Archive for Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Pasture ID aims to help the cows come home
Program designed to quickly inform deputies in event of loose animals, suspicious activity
Local farmers now have an easier way to find missing chickens or cows.
June 4, 2008
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Gary Price, Lawrence, shows a Pasture ID sign Tuesday to let anyone know whom to contact if his livestock get loose or if there is suspicious activity. The program was announced Tuesday for Douglas County.
Douglas County Sheriff's Department
Pasture ID
Douglas County Sheriff's Office and Douglas County Farm Bureau have teamed up for a program called Pasture ID.
The new identification system includes signs that allow sheriff's officers to contact owners of livestock and/or pastures immediately.
The first sign is free to Farm Bureau members and each additional sign is $15. For nonmembers, each sign is $15. To obtain a sign, visit the Farm Bureau's office at 1217 Biltmore Drive, Suite 200. For more information, contact Terri Wright, farm bureau county coordinator, at 843-2395.
A new program aims to save Douglas County Sheriff's deputies time and, ultimately, taxpayers money.
The Pasture ID program was announced Tuesday by Douglas County Sheriff Ken McGovern and Loren Baldwin, a member of the Douglas County Farm Bureau's board.
The program uses black-and-white metal signs that ranchers can obtain from the farm bureau and post on pastures. The signs have an identification number on them, so when officers witness suspicious activity or loose animals near or in a pasture with a sign, they can contact the dispatch center and immediately find out who it belongs to.
"It's going to be a lot of savings to us to get a hold of dispatch and get the right number on who's got the pasture at that time," McGovern said.
Otherwise, sheriff's officers can spend hours trying to corral the animals while trying to find the owner.
"We deal with it quite a bit," McGovern said.
Douglas County has 880 farmers and 70,000 acres of pasture, so it's not surprising. Baldwin, a longtime cattleman, said he would bet there isn't a producer in the county who hasn't had trouble with livestock getting out.
Trespassing also is becoming a problem as the county becomes more urbanized.
"With the growing concern of meth production and trespassing on private property, if the deputies notice a suspicious act going on and the sign is up, they can gain permission to enter the property with a simple phone call," Baldwin said.
Douglas County is the third Kansas county to implement the program. The first was Barton County, where 34 farmers have signed up in two years.
"It's working out real well. We are getting a good response, but we hope to get a lot more," said Dianna Zeretzke, Barton County Farm Bureau's county coordinator.
Reno County also uses the program, and Zeretzke said several others are showing interest.
"I think it's a great program," McGovern said. "We are the third one on board, and I hope a lot more counties get involved. It's a cost savings to us."
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4 June 2008
at 7:58 a.m.
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introversion (Anonymous) says…
Just the first incarnation of the NAIS. http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/C…, creepy, creepy.All at taxpayers' expense too.
4 June 2008
at 12:54 p.m.
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gr (Anonymous) says…
“It's going to be a lot of savings to us to get a hold of dispatch and get the right number on who's got the pasture at that time,” McGovern said.So, I assume this expense comes directly out of the sheriff's office along with a reduction in taxation for their department next year.
4 June 2008
at 5:36 p.m.
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RedwoodCoast (Anonymous) says…
By the way, had a person not read this article or heard about the signs elsewhere, how would they know what the heck that sign means? Yep, the first people I'm going to call in an emergency is 911, but how do I know that's what I should do if I see one of this guy's cows is loose? Perhaps they should have included something about the signs' purpose on the signs themselves.
4 June 2008
at 5:42 p.m.
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RedwoodCoast (Anonymous) says…
By the way, I think it's good to inform someone that livestock is loose and standing in the road. I once saw the aftermath of a Ford Explorer hitting a heifer at 70 mph in the middle of the night. Based upon the scene, I wouldn't have known what they hit if they hadn't told me it was once a cow. It was one of the goriest things I've ever seen. I gave the three guys a ride to the nearest farmhouse. They all smelled like manure, as I guess some of its gut contents blasted through their windshield upon impact. Pretty disturbing, really.
4 June 2008
at 6:49 p.m.
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OldEnuf2BYurDad (Anonymous) says…
So, the cows read the signs and know which pasture…Maybe I should read the story first.
4 June 2008
at 7:05 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
I think you've got the idea pretty good enuf.;)
4 June 2008
at 7:29 p.m.
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Fort_Aubrey (Anonymous) says…
Gary Larson would have a field day with this one.
4 June 2008
at 7:34 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
GPS for cows.Bessie to Blossom :Which way to the nearest nail kiosk?Blossom: Turn left on N1200, 1/2 mile past DG003.
4 June 2008
at 9:12 p.m.
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Rickyonealku (Anonymous) says…
What about just Google Earth the lost cows for directions??? or visit Douglas County Court House and findout the Section Township and Range then give that to the lost cows??? Just kinding people it is a very good concept and good ideal.
4 June 2008
at 9:54 p.m.
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drakekj (Anonymous) says…
I remember an accident at this intersection in November, this would have been helpful so that the officers could notify the farmer that his fence had been damaged so he could repair it before the cows got loose. Good thinking!
4 June 2008
at 10:27 p.m.
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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…
hawk, what a silly comment. sheriffs get calls all the time: “cows are loose at e900 …” or “i nearly hit a cow.” ***get along little dogies! yippee ty yi yaay! hey these are edumicated cattle Oldy, this is the home of KU, they're way above the level of them k-state bovines. in fact, they look down their cattle collective noses at them. they tell jokes: how do you know the cheer leaders at K-state?a: they're the ones eating the *brown grass*! q: what do ya' call a k-state cow?a: just mooo, anything else confuses them! no, our cattle do follow the signs, and they call 9-1-1 to tell dispatch they're out and lost. once when the auction barn was still next to hobbs park on east 11th st in lawrence, a bull got out, and was out for some time. pd and sheriffs had to work hard to catch that little dogie.
4 June 2008
at 11:37 p.m.
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notajayhawk (Anonymous) says…
This is great.ID's for cows to get home easier.But not for people to vote.
4 June 2008
at 11:48 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
hawk..wandering spouses..roflmaognome..you only made it worse..still roflmaonota..only you would think of that..lolzIf only they would have put out an apb on my missing show dogs that could climb a fence!