July 2009

We have a female miniature donkey in with the Horned Dorset sheep in the barn and small pasture behind our home for novelty and protection from local coyotes. Our friends have several donkeys and dwindling pasture, so we decided it would be a win-win by bringing a male from their place to our barn. They could give their pasture a break while we could hopefully (eventually) gain a cute baby donkey.
Before the male was even unloaded from the trailer, the female donkey in our pasture was showing a lot of interest in her new companion. By the time the male’s hooves hit the ground it was clear that the interest was mutual. All of the specifics of the situation were accompanied by a lot of kicking, biting, maneuvering and a series of eardrum-ringing donkey love bellows that alerted the northwestern corner of the county to the goings on at the Reese home.
It was a beautiful summer evening with cool temperatures inspiring us to open every window in the house to let in the pleasant breeze. Despite the perfect summer weather, sleep was scarce for us that night, however, thanks to the deafening soundtrack of the ongoing barn romance. “Heeeee-Haaaawwww.”
The next morning, I took our young daughter out to give the donkeys their morning treat, though the donkeys seemed more intent on treating themselves. As the donkeys once again began their ritual, we dropped the treats and I turned to run back inside trying to shield my daughter from the spectacle. Half-sobbing, half-laughing she kept saying,
“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no Daddy.”
The following several days and nights were comprised of extensive repeat performances of the persistent donkeys. In short, these animals were behaving like, well, animals. In fact, all of the animals on our small farm act pretty much as expected. We have some meat chickens that eat, drink and flock together; we have sheep that follow each other around and graze all day; we have a dog that barks at cars and fetches sticks; and we have some tomcats that go roaming about, but are sure to return home to fight amongst themselves and eat their food.
For millennia, farmers have studied the behavior of their livestock to better care for them and meet their needs so that the animals can more effectively serve their purposes of providing food and fiber. With rules being considered for regulating animal care and welfare being considered around the country, it only makes sense that those who understand animals are the best ones to make these important decisions.
This is why the recent passage of Amended Senate Joint Resolution 6 (Am. SJR 6), which authorizes a statewide ballot measure to create an Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, is so important. If Ohio voters approve the measure this November, it will establish a board of people involved with the livestock industry (including veterinarians, state agricultural leaders, a local Humane Society representative and farmers) that will determine and enforce guidelines for the care of livestock and poultry in the state.
If this board is not put in place to set the rules for Ohio’s animal agriculture, there are plenty of outsiders who are more than happy to try to set their own rules. It is no secret that an extreme animal welfare organization has plans for their own version of anti-meat animal care regulations on the Ohio ballot in 2010. Such regulations set by outsiders would severely cripple the state’s top industry of agriculture, hurt the Ohio economy, likely raise meat and egg prices for consumers, and limit consumer choices of Ohio-produced food.
Now it is up to those who favor agriculture, consumer choice, animal husbandry and high quality, safe Ohio-grown food to celebrate the fact that Am. SJR 6 is on the November ballot and vote “yes” when given the chance this fall. A “yes” vote on this measure will result in rules for the welfare of Ohio’s livestock and poultry that are created by the people who understand that animals are animals.

Matt Reese writes for Ohio’s Country Journal and lives in Baltimore, Ohio. For questions or comments, please contact him at mkcreese@yahoo.com. This column was brought to you by Ohio’s agricultural organizations.