The thing that every cattleman dreads most is the death of livestock. In the past, we would chain onto the unfortunate creature and drag it to an out of the way place, usually in the edge of the woods. Then use the hayfork on the 3-pt hitch to back the body into the brush.
The Wicked grapple allows us to carry the carcass with a modicum of dignity and much farther than was practical before, to the far southwest corner of the property. This eliminates multiple unsightly cow burial grounds, controls pathogens and keeps scavenging coyotes as far from the herd as possible.
The soil and climate make our ranch a good place for a cow to live and grow old. We take good care of them and appreciate the calves they give us over the years. Some have lived to 18 years of age. Others even longer.
Vultures and coyotes will begin eating a downed cow before she is dead. If a cow is down, we shoot her in the head, a monstrous act of mercy, so that she will not suffer.
A picture is not included here so as not to offend anyone's sensibilities, but there is a picture at this link of the Wicked grapple serving as a funeral bier. This cow was with us for many years and died unexpectedly and peacefully.
http://tinyurl.com/lnz27cs
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