As more and more people assign complex human feelings to animals it seems people care more about the well-being of animals than their fellow humans.
Need proof? Consider the story of Oatmeal the Steer who was shown and sold at the Fort Worth Stock Show by 13-year-old Kendyll Williams of Hunstville, Texas. A local newspaper did a story on Kendyll and her steer, which was born blind. The story showcased how hard she had to work with Oatmeal to be able to show him.
What followed was unexpected. Animal rights activists didn’t waste any time setting up Facebook and GoFundMe pages to save Oatmeal. They also attacked Kendyll; calling her heartless for selling her market animal…to market. My first concern was for Kendyll and not Oatmeal.
Kendyll, and others like her, are hard-working youth putting a lot of time and energy into their projects. 4-H and FFA teach youth about hard work, dedication and responsibility. They are the ones who will grow food to feed the next generation. Whether you’re a meat-eater, vegetarian or vegan; a farmer grew the food you ate today.
I identified with Kendyll, I showed beef cattle as a 4-H and FFA member. My show cattle were bathed daily, kept cool in the hot summer, received daily exercise and time outside, fed a balanced diet and received medical care when necessary. I could argue show animals have a ‘better’ life than their non-show counterparts. I could also argue they have a ‘better’ life than some people who live in this country. People being left hungry and homeless is cruel, not a meat animal being raised well.
The controversy about Kendyll and Oatmeal seemed crazy to me. Why Oatmeal? What about all the other animals sold at livestock shows every year? Does he have more value because he was born blind? I also remember seeing on Facebook an old, blind dairy cow being saved from slaughter to live out the rest of her days at a farm sanctuary. I question the quality of life that animal still had. In Dane County, countless hours and funds were put into rehabilitating a coyote. While not a food animal, it still seems crazy.
So I have to ask, why are people so concerned about an animal bred for meat, being raised humanely, ending up in the food chain? I often think about how much good could be done if the resources used to save a meat animal, or rehabilitate an overpopulated wild predator animal, were put into improving the quality of life for humans. Could military veterans be provided with medical care? How many hungry families could receive a nutritious meal? Could Habitat for Humanity build another home?
We hear the term ‘Lives Matter’ a lot right now. Growing up on a farm I loved my steers, dogs and horse. Their lives, and all other animals, do matter… but more than humans?
Lynn Siekmann
Lynn Siekmann is the primary designer of Rural Route, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s member magazine. Siekmann, who lives in Middleton, grew up on a beef and crop farm near Plymouth in Sheboygan County. She has a bachelor’s degree in animal science from UW-Madison and an associate’s degree of applied arts in graphic design and illustration from Madison College.
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