Q: You teach. You also raise beef and pork. If there was one thing you could share with urban and suburban students about how you raise your livestock, what would it be and why?
A: I think three big concerns are out there: How we treat animals, if they are given antibiotics and how they are cared for.
All farmers take pride in what they do every day. Obviously, making a profit is our goal, so taking care of livestock and land remains essential to the survival of our family farms.
Farmers genuinely care about what we do, and we do it with integrity and passion every single day. When caring for livestock, I always do anything that I can to keep them happy and healthy, and I know that other livestock farmers do the same.
Just like humans, cattle get sick. In order to get them feeling better, antibiotics must be administered. When that time does come, farmers must follow the label that states the withdrawal dates, how much of the antibiotic to administer and how to properly treat the animal.
When housing livestock, we do our best to make sure that livestock are well fed in a comfortable environment. For example, our feedlot cattle have the option to graze on pasture.
All of us care about what we do, and we strive to do it the best we can.
Katie King raises beef, pork and crops on her family’s farm in Sangamon County near New Berlin, as well as teaches high school agriculture.
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See more: Ask a Farmer: How Do You Ensure What You Grow is Safe for Me and My Family to Eat?
