No, I’m not asking a spiritual question like “Do cows go to
heaven or hell”?
I’m asking a question about the physical carcass of a dead
cow.
Years, no, eons ago when I was first married when a calf
died we would bury it out in the field. That was common practice. We can’t do
that now. We have to haul our dead calves, cows and afterbirth to the land fill
near us.
It’s the most disgusting part of farming.
The dead animal(s) are scooped up with the bucket tractor
and dumped into the back of the truck.
This time of year we take the dead animals quickly because
dead animals plus 80 degree days makes a nauseous mix.
Today Son #4 was taking a one dead cow, a couple of calves
and a drum full of afterbirth.
I jumped in the truck at the end of the driveway and let me
tell you, I wish there was smell with this blog so you could experience the
whole process.
When we got to the landfill we had to have the truck
weighed. They have the weight of the truck on file and the difference in
weighing today is what we will be charged.
We bounced and bumped along a roadway up to the top of
landfill.
Off to the east side they were digging into the ground,
taking the dirt away and preparing a new place to dump garbage.
Once we were on top it reminded me of a Mad Max movie. Black, gray, yuk. We were driving on packed garbage. Paper, cans, pieces of furniture, wood, plastic bags and everything you can think of. The smell was stomach churning.
I asked Son# 4 “Where are you supposed to go with this”? He
said “I just sort of look around to see if I can find any other animals and
dump them there. There is usually a spot for them.”
Sure enough there was a dead pig and a trench dug behind it.
He back up and lifted the truck bed and the smelly, slimy, disgusting remnants
slid off.
It was so gross.
While were there 3 other garbage trucks came in and
delivered their goods.
The guy running the big machine that shoves the “stuff”
around must have permanently damaged nostrils.
I am grateful for a place to dispose of things but I am more
grateful I don’t have to work there.
So, there you have it. Dead cows go to the landfill.
