07/06/2026
Feeding after dark is always a bit of a different job.
Most people would probably think the first thing you’d do in the tractor at night is turn every light on and light the place up like a football oval on a Thursday night. But when feeding cattle after dark, sometimes the best light is no light at all.
The reason I'm running with the lights off here is pretty simple: cattle don’t need much of an excuse to get excited. As soon as they see lights moving around the paddock, they know something is happening. Heads come up, a few start trotting, then the whole mob decides it's time to shift, push, call out, and generally turn a quiet feedout into a bit of a circus.
So instead, it's a slow and steady job. Let the tractor idle along, keep everything calm, and try not to stir them up any more than necessary. The cattle can hear the tractor, they know the routine, and they find the feed soon enough without me arriving like a rescue helicopter.
There is something pretty special about these late night jobs, though. It's quiet, the air is cool, the rest of the world feels like it has knocked off, and it's just you, the tractor, and the animals. You notice all the little sounds you miss during the day: the engine ticking over, the hay shifting, cattle moving in the dark, and the odd snort from one that wasn't expecting you quite so close.
It's not the glamorous side of farming, but it's one of those little things that makes a difference. Keeping stock settled is half the battle, especially when avoid unnecessary stress. Calm cattle are easier to handle, safer to be around, and better off for it.
A lot of farming is like this: little decisions that probably look strange from the outside, but make perfect sense when you’re the one doing the job. Tonight’s trick was simple: keep the lights off, keep the revs down, and let the cows have their feed without turning the paddock into a midnight rodeo.
