Start with hooves

Chapter 8 The Nails in the Hooves
in nature.

Almost all ungulates need regular trimming of their hooves.

Especially for captive livestock, due to the limited range of activities, the friction of hooves is reduced, which is prone to problems over time.

Listening to the old cowboy Andy's class, Su Rui felt that he had learned some interesting new knowledge, and asked:
"Wouldn't it be a lot of work to trim a large ranch like Lanai Ranch? Are there any automated machines on the market?"

Old Andy's character is both stubborn and fiery, but at this time he patiently explained:
"There is indeed such a machine that can bind and fix the cows and lie on their sides. Then fix their legs and grind them directly with a sander. If you think it is necessary, you can buy one or two, boss. What is missing here There are many more, and I will write a list for you after sorting it out.”

Suri told:
"No problem, if you spend a little money to avoid being kicked, I'm happy to pay for your safety. After all, if you get injured or go to see God, wouldn't you be too embarrassed to tell the cause of the accident? Kicked away?"

This remark caused everyone to laugh.

Among the large group of people present, twenty or thirty were residents of Lanai Town.

It's not long since I met Su Rui, the new boss, and I don't know each other. They are very familiar with each other, picking and managing the pineapple orchard for many years together.

After changing to a new environment, they need to adapt to each other, but most of the "apprentice cowboys" now think that Su Rui is a very interesting new boss.

The strength of the ox is so strong that it can plow three or four acres a day.

If the hoof kicked on the chest, even if the heart did not stop suddenly, at least a few ribs would be broken.

Trimming their hooves is a dangerous job, so be careful.

Seeing that Suri was interested in this, the old cowboy Andy brought another Simmental calf with a faulty hoof. This kind of cow has brown and white patterns on its body, which is very easy to identify. He continued:
"I'll help you tie the cow's legs, how about you try to trim the cow's hooves according to the steps I just did?"

"I can? If the strength is a little stronger, will the cow hurt?"

"Does it hurt when you cut your nails?" Old Andy asked rhetorically.

A stocky aborigine woman continued: "It hurts when you cut the flesh. As a rule of thumb, don't cut your nails when you're drunk. The flesh on my index finger hasn't grown yet."

"Hahaha! Who makes you like to drink so much, and you like to beat your husband after drinking!"

As soon as this remark came out, everyone burst into laughter, probably everyone knew the joke.

There are fewer people in Hawaii and more opportunities, and people's living pressure is much less than that of the mainland United States, which leads to a more relaxed and comfortable local rhythm.

Su Rui looked at the woman's arm, which was almost comparable to her own thigh, and silently mourned for her husband for three seconds...

After old Andy fixed the nose rope of the cow, he helped hold down the hoof with both hands.

Su Rui picked up the shovel, pressed the watering can on the injured cow's hoof, sprayed disinfectant, softened the soil by the way, and scraped off the outermost layer of mud and grass mixture.

To be honest, the grass on the outermost layer of the hoof looks a bit like the poo of its kind.

But cattle only eat grass, which is not so offensive. In many areas, dried cow dung is still used for cooking, which is a kind of fuel that is quite burnable.

Try to shovel off some of the outer skin first, it is slightly harder than expected, hold it with both hands and press down with your body weight, which saves effort.

When the third knife was shoveled, the shovel suddenly made a light sound, and it felt like it hit something hard.

Probably hurt, the Simmental calf struggled a few times, but couldn't break free from old Andy's powerful hands after all, and quickly returned to calm.

Old Andy asked Suri to sprinkle some water, and after observing closely, he suddenly smiled and said:

"Congratulations, you have won the lottery. This cow has stepped on an iron nail before and has fallen into it. This is also a frequent accident. I like to help them pull out the nails. It will give you a sense of accomplishment as a doctor."

With Su Rui's level, he has no experience in dealing with this kind of hoof injury, so he tentatively asked: "Then what should I do, repair around the nail, and then use the pliers to pull it out?"

"That's right, if the nails get rusty and get into the meat, you need to inject some tetanus toxoid. Although this will affect the quality of the cattle, it's better than hanging them up directly. You should try it first."

After listening to old Andy's words, Suri trimmed the cow's hooves again.

With the nails out, spray some povidone iodine and change the tool to a vise.

The surrounding crowd moved closer one after another, inexplicably feeling that the scene in front of them had a kind of magical power, which seemed to be more exciting than TV dramas, like observing a surgical operation up close.

When the nail head was clamped, Su Rui pulled it hard, and yellow pus flowed out.

Old Andy patted the Simmental calf on the head and said with a smile:
"Boss, you have done a great job. Now continue to trim the hoof and let the pus flow out. Just apply the medicine and bandage it. It will heal soon."

Although it was just a hoof repair, Suri was very happy.

He has lived in a big city for two lifetimes, but now he is trying to live on a ranch, and he feels an indescribable sense of fulfillment. He has not been idle these two days.

After the wound was bandaged, the calf was moved away and raised separately to facilitate follow-up observation.

The old cowboy Andy ordered the strong aboriginal woman again, and asked her to learn how to repair the hooves.

It is probably because of her figure, which is reassuring. Old Andy didn't mean to help hold down the cow's leg at all, and the fact was exactly as people expected, even though the Angus calf was struggling, the hoof was still relaxed by the woman. Hold on.

Mostly because she is a bit obsessive-compulsive.

Anyway, from Su Rui's point of view, this woman worked slowly and meticulously. Her trimmed hooves were smooth, flat and aesthetically pleasing, much better than those done by herself.

……

It was only after two o'clock in the afternoon.

After learning how to trim hooves, everyone continued to do other things under the command of old Andy.

For example, use a car washing spray gun to spray disinfectant on cattle, and distribute fodder, and install fly killer lamps to avoid breeding too many mosquitoes.

This brand new ranch has a lot of things to deal with.

There is no need for Su Rui, who does everything by himself, to find someone to bathe his pet miniature donkey and miniature horse. It is probably due to neglect of care, these little guys are smelly.

After cleaning, they can be released to the pasture for free-range breeding. There are many animals living on Lanai Island, but there are no large carnivores that can threaten these little guys. The environment is relatively safe.

While Suri was bathing the miniature horse, the aboriginal woman just came over, with a harmless smile on her face, and asked:

"Boss, my daughter is graduating next year and is looking for an internship. Let her come here to help? You don't need to pay the full salary. It's okay to give her a part of my salary. I just want to be close to her. In the past few years, because of preventing her from going to the local university, I have had some disagreements with her, and I am trying to make up for it... Oh, by the way, you can call me Karna."

Su Rui didn't dare to say anything, so he asked first, "Which university and what major did you study?"

"A marine biology major at Stanford University. She has loved dolphins and whales since she was a child. She hatched a few baby turtles in middle school and released them into the sea."

Thinking about entertaining tourists next time, some activities such as snorkeling and whale watching will be launched, Su Rui said with a smile:
"I also graduated from Stanford University, maybe I have seen her on campus. Since she is an alumnus, just let her come over for an internship. I will prepare a few jobs for her to choose..."

(End of this chapter)