Not really messed up. Lots of people are willing to work for free if it means they get to pretend they are a buckaroo. People want to get paid real money to work on a kill floor up to their belly button in blood and gore.
I think you are right. There is something addictive about owning cattle. A person could spend that time and make a lot more money. I bet the average cow herd east of the Mississippi River is less than 50 head grown animals total.
