might have misinterpreted the situation in the auction ... every animal "looks sad" when they are not in familiar environment specially young ones but that doesent mean that the animal cant become an happy animal when free ranged....
if the animal is healthy and strong there is probably nothing to worry about to buy in an auction ..... i mean you have seen for your self how depress looking an animal can look after it is separated from its flock/ heard but how happy and good looking it will be after it is united with another flock/heard.
dont get me wrong there are probably farmers out there that do not have their act together but most farmers will prioritize the health and well begin of their animals
place was looking pretty dang good for a bunch of the animals having been packed up and shipped from near and far, calves were a bit young but that's not uncommon for dairy cattle(the dairy cows have a less then stellar reputation at parenting)
hey Morgan you should look into planing reeds and stuff around your pond for water retention and helping your water table this summer. it would be awesome to see! love to see the care you put into your farm man! ill try and comment on more of your videos.
... creating a marsh area might invite critters tho ...
@@willgaukler8979 I wouldn't worry with Toby on duty.
@@willgaukler8979 Yeah but he does plan to add more cats
@@willgaukler8979 The birds will love extra bugs to eat.
ok ok....GEESE. yeah nah.
I think the part of your videos that I prefer, is you putting your birds to bed. Put a smile on my face everytime.
I come from a livestock back ground originally and you are trying to apply rose tinted ideals to a situation that may not be ideal it is a temporary housing situation for possibly one or two days they were on clean bedding with sufficient Room to move about none appeared to have scours or respiratory issues they appeared to have enough space to lie down if they wanted Having said that if you find an auction distressing you can do an online transaction directly between sellers and buyers these days but be ware as you do not have the protection of the professional auctioneers who have a vested interest to be sure that the animals are healthy as they have reputations to protect if there is a health or welfare issue then you have recourse for correction through them
The fact that you came away from the auction with some insight made the experience worthwhile. The calves looked clean and healthy to me , but all that mattered was how you saw it. Auctions can be a sad place to be, that's for sure. Dude, love your videos.
I hesitate to start this but I will. I didn't see any unhealthy calves. I saw a bunch of healthy calves that were not sad they were sleeping. And I didn't see any calves only a day or two old. I didn't see any calves with umbilical cords which you will see if they are only a day or two old. While I'm not saying all farm animals are humanely treated, most are these days. Most farmers realize mistreated animals are not profitable as the buyers know the difference and don't pay much for unhealthy animals. Calves aren't with their mothers long enough to form attachments so they don't miss their moms. They are bottle feed necessary colostrum. Calves moo quite a bit but and they need fed regular but farmers fill them up before they go, I didn't hear any hungry calves. Calves also like most babies sleep alot and these all look like they were well fed and comfortable. Auctions are not the hell holes they used to be at all.
Well Morgan this vidio was when you were just talking about buying cows but now you have a village growing 👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰
Felt cute, might buy some cows later
Mood
@@audri8152 *moo* d
Moooo
*moo* I thought it was *mood* the song
I think this video displays an honest rawness of an emotional impact from a situation you lacked experience with and a truthful account for how that made you feel in the moment. I also think it highlighted some values that are important to you in terms of how you would like to raise, multiple, kill, & sell cattle. What I've learned over the years is that starting somewhere is better than starting nowhere even if somewhere is a bit shocking. Shocks have a way of illuminating truths hidden in the deepest & darkest corners of our heart. Now that you know what you don't want, probably best to search out people who raise, multiply, kill & sell cattle in a way that resonates with the light of truth that you've learned for/of and about yourself from this experience. Shine bright and be your own version of a cattle farmer. That's inspiration enough for the rest of us to do our thing in our own unique way.
Happy Farming!!
I got ducks this year Bc your channel
That’s Awsome!!!!
Very cool!
Same!!
Do you guys have muscovey ducks if no I recommend having a muscovy ducks
@@davidferguson8183 it depends though
I am 13 and have lived on a dairy farm my hole life, and the one clip of the calf being pushed into the cattle trailer isn't bad to me. I have been pushed to the ground before trying to move a month old calf. Calves just aren't cooperative. And ps. I'm not hating I'm just informing. I love the channel.
Seriously!! Calves are 80+ pounds and wiggle like crazy
I love how Morgan stands by ethical treatment of animals, and how he's self aware enough to know his own farm isn't perfect, because even the very best can STILL improve upon things, never stop striving to become better. I also think visiting places like these auctions is a good experience, it shows you how things shouldn't maybe always be done, how animals fare is such conditions. It's also a good place to be reminded of WHERE the animals you buy comes from.
If I were looking for cattle I'd try and find an ethical breeder with healthy and happy animals, even if that ends up being quite the journey to travle once you find them.
When I was a kid in the mid 60's we drove cross country and visited family friends in St. Johnsbury. Hasenfus family had a beautiful old house and a creek out front. His brother was a famous artist and my dad's childhood friend. I always remember the joy I felt, that this must be the most beautiful place on earth. I also went to a television station and wish I could remember more... Love the channel. This was especially touching. xoxo
honestly better conditions than many barns... fresh bedding, well spaced...for VIEWING of course.
This year you have inspired me to actually start doing what I would like to in life and Im soon to be the owner of a poultry farm. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your community support and the videos showing all aspects of the farming life.
I am actually very surprised you were allowed to film at the auction, all the livestock auctions in Upstate New York have very strict no film or still photography policies.
That’s probably why they were looking🤣
I wonder if he asked if he could film
I don't think he asked them. :)
@@youarebymyside Somethin tells me you're right. Somethin also tells me this video didn't get the response he expected.
dont name them if you plan to eat them, otherwise they become very expensive and large pets.
It's hard to see those young calves separated from their mothers, for sure. They will need to be trained now to drink milk replacer, probably from buckets. We used to have a dairy farm and I heard many stories of horrible treatment of the dairy cows. I truly hope that more new, young farmers will learn the importance of treating all the animals humanely. My neighbor and I have each bought a feeder pig and I am enjoying watching them and caring for them. They love to be scratched and rubbed, they watch what we're doing and hang by the gate when we leave as if they want us to stay a little longer. They have a wonderful life and I am happy to provide that for them. I love the homesteaders saying "My animals will have only one bad day", The knowledge that my meat was raised to the best of my abilities will be a good thing. I am so thankful that you, kind and good man that you are, are watching and speaking out against animal cruelty. Sincere thanks.
My grandpa had a cattle ranch with a small dairy on it and the calves looked like those. Lots were bottle babies and they cried for their mothers for about a week. That auction house was not bad at all but it still pulls at the heart strings...you better hope that it never stops pulling at your heart, you are a good person and that is just how good people feel.
I went back to this video to see the comments and truly these comment are sooooo well said with great feedback. This community is very wholesome and I can tell that we are here to grow this farm together. I'm learning a lot about farming with no intent of becoming a farmer. I'm glad there is still people here doing that!!! Keep up the great work everyone 😁
The calves were clean, dry, shiny, and bright/alert, the outdoor cows were also clean and shiny. Pens were well cared for. Auctions are inherently stressful for animals, and can be really overwhelming for newcomers. Keep in mind, livestock are generally in these kinds of auction yards for less than 24 hours. I've sold Angus bulls at auction that arrived within the hour of being sold! Try Craigslist! Hobby farms often advertise animals for sale there, and buying direct from another farm cuts out the middleman auction, though other farms don't always have a good setup for rounding up and loading animals!
Cow are a completely different thing. I used to Work on a dairy farm. And that’s how all the cows always acted.
The auction house is a temporary place too. They don’t live like that and livestock can be nervous.
Are you planning on getting dairy cows?
Remember what ends up at those auctions are often the runts. A farm will keep the best for themselves, the decent are reserved and sold away from the auctions, so what's left is basically what nobody wants.
This is especially true for auctions in smaller communities where everyone knows everyone else and thus has connections and visit each other.
Best way to get your cattle may well be to strike up some conversations with other farmers in your general area who're breeding the breeds you're interesting in, rather than go to random auctions (though you might get some idea of what prices are for animals at them, and maybe make those connections).
A lot go to slaughter. Born to die. It happens with the horses too up in Canada they keep pregnant mares tied up all the time they don't get out they don't get to move and they collect their urine for Premarin, a hormone drug for women. When they fools are born they are sold to slaughter and the mares are gotten pregnant again. Heartbreaking
You’re learning and exploring. You’re allowing us to take that journey with you. I hope you don’t overthink all of the opinions and comments. Keep up the great videos. I can’t imagine half of these people wanting their life and daily decisions documented. They would get some haters for sure.
Morgan, you KNOW poultry.....behavior, condition and health. You can see things some others can't. The same goes for cattle. You are out of your comfort zone. I think you need to take a cattle person with you when you decide to pick out your herd. They will see things not so obvious to you and help you with your decision. Local farmers here have told me to stay away from auctions if you want the best quality animals. While they may not be diseased or unhealthy they often are the farmers way of dumping lesser quality animals to keep their herds in good shape. Always consult with a knowledgeable person when buying anything, be it cattle, ducks, tractors or hoses! It saves money and grief. Looking forward to seeing you get started with the cattle.
I was recommended this channel out of nowhere last month, but now I can’t stop watching your vids. Keep up the great work!
People who don't work with cows daily should probably not comment on subjects they aren't informed on
These are the discussions we need to be having. I love that you are so self aware and flexible yet approaching everything from a place of sheer decency. Putting yourself out there like this when you know everyone wont just agree is really brave and a testament to your desire to learn.
Don't know what the market is like in the U.S. but as someone who is a dairy farmer in New Zealand, I have always found that livestock auctions reek of desperation: Farmers who are desperate to sell their low quality and desperate animals to other farmers who are desperate to get livestock on the cheap.
If you want to get a quality animal I have always found it better to buy directly from a farm you know and trust, or work with a livestock agent.
This is especially true if you are more interested in milk production over beef.
This is the best comment and the best advice I read here.... Hope Morgan reads this,,,,, excellent.
It’s completely different in the US. Livestock auctions, particularly cattle auctions, are very competitive and very high steaks (pun). Reputable auction house have strict adherence to USDA regulations, require proof of vaccinations, and do not allow the sale of obviously sick animals. And the sale prices are all public and tend to set the price for non auction sales as well.
I'm glad so many people on here are knowledgeable about cattle! Great discussion in the comments
It seems you're misinterpreting cow behaviour, they were fine. They weren't ecstatic to be there but they were healthy and well kept in their temporary enclosures.
It might just be the filter of seeing through video instead of actually being there, but it didn't look bad to me.
I have to say, I’m very glad I watched your follow up to this video before the original. If I had seen this one first I would have had a harder time with your assessment. Having grown up in the cattle industry, this was one of the cleanest, calmest livestock auctions I’ve seen. All of the calves looked fairly healthy and well managed. I know they look tired and sad, but they just went through the jolt of being separated from mom for the first time, and then being in a new scary place, so that’s to be expected, and thankfully it is a short lived experience for them. And while I’m sure most people would rather each calf be lovingly weaned from momma at their own pace and then gently led to their new home, it usually isn’t feasible on the large scale. I agree that we each have to put our money where our convictions lie, though. If it’s something that makes us uncomfortable, that is a time to research and and become more acquainted with why things are done that way. At that point if we still don’t agree with the practice, we walk away and find a better alternative, and possibly try to educate others to the options available. This is the best way to encourage change. I very much appreciate your attitude and your openness to reevaluate your experience after the shock of the situation wore off. Most people, including those who farm on the large scale like dairies, truly do care about their livestock. Thank you for being open and honest and vulnerable. We’re all still learning, just at different stages.
Those calves looked good, the pen was clean and deep bedded. Dairy bull calves mostly go to sale that young because that’s what the buyers want. I saw bright eyes, clear noses and no ear drop or sunken eyes. It’d be great if before you lectured you knew what you’re looking for....
honestly... that’s what i was thinking. their pen was very clean, and they didn’t look skinny, just thin as young ruminants are.
@@gunnar5489 thats uncalled for, how are you going to call him a “hobby farmer “ when his entire YT channel is dedicated to farming
@@gunnar5489 he has been living on a farm for the past 4 years. He raises birds from eggs till they are slaughtered. He makes money of the birds. He is growing an entire farm. How tf is he not a farmer?
@@nickoutdoors2370 yes.he is a hobby farmer,because he is not dependent on the profit he makes. and there is the issue. a farmer is not neccessarly interested in the well-being of an animal. it has to be just healthy enough to make profit out of it and that´s it. as far as i can judge, morgan tries to make his animals as happy as possible, which makes him happy and me as audiance aswell. i am clearly not happy with the slaughtering but that decision everybody has to square with their own concious.
I’m a city dweller, but the first thing that I noticed was how clean the pen was. I know what comes out of a cow’s back end, so that impressed me. That black and white cow that came up close to the camera was really cute, I was hoping that you would buy her. However, I don’t think that you were ready to buy. You learned a lot, maybe you need to see a different auction to compare?
My first thought when you showed the calves at auction was "Oh man, all those mothers and babies separated." I admit I'm a big hypocrite cuz nothing better than a big ole hamburger.
It makes me sad to have to say that
these calves are actually just "waste"!
In order for the cows to give milk, they have to have calves every year.
The problem is, that the most calves are not needed.
Sad story!!
@@Optimismus53 They aren't wasted though. Either they are used as replacement heifers or are turned into food. It would be silly for the farmer to just throw them out.
@@melissarecord7102 born to die is just not right. No different than the ducklings/goslings at the store.
@@caciliawhy5195 everything dies eventually.
Saw the calves & skipped forward . That's what makes people want to swear off meat. But then most humans are conditioned to eat meat since they are toddlers
If this had been posted a week earlier I would have thought Morgan was trying to pull one over on his viewers like he did a year ago with his "Tigers" episode. I thought he was kidding because obviously the cattle and calves at the auction were in very good shape and well-taken care of. I've seen 5-year-old children look more bewildered on their first day of school. He's got way more to learn than he realizes, but maybe in a couple of years he'll be ready for cattle.
I've been following you for awhile and one of the reasons might just be displayed very clearly in this video. Perhaps all farmers have strong ethics and strict moral compasses guiding them but not many display them as proudly as you do and I so admire that about you. Your ethics are so much a part of you that betraying them would really never enter your mind. Love your videos!
I was actually surprised by you going because I was under the impression that you had more preparation to finish before bringing cows on your farm. While I agree with you about the necessity for ethical treatment (I am very opposed to industrial farming), you have to be practical about certain aspects of this business. This was an auction house where many animals have to be accommodated for the short duration of the auction only - you can't expect that they will have as much space for each animal as you do on your farm for a limited and fixed number of animals. Maybe I don't know enough about the small farm business, but unless you saw something else, what you showed did not seem to be that horrible or unexpected.
Well that was 12 minutes I’ll never get back.
Aw. No references to Grundy County Auction.
Are you currently prepared to take on cattle? What are your standards for taking adequate care of cattle? What additional steps can you take to ensure that you meet or exceed those standards? Did your trip to the auction change how you plan to keep cattle on your farm?
You'll have to find out the hard way it's not all sunshine and rainbows a lot of hard hardships to the business
You don't live in the real world because farming trying to make money at it is awful hard I've been doing it my whole life and you wonder how you going to pay the bills some days in wonder what you going to do when you get to be an old man what you going to live on
Cows are such majestic animals with a loving disposition. It was hard to watch the auction and I’m relieved to hear how it affected you. Thank you for always having a heart for animals ❤️❤️❤️
It’s always a good day when Gold Shaw Farms posts
I always get sad, too, when I go to auctions. I buy from private parties where I go straight to the farm where the animal was raised. I , still take them to the vet for labs and quarantine prior to their arrival to my homestead. It’s better to be safe than sorry. All the best.
How would you suggest they house them they were all dry and clean and lieing down. I don't see the issue
I agree with what most folks below were saying... they really looked pretty good. And think of it like this... you could give them a MUCH BETTER home! :D It is great that you care too.
Those calves had it pretty good, yea they were kinda sad but that's just cuz they were getting weaned. I helped my grandpa with his cattle operation for a few years, and the only bad days they had were when they were weaned and transported. I don't think that those calves in the sale barn had anything to do with cruelty, they looked healthy to me but I wasn't there. And dairy calves get weaned quickly so they can put the cow into milk production.
Agree and quite often when the calves are brought home they greatly improve. They had nice fresh dry sawdust.
We need to rethink how calves get weaned in the name of cheap milk. It might look normal to you, but for those of us not engaged in the process and emotionally hardened by it, it looks awful. Off to buy more plant milk cuz I'm not giving these people money.
@@susanholl5994 I dont think we need to rethink it, they have to get weaned sooner or later, it might as well be sooner. Animals are here to produce food, or provide labor for people. You might think that's harsh, it might be, but that's how it is.
@@allaboutoversizedloadsgr1557 yes, their bedding was very clean, these calves are in good hands, I don't think there is any animal cruelty in this case
@@donmcmaine9213 I've never heard of a week old calf getting weaned. maybe you meant removed from mother and nipple fed but their is know way in hell you can wean a two or three day old calve.
Look at those guys they are active lookin healthy. Good cows
That blood you kept zooming in on was likely from it's disbudded site. Our goats and cows bleed a little when the scab falls off. The calves looked good to me. What is wrong with the sawdust? That's a good, clean bedding.
I'm a bit disappointed by your response here. I totally disagree that they were sad. Stressed? Yes, but not any more than the chicks that come in the mail. Also, calves sleep a LOT, so those guys looked like they were par for the course.
He seems to have forgotten his Bruce the Goose video.....he went to a farm to get a new goose and I’m sure folks who weren’t familiar with raising waterfowl would think it was just awful of him to chase a goose around & catch it in a net, put it in a cage without a bottom in the back of a truck. Poor Bruce looked pretty miserable when he was hitting his head on the cage, trying to get out, which caused him to injure his beak. It would be nice of Morgan to give the farmers at the auction the same amount of grace that he gave himself when getting Bruce.
You and Allison have such huge hearts for animals Morgan! Bless you
Good idea to get the cattle from someone you know 👍
Growing up in the country and seeing livestock auctions all the time I think that one was fairly good. I mean an auction setup compared to a farm is way different but also way harder to make like the farm. Sometimes farming is a bit ugly kind of like the nature of the beast, they could look aloof there because the scramble from the auction but have had a good farm life so far.
What I saw were healthy cattle in holding pens for the purpose of auction. Some auctions do have more separate holding pens that are smaller with fewer animals in each, but the animals all looked healthy. I also didn't see any cattle branded, must only be practiced in areas like Texas, Montana and North Dakota...
I always find livestock auctions intimidating. In fact, ANY auction can be intimidating the first couple of times you go. Not to worry, Morgan, I’m gonna keep watching your channel!
Personally, while I can’t imagine the auction was pleasant for any of the cows, the calves especially, they are only there for a few hours before going home, to either a new home or their old one. It’s kinda like an animal shelter; it’s not pleasant for the animals, and you can tell they don’t like it there, but they are only there for a short period of time and it’s only the middle ground between two hopefully great homes. I live in the south, and the state fair always has a huge section of it dedicated to cattle shows, and I’ve seen cows, horses, sheep, and pigs live in those small stalls for days at a time. With the Cows and Horses, there’s barely enough room for them to turn around and with the sheep and pigs there is typically multiple in one pen. I know some people who take their animals to these shows, and they are good people who treat their animals well, it’s just this specific environment that is unpleasant for the animal. As long as the owners are making sure the animals are in these distressing situations for as briefly as possible, I don’t think it’s all that bad. Especially with animals who may come multiple times, it might be worth it to try and get the animal used to the environment so they aren’t as stressed when the time comes.
Oh that’s just great I love it! How you just say “all ducks go to bed” and they go to the coop! I will yell “bedtime” and my ducks go to the coop it took forever to get them to do that 😂
We need a shirt that says *"ALL DUCKS GO TO BED"* just written on it
We could say that to some farmers commenting on here when they get nasty. It could be our hint to them that they should behave better or go to sleep. xD
And a duck looking at its wing with a clock on it :p
I have one! From Gold Shaw Farm. It is my nightshirt.
The best lesson learned was going there, and seeing things that NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN TO YOU.
IN YOUR HEART YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR WIFE TALK, AND TRUST ME NO ONE ELSE MATTERS.
Have to say, I didn't like you filming that man loading the calf. He wasn't being abusive, he was just trying to get it to walk. Newborn calves can weigh 80lbs, and they only get bigger from there. You can't just pick them up and put them where they need to be every time.
No one said he was being abusive.
@@savedbeliever He played it slow motion, with a tear jerker song playing. This stock yard was one of the cleanest, and had some of the healthiest animals I've seen. I normally like this guy, but this video felt like I was watching a PETA commercial.
I was going to say!! Has anyone tried to handle a calf before? They’re heavy and wiggly as hell
I believe you need to prepare a little more before getting a cow , just making sure you have everything you need before having a new animal on your farm. Keep up the good work though ! 🐮
Dude I think I would have found a cattleman to go with me there are so many things you have to watch out for
I agree. I think its important to have company so that you know what's going on.
Or I would have gone to a few auctions first... check things out.
Stay safe, stay sane, be well
Ye maybe a person that no's his cattle.
Morgan love the videos, love what you are doing with the poultry. BUT DUDE START LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD!!
Them cows were in good condition and had plenty of space to move around and the cavles had clean bedding under them and also had plenty of space. They are only in the barn temporarily and will be moving on again.
I’m gonna be honest, those animals were not suffering.
i am sensitive to animal suffering, and those calves seamed fine. even had space and soft ground and had no injuries, clean wide open eyes and were curious to environment.
of course they moo because missing their moma they just got separated. you can doubt that practice and i wouldnt do it, but didnt you know that calves will be separated most of the time in this industry?
but you could have brought a few of those calves and mother along with you home for a happier life ;)
That’s how all auctions are they looked healthy and it’s only temporary those cows and calves looked fine that’s just normal.
Stay in your happy bubble whenever possible. Better to have someone with experience [with cows and auctions] to buy cattle for you!
Cows looked fine
I appreciate you speaking out about your experience
Auctions by in large do have many problems in and of themselves. However, how are animals, especially ones that are a few days/week old supposed to feel? How are the older ones they have only been in one environment supposed to look? Being uncomfortable in a completely unfamiliar environment is natural, even more so for prey animals, even if they are raised ethically (many are absolutely not, which is a separate issue, and not the auctions fault). Imagine how your livestock would be if you rounded up and drove them to a different place they have never been, from their friends, family, and the only home they know with a bunch of other animals and humans (the youngest not even old enough to be socialized with yet). Your ducklings and goslings are afraid of you and really everything at first too, in fact most life is. Most livestock are prey animals, so yeah, it's going to be uncomfortable for everyone (and animals) involved.
Note, I have never bought a animal from an auction and would never work at one, but you need to be able to think through everything from all sides, and assign both credit and blame fairly. Also, the quality of animals at a auction is not on them either, but on the farmers who raise and breed them.
Totally agree. Think about how uncomfortable Bruce and Puddles felt when they arrived on his farm. You have 200+ calves to sell, and corraling them together is nessessary. Of course they aren't going to be totally comfortable. All of them looked healthy too. They weren't packed in too tightly either as they had plenty of space to lay down. Plus, it's only a temporary situation. Once the auction was over I can imagine that the ones that weren't sold were let out of the pen.
Those animals look great. They were not being abused or harmed. Their bedding was clean and dry.
I feel like your stretching for content. Majority of our food supply come from auctions much like that one. Also checked my local Tractor supply here in Texas. The chicks looked fine. Many times chicks are shipped in boxes via postal mail and are stressed much more. It does not make it right or wrong it’s just part or the greater food supply chain.
You may not be able to handle raising mammals for food. It is really heart wrenching to listen and see when a mom is separated from her baby. Goats, sheep, cows...they are mostly good moms and will cry for DAYS when the young one is taken. The babies also scream bloody murder for their mom.
I’m thinking that about you because, really, that auction was clean and the animals looked really good. I have seen dairy farms that were so gross they would make your milk curdle, so that auction site was like a cattle palace in comparison. The calf with the blood looked like it had been de horned...it is not pleasant to see or do, but the practice is common.
We recently got three wether sheep. I like having free range chickens for the eggs, but the pasture grass was a pain to keep mowed...thus the self driving lawn mowers.
My hubby can’t even think of eating one of our chickens for meat. No way we could butcher the sheep (lucky boys, lol...I love lamb!) I spent time on my sis’s farm and realized I could never crush down my empathy far enough to be able to raise the animals for meat, nor even breed and sell the babies. It was all just too sad for me.
And yes, I totally am a hypocrite because I do love my hamburgers and lamb burgers and chicken soup...
But I look at nature and see animals suffer with disease, die by literally being eating alive in terror, suffer with injuries...in comparison, a nice safe life on a good farm is really not that horrible and dying by a fast efficient shot is even better than most hunters manage to do. So despite the hypocrisy, I can live with my carnivorous cravings. I just won’t ever be able to provide my own meat...
I thought you were getting that barn fixed up before you got cattle?
Was wondering myself where he's planning to put his cattle....
I think he would have temporarily put them in the barn and made fixing it up his next project. Although I was seriously wondering the same thing, then again I think he was just going to the auction to get a feel for what he may be looking for and to see if by chance it was available
he practically has nothing. no place to put cattle in, no food, no litter, no place for litter disposal. i still remember he was thinking about not cleaning stables regulary, like he does with poultry.
@@urskaska I was thinking the same thing. Even the property isn’t that big. And the barn is I really bad shape. It’s like putting the horse before the cart.
You don't have to keep cattle/cows in a building. They are 100% fine kept out in grazing fields year round.(depending the breed). I am planning future for Scottish highland or belted galloway.(fine in freezing Mn winter outside) Also want a Guernsey or Jersey milk cow.( needs more winter sheltering for my area). We plan to do rotational grass fed, not commercial feeds. Winter ofcourse will have hay rolls. Will I be giving corn? As a treat yes. ONLY the non gmo non pest/herb...icides treated that we grow. I am not against grain feeding but rotational grass grazing is more natural, healthy for both animals and the land.
I had to rewatch after you mentioned your disappointment with the treatment of the cattle... And I didn't see anything that wasn't typical. The area was very clean and the animals too. I thought it looked humane imo.
Thank you for this video! First let me start by saying that this isn't my normal username i subscribe with but I am doing this to protect my identity. I work for a state government agency that conducts environmental compliance, prior to my current position I was responsible for inspecting my regions Dairy facilities. In the 2 or so years at that post I have seen some beyond unethical and inhumane shit conducted on these dairy farms. Everything from dying adult cows laying in a puddle of water trying to keep their head above; baby calves yanked from their tiny 6x4 holding boxes and set aside because farmers no longer want to spend the money to keeping them alive. I have seen dozens of animal remains scattered in the nearest field, river bottoms, or hidden in rubble or manure piles because Farmers didn't want to dispose of them properly. I've seen farms where they left the dead remains in the corrals with still living cows. Or failed to remove manure so much that when it rained cows where in 6inches or more of cow shit and piss.
Not all the farmers I met do the above, but the vast majority out number the few good ones. I'm a young guy in his 30s and I have left farms sometimes in the brink of tears because of the suffering I have seen from time to time. I stopped caring about Farmers when they'd complain about animal rights activist trying to free their cows. I have had guns pointed at me because Farmers on edge.
Only reason I subscribe and watch this channel is because you are an ethical person with your animals best interest in mind. Even animals bred for sustenance deserve to have the best lives possible for the short time they are here. Keep doing what you are doing at Gold Shaw Farms!
You have a lot to learn sir. Animals are not people. We care for our animals but they're never humans.
It's okay to love every animal when your a small farm with a small amount of livestock, he even said he knows he gonna kill them at one point but he still loves having them there
My opinion, It's temporary holding for display not permanent living area. Of course animals will be in stress. I don't see any problems
Imagine what hundreds of people crammed into a subway train looks like. They are simply in transit. Don't feel badly.
Absolutely perfect analogy