That little bull calf is so cute but he is so different from any other on the farm. He is almost speckled in his color pattern. There is not another calf like him, and likely never will be again. We have never had anything like him and probably couldn’t even breed the same way and get the same results. He is unique.
Most of our cattle have very similar markings and color patterns. Most are shades of red with white on the feet and goggles around their eyes. We have a few that are “painted” with more white or are lighter in their coloring. Husband always says if he had black cattle he would never be able to tell them all apart. These girls are known by name simply because they all are distinct and recognizable even though they all look similar. Each has a little something that tells who they are.
We are loving the fact that babies are arriving! But as cute as they are, new calves mean work! Each new baby and mom need to be watched carefully to ensure that the baby is getting the necessary nutrition and that mom knows what she’s doing! Each new calf also needs to get weighed, ear-tagged, and ear tattooed. Weights are taken for record keeping in order to keep breed records accurate. Ear tags are for our visual recognition purposes and the ear tattoos are for breed records and registrations. An animal’s registration can always be verified by matching the ear tattoo to the records. Husband, whether alone or with help, has to go out to the pasture with the scales and weigh, tag and tattoo all of the new calves. We try to do this as soon after birth as possible! I mean, wrestling 60-80 pounds of fresh, calm newborn is a whole lot easier than a few-day old, frisky baby! The tattoo can be visualized later if necessary but those ear tags are what is important for us. The ear tag, for our farm, usually includes the birth weight and date along with the dam and sire. The dam is the mother and the sire is the father. This visual information helps us to identify the calf and its genetics at a glance without having to pull records. Sometimes you need to know age of then calf to determine when to wean or who the calf belongs to when moving cattle to different pastures. Also, the dates and weights come in handy when visually comparing calves. We can determine if one maybe isn’t growing as fast as those of the same age range or if one is just a real standout based on size and age. Identification is really important and the quicker the better.
We can look in that pasture and identify a certain calf by that ear tag. Are you tagged? I have been asking that question of myself lately and have been (hopefully!) driving that into my children! Am I that easily identified in a crowd? We should be visually recognizable as Christians and children of God just like those calves are. Someone should be able to take one look at us and know who we are and who’s we are. John 13:35 ESV says “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” I’ve been working on my love for others….I need a lot of work! I know, and maybe you do too, that it is easy to love the lovable. But I’m learning and reminding myself that I have a big ‘ole tag in my ear that says I am a Christian and that means I better act like it! I want others to know who and what I am. I want them to see me with that tag in my ear and say, “I know her. She’s a Christian.” I don’t want them to see that tag and be confused by it, or worse yet, not see my tag at all! I hope and pray that my appearance and behavior match my tag! So my reminder to myself, and maybe you today, would be to check to check our tags. Are you like the calf in the picture below? Have you lost your identification? It’s easy to get re-tagged. Just talk to Him today. He will be so happy to put the tag right back on you. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Praying for you all today. May we all be tagged and found in the pasture when He comes!
That one! You always have that one that looses her tag…now who is she again?
Amen! It is a NOW word for every generation!!
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