In a blow to anyone who considers “industrial cow bathroom” a top-tier olfactory experience, Lubbock Feeders is officially shutting its gates after 70 years. Since 1955, this local landmark has processed over five million head of cattle, serving as a constant reminder that Lubbock’s primary exports are dust, heartbreak, and processed hay.
The culprits? A lovely combination of “historic” low cattle inventories and a tiny, flesh-eating parasite called the New World screwworm. Because the USDA closed the border to Mexican cattle to keep these little monsters out, the feedyard lost about 70% of its business. Apparently, it’s hard to run a cattle kingdom when you’ve run out of cows and the ones you can find cost more than a home in Southwest Lubbock.
The closure isn’t just about the cows; it’s a domino effect of misery for local farmers, truckers, and vets. For decades, locals have defensively told disgusted visitors that the eye-watering stench of the feedlots “smelled like money.” Well, the wind is finally shifting, and it turns out that when the smell of money disappears, you’re just left with the regular, everyday scent of a dirt parking lot.
If the “smell of money” is finally gone, does that mean we’re officially broke, or do we just have to rely on the Buddy Holly Center to keep the economy afloat?