I have always named my cows. I always felt like they were a part of the farm and some of them become like pets. Our breeding animals that are with us for years and become mama cows need names as do the baby calves to identify who goes with who.

My husband always had numbers for his cattle, usually what was on the ear tag. He found that an easy way to identify his animals. He also didn’t get as attached to the market steers that would be sold in a year if they didn’t have a name.

Our kids enjoy naming the new baby calves each spring. Sometimes there is theme to the names, such as last year they all had names of candy bars.

One of the show steers was named Lucky because he was born on the absolute coldest day and a month early! We were not expecting him and so thankful we saw him when we did. He was brought with his mama to the barn and we did all we could to warm him up. We warmed blankets and towels in the dryer and brought to him. The grandparents went to the store for an electric blanket. My husband hand-milked the mama and gave the baby the milk in a calf bottle. It wasn’t long and he was feeling good and after the milk for himself! He became a 4-H project steer and was sold at the fair. However, the local community foundation purchased all the show steers and donated the beef to local food pantries. Our children said it so nicely when they said, “Lucky made other people lucky too.” It took the sting out of saying goodbye to know he was helping others.

We had several brood cows that we had bought from a university many years ago. They all had a number freeze-branded on them. So, we did tend to call them by those numbers as they were easy to see from far away in the pasture. When one of the last of these cows was nearing the end of her life, we had to call the vet many times. Our daughter was much younger at the time and was going to the barn with her dad to check on the cow. She asked it’s name. My husband explained that she didn’t have a name, but we called her by the number on her hide. She thought about that a lot. She decided that this cow should not leave this earth without a name. So, it was that “Annie” passed peacefully. And, she was right, all cows need a name.