Feed Recipe

Just wanted to share how we feed each pen of cattle that we have. Each pen has a recipe and it changes as the cattle grow. The one we are mixing here has 4 ingredients: wet corn distillers, corn silage, alfalfa and liquid protein. We mix a full batch at a time and feed half in the morning and rest in the evening.
Farmkid3 can load his feed wagon and also helps load the big feed wagon. At age 10, he is very helpful and VERY eager to do what he can to help around our family farm.

Farmkid3

Mixing a ration for his bucket calves in his feedwagon.

Shocked and Disappointed with NE Farmers Union

I am so disappointed in the Nebraska Farmers Union for their recent agreement with the HSUS. (See it here: http://kticradio.com/news/agricultural/index.php?more=hz7j8tzn ) So rather than sit and talk to my friends I decided I should write to the board members who made the decision and point out just a few facts why we don’t want HSUS in our state or actually anywhere.

What is so unfortunate about all of this, is this action only adds to the consumer confusion and divides agriculture even more – the exact things HSUS wants to happen. So after writing this I will again turn my focus to sharing our ag story and hope the consumer can find truth from the NE farmers and ranchers (all sizes) who work every day to help put food on each of our tables. If you are a consumer looking to visit with a farmer to learn more about NE food production, I would recommend starting here: http://www.facebook.com/CommonGroundNebraska?ref=ts&sk=app_190322544333196 or here http://www.becomeafan.org/

Here is my note to the board members:

Hello, I am a farm wife (on a small 5th generation farm), mother and lover of all things agriculture. Our farm is in northeast Nebraska and we work hard to take care of our land and our animals. It's a moral obligation that we have to do it humanely and sustainable and we do. It's been happening on our farm for over 125 years, long before a well-funded DC based group started telling farmers how it should be done.

I can't believe that you supported inviting the HSUS to Nebraska and believe that you can change their track record. They want to eliminate all consumption of animal protein--why would you support elimination of animal protein from our diets?

They mislead and their track record is 'their way or no way'. Have you studied their involvement in Ohio Livestock Standards Board?

NFU needs to do their homework about this organization and I am COMPLETELY embarrassed, appalled and disappointed by your actions. Your organization may feel like it is representing the small guy, but it doesn't matter what size you are or how you raise animals. HSUS doesn't care--they want them all gone, including your pets. They say they care about pets but have you followed the money? HSUS’s advertisements employ the images of downtrodden dogs and cats to tug at the heart strings and wallets of America’s pet lovers. But a new analysis finds HSUS is a “Humane Society” in name only, sharing only $527,566, or 0.4 percent of its $120 million budget with sheltering organizations nationwide in 2010. In the same year, HSUS spent an astounding $47 million in fundraising-related costs (37 percent of its total budget) and parked $32 million in hedge funds.*

Is this the type of organization that you want to work with? I personally don't know why you would--it's not the Nebraska way.

I am a small farmer, hoping, working and praying that my children (sixth generation on our farm) can continue the family business but with actions like yours - their chances have just been reduced.

Sincerely,

Debbie Borg

farmer, mother and agvocate for all sizes of agriculture

*humanewatch.org