REAL HOST OF THE "GOLDEN BABY GOAT"

When the snowdrop is dozing under the snow,

There are cries of the first youngsters,

The master shepherd’s face will shine

And sings that the livestock population of the country has increased,

Five warm bloods, five gentle screams,

Five living treasures of the five desires ...

At the camp of the herdsmen are heard the cries of the first youngsters. Especially, cute and naughty baby goats go around the fence ...

We visited the house of D. Enkhbaatar. His wife Oyunbileg B. is the second daughter of the hero-shepherd of the country, the owner of the "Golden Baby Goat" Bat-Ochir D., who lives in Bayan-Undur soum of the Province Orkhon.

Only yesterday the sun was shining brightly, as if spring was already in the yard. In the streets of the city of Erdenet, young couples were walking holding hands. But the spring sky is not constant, large snowflakes began to fall, as if someone had offended the sky.

Speaking that bad weather is likely to hit the shepherds, and we citizens have nothing to worry about. Together with Enkhbaatar's wife’s brother  Altangerel and his wife Tserendulam, we drove to Enkhbaatar’s camp, which is located in 30 km from the city of Erdenet.

The Mongols are hospitable people. Therefore, the family of Enkhbaatar was waiting for us, having prepared the dish and brewed tea. Their children played with the baby goats and lambs at the camp. And this picture refreshed my soul, which was in sorrow from the overcast weather. The mistress of the family Oyunbileg brewed strong tea with milk, and the owner Enkhbaatar tells his wife to cook meat and bake buuz.

At the camp of Enkhbaatar there are already cries of youngsters. Several lambs and baby goats go around the fence, as well as twins who spend several days in the shepherd's yurt. “Mom, be careful. You will spill hot tea on baby goats”, the son complains.

"One of the baby goats burned it's side on the stove. Our children, instead of milk, put their fingers in their mouths. 

When the snowdrop is dozing under the snow,

There are cries of the first youngsters,

The master shepherd’s face will shine

And sings that the livestock population of the country has increased,

Five warm bloods, five gentle screams,

Five living treasures of the five desires ...

At the camp of the herdsmen are heard the cries of the first youngsters. Especially, cute and naughty baby goats go around the fence ...

We visited the house of D. Enkhbaatar. His wife Oyunbileg B. is the second daughter of the hero-shepherd of the country, the owner of the "Golden Baby Goat" Bat-Ochir D., who lives in Bayan-Undur soum of the Province Orkhon.

Only yesterday the sun was shining brightly, as if spring was already in the yard. In the streets of the city of Erdenet, young couples were walking holding hands. But the spring sky is not constant, large snowflakes began to fall, as if someone had offended the sky.

Speaking that bad weather is likely to hit the shepherds, and we citizens have nothing to worry about. Together with Enkhbaatar's wife’s brother  Altangerel and his wife Tserendulam, we drove to Enkhbaatar’s camp, which is located in 30 km from the city of Erdenet.

The Mongols are hospitable people. Therefore, the family of Enkhbaatar was waiting for us, having prepared the dish and brewed tea. Their children played with the baby goats and lambs at the camp. And this picture refreshed my soul, which was in sorrow from the overcast weather. The mistress of the family Oyunbileg brewed strong tea with milk, and the owner Enkhbaatar tells his wife to cook meat and bake buuz.

At the camp of Enkhbaatar there are already cries of youngsters. Several lambs and baby goats go around the fence, as well as twins who spend several days in the shepherd's yurt. “Mom, be careful. You will spill hot tea on baby goats”, the son complains.

"One of the baby goats burned it's side on the stove. Our children, instead of milk, put their fingers in their mouths. This year, the young were born earlier than usual. After the snow melts, we release baby goats and lambs along with the herd to pasture. If we would not take good care of the young born in the winter, they will not survive. We feed them with hay. This year the winter has been favorable". So we began our conversation.

She says: “I graduated from the 10th grade in 1995 and began to engage in cattle breeding. I have seven older brothers and one younger sister. A big daughter in the family. Therefore, from childhood I helped my parents with cattle breeding. As long as I don’t have any state awards. My father, Bat Ochir, is the shepherd champion of the country, also the owner of the Golden Goat. My mother’s name is Pagmajav, she is 90 years old. My husband and I got married ten years ago. My husband was born in the Burentogtokh soum of the Khubsugul province".

The brother of the mistress Altangarel, who showed us the way, says: “When my father becomes a shepherd champion, my younger sister’s role was great. She is mainly engaged in cattle breeding. She recognizes 300 baby goats. She doesn’t put various identification badges on them". Therefore, I wanted to know the secret of learning and identification of animals. When I asked about this ...

"I never put identification badges. When young are born, I immediately memorize them. I know their goat mothers. Therefore, I remember them by their mothers. The goat requires special care. But I have been grazing goats since childhood, so I got used to it. There is no such special experience. My parents have inherited the rules for the care and grazing of livestock and follow them clearly", says Mrs. Oyunbileg.

I PAY ATTENTION TO QUALITY, NOT TO QUANTITY

“When I graze cattle, I pay attention not to quantity, but quality. Today there is not enough pasture. There are a lot of farms. Therefore, due to pasture disputes arise between shepherds and farmers. In May, the planting season begins, so we are required to move to a summer camp. And also until the end of the harvest we are not allowed to move to the winter camp. But we adapt to each other and live together. In a strong wind, we graze cattle where there is shelter. Sometimes we specially leave pasture for the winter.

And in the summer, we grow vegetables, and we also have a small summer house. There are many private resorts around our summer camp. Therefore, we sell dairy products to customers of these resorts. We prepare all kinds of dairy products.

We grow potatoes and other vegetables for the needs of the family, and we sell excess vegetables at the wholesale price. And we sell daily dairy products in the city. This winter was very favorable. And spring, too, will apparently be favorable. In late May, in early June, we will move to summer camp. Our area is very beautiful. It has everything: mountains, rocks, fields for haymaking. The natural source of water, that is, the river, is important for breeding the herd

The winter stand of the Enkhbaatar family is located near the mountain, there is a forest nearby. It is evident that his family prepared well for the winter. They have a truck Porter, which is used when moving, and a car driven by Oyunbileg. The hostess drives it to the city to sell dairy products, and also carries the newborns from the pasture.

The eldest daughter is in the second grade, and the youngest son is four years old. They present hay to youngsters. The daughter is nimble, and, apparently, also well recognizes cattle. And the younger brother in the cold plays outside in light clothes, which proves his durability.

Oyunbileg continues the conversation: "My children love cattle breeding. My daughter helps us a lot. She came for the holidays, and lives with my brother in Erdenet. My husband and I decided to reduce the livestock, as there are two of us, and we cannot feed more livestock. We don’t have natural salt here. So my husband goes to Khubsugul for salt and feeds them cattle. "

WHEN SPRING WELCOMES FROM THE CASHMERE OF GOATS WE GET BENEFITS

Shepherds work continuously all four seasons. When I asked how the state supports the shepherds, she replies: “The state has few supports. They say they will process raw cattle. But I don’t know when this will happen. Sheepskin skin lies on the fields. Goat skin is a bit more expensive. When we comb goats in the spring, then we get some benefits. This year, meat prices have risen a little, which has become a support for us - shepherds. Shepherds blame for selling meat at a high price, because through intermediaries, meat is probably delivered to final consumers at a high price.

Our country is developing. Shepherds in the summer keep the meat in the freezer, wash clothes in washing machines. We live not worse than the townspeople. My husband and I pay social security tax at the lowest rate a year in advance.

Now shepherds are getting smaller. Especially young people do not like to graze cattle. They prefer convenience and travel to cities. When I sell milk, having driven into the city, they blame me for selling at an inflated price. We sell even cheaper than drinking water. But no one appreciates the work of shepherds.

Today, because of convenience, people travel to the city. In my opinion, young people should be engaged in cattle breeding. Shepherds with more than a thousand livestock pay young shepherds wages, while still teaching the ability to graze cattle. Well, if young people inherit this skill. In our area, the youngest shepherd is 25 years old. Mostly guys living with their parents. And the girls go to the city. Gender disparity among the population of the countryside is great.

Many families live separately. Wives live in soums with children, and husbands herd cattle. And some, in general, sell livestock and go to the city. Thus, the number of herders decreases every year. Shepherds have no education and professions, so they will not be employed in the city. And they have to work as a janitor, a cleaner, as they add the number of poor citizens. And if, instead, live in the countryside and engage in cattle breeding, then there is a great opportunity to live with dignity", says the hostess and treats us to freshly prepared lamb.

At this time, we talked with the host family Enkhbaatar a few minutes.

He was born in the soum of Burentogtokh, Khubsugul Province. His parents were shepherds of the Komsomol, so from childhood he was engaged in cattle breeding. He also grew up in a family of nine children, his brothers and sisters live in Khubsugul province.

“I travel to Khubsugul once or twice a year. I cannot leave cattle and drive often. Shepherds when breeding livestock clearly follow the weather. Our pasture capacity is small. More and more livestock livestock pasture. If we are not going to engage in cattle breeding for forty years, then who will graze cattle. We have become cattle breeders at will. Therefore, we also want to give our children the opportunity to choose their future. We live well.

At first I could not distinguish the kids among themselves. At that time, my father-in-law received more than 500 baby goats per year. In Khubsugul, we tend to graze sheep. Sheep do not require special care, like a goat. But now I am beginning to learn goatlings. There is a phrase: "Next to gold and copper  turns yellow", says the owner of the family.

When I asked him to praise his wife, he replied: “My wife has been involved in cattle breeding since her childhood. Very talented, she skillfully distinguishes all goatlings. Although the family is listed on the owner’s name, my father-in-law and mother-in-law are good people, they are now 90 years old, they are also the owners of the Golden Baby Goat.

The owner, like other men, trains the horses. But due to the fact that there is no one to ride the horses, for the last two, three years he has not trained the horses. And this year he plans to teach his son to ride. "We have a thoroughbred horse - a descendant of an Eastern province horse," he says.

I am sure that every Mongol loves his country and countryside, and loves to ride a horse across the endless steppe. For me - a journalist to stand in the fresh air, and to consider a wide steppe, to admire the beauty of Mongolia, was a pleasure.

"Shepherds do the same work every day. Our work does not end. We get up early in the morning, look at the sky and decide where to feed the cattle. The councils of the elders are "gold". I always follow the advice of parents. We live in the open air and consume 100% organic products. Cattle is a virtuous animal that always provides benefits.

Our conversation turned to the topic of vaccines: "People think that the vaccine immediately affects the meat of animals. But, in fact, no. In the fall, to prevent from various infections, we vaccinate the cattle The vaccine is made in the fall, but not at any time." - so ended our conversation.

After a day at the cattle breeder, with a proud soul, I went home. We can not be proud of the shepherds, who are a manifestation of a nomadic lifestyle, which is considered the only one in the world.

The mischievous son Khangai read us a poem about a hedgehog.

Bulganchimeg L

 

 

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