FARMINGTON -- Some people have dogs for pets, cats for pets, maybe fish for pets. How about a huge steer for a pet?
Sparky the steer weighs more than a ton and has endeared himself to owner, Roy Hummel of Farmington.
The steer's mother died during birth and Hummel fed the calf with a tube for about five weeks. The calf wouldn't take a bottle.
"I got attached to it," said Hummel, who is retired from teaching agriculture at Farmington High School and also served on the Farmington Planning Commission, Farmington City Council and was a long-time member of the Washington County Fair Board.
Hummel said the animal would follow him around like a dog. His wife, Betty Hummel, said it could be fairly annoying at times.
"I can't sell it," Hummel said, noting Sparky, which he believes is the largest steer in northwest Arkansas and possibly even the state, could probably bring in around $2,000. The steer is half Shorthorn, half Charolais, six or seven years old and 6 feet tall.
"I guess I'd rather keep it than sell it," Hummel added.
Berni Kurz, county extension agent, said most steers go to market when they are two to three years old and weigh about 1,200 pounds.
"When they get to that size, they basically are on the plate," Kurz said.
Kurz said he grew up on a farm and realizes how people can become attached to their animals.
"We did not allow ourselves to get attached because it can become a pet," Kurz said.
The Hummels have 250 acres in Washington County with about 135 head of cattle.
Along with cattle, the Hummel farm has a variety of animals: donkeys, miniature donkeys, miniature mules and miniature horses. He also has a few goats and he counts those as pets too.
General News on 08/27/2014