Raising Cattle with Care
Raising Cattle was something I never really learned to do as a kid when we would visit our family ranch in Texas or my grandfather’s ranch in Mexico. What we did learn was to have a good time and connect with the land and the people. My fondest memories are of gatheirng in the kitchen with my 16 aunties and uncles, their kids and the 20 ranch hands and house workers who lived, worked, played and ate togehter. My grandfather’s name was Ignazzio and he was originally from Gagliano Sicilia in the Abruzzo region. Having moved to Mexico in his late 20’s (in 1923) he learned and combined the Spanish and Italian ways of raising cattle. Ranching to us was shooting things and fixing fences. That is what the kids did. The rest you observed and maybe were pulled in once in a while to help out. Bottom line is that we were there to protect our cattle and they depended on us to look out for their well-being, so we would put on our boots, get out on the field before the sun rose and saddle up for a day of adventure. Our job was to know how to tend the cattles’ needs, on occasion we went to buy cows and learned all about properly choosing, feeding, and caring for them. Below are the basics of caring for cattle and of course our favorite recipe for lunch (Tortas Zacatecas) which we would pack before heading out in the field.
The cattle need grazing areas with a good perimeter fence (either six-strand high-tensile or, at minimum, a 4-foot high woven wire), a strong pen or corral, a shelter, and clean loafing and eating areas. We would check the cattle to insure they were alert without being wild. Their eyes had to be bright, clear, and free of discharge. Their breathing would be smooth and regular, and free of coughing. The animal’s bodies needed to be full and rounded, not shrunken or hollowed out. They needed to be able to move with a free and easy stride.
We were taught to watch for cattle with mucus coming from the nose or that have swollen legs or joints. These were warning signs that could indicate illness or infection, which could potentially be passed to other cattle or, in some cases, to humans.
Main job was to insure the pens and open spaces had good-quality grass hay and plenty of clean water. An abrupt switch in feedstuffs could harm the digestive tract and cause an unsafe change in a cows’ digestion and health. Cattle can consume up to 3 percent of their body weight a day in dry feed. The best way to raise the animals was by allowing them freedom to graze pasture and sometimes feeding them dried, harvested hay. Our property always had paddocks that we would move and we would graze either sheep, goat, pig and turkey. Our job was to keep the land healthy and this allowed it to be easier for our animals to be cared for.
Grandpa used to say other’s may provide cattle with medical care when they get sick or hurt, but preventing disease and injury in the first place is even better. Stress makes any living animal susceptible to disease, and cattle are no exception. So take the time to always interact with your cattle in a calm and low-stress fashion. Part of our interaction and early morning duties were to pray for the land and for the animals. We always laughed at movies when they show the cowboys yelling and whistling at cattle to get them to move. Our approach was methodical, calm and with clear minded intent. Even walking up to a cow was a thoughtful process to insure not to sneak up and scare the cattle.
If we had a sick or injured animal we typically would put it down and throw a party for the village. Losing an animal was a shame and financial burden but nothing was ever wasted and every bit was used in some way and every animal’s life was celebrated.
Enjoy this recipe and think about our food system and the work it takes to bring the food in front of you to your family.
TORTA Zacatecas
Total Recipe Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Marinade Time: 6 hours to overnight
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound beef Skirt Steak, cut into 4 to 6-inch portions
3/4 cup salsa, divided
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 medium poblano pepper, cut lengthwise in half
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
4 oval sandwich rolls (each 6 to 7 inches long), split, toasted
1 cup fat-free refried beans, warmed
Instructions
1. Combine beef steaks and 1/2 cup salsa in food-safe plastic bag; turn to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally.
2. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place steaks in center of grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Arrange onion and pepper around steaks. Grill steaks, covered, 7 to 12 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 8 to 12 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Grill onion and pepper 15 to 20 minutes (gas grill times remain the same) or until vegetables are tender, turning once.
3. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 cup salsa, mayonnaise and chile powder in small bowl.
4. Remove and discard skins from peppers. Cut peppers into 1-inch thick slices; seperate onion slices into rings. Carve steak into thin slices diagonally across the grain. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.
5. Spread beans on bottom half of each roll. Evenly layer beef, peppers and onions over beans. Spread salsa mixture on top half of each roll. Close sandwiches, pressing slightly together.
Cook's Tip: Bollilo is the favorite roll for this sandwich.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition information per serving: 446 calories; 17 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat); 77 mg cholesterol; 1023 mg sodium; 44 g carbohydrate; 5.4 g fiber; 29 g protein; 9.4 mg niacin; 0.6 mg vitamin B6; 3.7 mcg vitamin B12; 5.1 mg iron; 16.2 mcg selenium; 5.0 mg zinc; 80.0 mg choline.
This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of choline.