Andy, the pet steer, remembered

Ed and Angela Brannfors have had hundreds of animals in their cattle herd, but never one like Andy the steer — Andy was always treated with a little more love. 

Earlier this spring the beloved steer of the La Center family died at age 20. He lived a long and luxurious life on the farm, but on two occasions it was nearly cut short. 

Andy was born on Fourth of July weekend in 1996. He was found in the family’s cattle field in La Center alone and sick by Ed who brought the calf back to their house at the time, in Battle Ground. He said back then he believed Andy was abandoned by his mother because he was an unhealthy runt. Andy’s new mother became Angela, who quickly fell in love.

“The rest is history,” Angela said.

“She took care of him immaculately,” Ed added.

For about a year Angela nursed Andy back to health. Her son Erik, who was a teenager at the time, recalls lots of bottle feeding, antibiotics, brushing — and pampering. 

“Mom really went hook, line and sinker for the little guy,” Erik said.

Eventually Andy was reintroduced to the herd, but was still Angela’s favorite. 

“Essentially he became the golden child or chosen one of the herd,” said Erik.

After three years, he had grown into 1,400 pounds of Angus meat and Ed began to secretly develop other idea’s about Andy.

“He was a big one, and even though he was Angela’s baby, it was time to take him to the market,” Ed said.

One day, without Angela’s permission, Ed snuck Andy into the trailer with a few other cattle and headed to an auction in The Dalles, Oregon — it would turn out to be one of the worst decisions he said he’s ever made.

“A few of the people who were helping me load the cattle that day even asked, ‘Ed, are you sure you know what you’re doing with Andy?’” Ed said.

Andy was later sold for $589.10, but the next day Ed confessed what he’d done to Angela. 

“Winter set in around the house,” Angela said. “It got pretty cold around here. … If you know what I mean.”

“There was no more social interaction,” Ed said.

Angela even went to the bank, pulled out the $589.10 and donated it to their church, telling the pastor that if Andy was never recovered to please plant an apple tree in the church yard in his memory. But that was only “if,” because Ed was already hot on the trail to get Andy back and within a week he had tracked Andy down to a feed lot in Eagle, Idaho. 

When Ed and Angela arrived to rescue him, Andy had been branded on the shoulder and was only a day or two away from being butchered. While Angela sobbed and hugged Andy, Ed paid $750 for him and for part of the way home Angela rode in the trailer with her steer. When Andy stepped out of the trailer, he never set foot in another. 

“Sometimes from then on Andy would trot over to the trailer when I’d be loading other cattle — possibly looking for another odyssey — but I’d tell him ‘you’ve taken your last ride,’” Ed said.

Ed said everything he did to Andy was with good intentions as a cattleman and once Andy was bought back they became best friends. 

“He was very docile, always more of a pussy cat or pet dog than a steer,” Ed said.

Erik described Andy’s personality as “overly tame” and is convinced Andy knew he was getting better treatment than his peers his whole life.

As Andy got older he developed hoof infections but Angela said luckily it was never bad enough he needed to be put down.

“I’m really glad we didn’t have to do that,” Angela said.

During last winter the Brannfors’ said Andy became noticeably slower and in April he died of old age. 

“When I told Angela that Andy was dead I didn’t know what would happen next — didn’t know if I’d have to call a minister or what,” Ed said.

“It was very sad,” Angela said. “I’m glad I didn’t have to see him.”

Ed buried Andy on the family farm and flowers were sent to Angela from her sons.

“I don’t think anyone could have counted on the maternal connection mom had with the little guy,” Erik said.