**Chapter 15: Ranch Life and the Green Grass Season**
"...So, it's pretty impressive. Tifton 85 has a digestibility rate of 65%, and its sugar content is at least 40% higher than regular grass. That's a big win for quality!"
In the lab, the old professor waved a test report enthusiastically, while Kitano trailed behind, trying to keep up.
"This one's probably from Oxbow Equine Elite. You can tell by their freeze-drying process—top-notch stuff."
Professor Furuya handed Kitano a report with a dramatic flourish.
"Freeze-drying?" Kitano asked, scratching his head.
The term sailed right over him. Honestly, most of what the professor said sounded like a foreign language.
"Freeze-drying," Furuya repeated, shaking his head. "The Americans dry the grass in a vacuum at -18°C. Locks in about 97% of the natural Vitamin D3. Pretty clever, huh?"
He pulled out another report. "And this Bermuda grass? Likely from Lucerne Farms' Bermuda Gold in Australia. Chemically, every sample you send has stable magnesium levels—between 0.35% and 0.4%. Exactly as advertised."
Not entirely sold on the hype, he added, "But that 'Moonlight Harvesting Method' they brag about? Pure marketing nonsense to trick gullible folks."
"So, both types of grass are good to go?" Kitano asked cautiously.
"Good? They're like a limited-edition strawberry parfait—rare and top-quality."
Prof. Furuya handed over the reports and grabbed a chilled cola from a nearby student.
"Professor, isn't iced cola a bit risky at your age?" Kitano said, half-joking, unsure how to react to the scene.
"Ha! Cola's my secret to a long life," Prof. Furuya chuckled, popping the can open with a satisfying *hiss* and taking a big gulp. He sighed contentedly, then raised an eyebrow. "Why are you still standing there? Are vets in Hokkaido *that* bored these days?"
Kitano smirked. His colleague Sunny was right—Mr. Furuya wasn't the easiest guy to deal with. But at least Kitano could relax now. The forage from the system, despite its sketchy, no-brand packaging, was apparently high-grade stuff.
Just to be safe, Kitano ordered another box of forage. According to his friend Ogawa Masaru, Mejiro Pegasus was a picky eater. Even with the system's claim that the forage would "make horses' appetites soar," Kitano wasn't taking any chances. He arranged to send the new batch and test reports to Nishiken Ranch tomorrow, then shifted his focus.
Some business guru, Devra Zach, once said multitasking was a fool's game—real results come from focus. Kitano knew his limits, so with the horse owner business wrapped up for now, he threw himself back into his veterinary work.
He drove to the first ranch on his schedule. Today's cases were both rumen acidosis—basically, cows getting sick from eating too much sugary grass. The fix was straightforward: a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution to neutralize the stomach, a rumen flush, and an IV of 5% glucose saline.
The first cow was a handful, thrashing during the stomach flush. Kitano and the farmer wrestled to keep it still, and by the time they were done, it was nearly noon. Kitano was starving but had no appetite for a proper meal. He grabbed an energy bar from his bag—nothing fancy, just enough to kill the hunger and keep him going. Kitano wasn't picky.
He scarfed it down and headed to the next farm. The afternoon case was another battle, but he got through it. Back at the clinic, he posted a quick tweet on X about preventing livestock diseases during the green grass season. To his surprise, it got retweeted like crazy.
At the clinic, he checked his supplies. Sodium bicarbonate was running low, and he needed more methylene blue and triclabendazole for the coming months. It looked like he'd have to extend his night hours for a bit. With a sigh, he flipped off the clinic's circuit breaker, officially calling it a day.
Back home, Kitano peeled off his work clothes, which reeked from a day of farm visits. His nose, battered by the day's smells, finally got a break. Dinner was simple: curry rice, heated up in minutes. The color reminded him a bit too much of rumen contents from work, but he shook off the thought. It wasn't gourmet, but it was hot, filling, and easy—good enough for him.
After dinner, he took a quick shower and sank into a hot bath. The tub was cramped and not exactly cozy—probably designed that way to keep people from dozing off and drowning, or so he'd heard. Kitano didn't care much about the reason. He was already nodding off when he caught himself, gave his cheeks a quick pat, and got out.
Wrapped in his bathrobe, he scrolled through X while his laundry ran. The upcoming Derby was trending hard. Kitano, even before he got into horse racing, knew the name. He tapped the topic to see what people were saying.
Most of the chatter was about two horses: Northern Cross and Museum Street.
*"Museum Street's final sprint at Nakayama was unreal. On Tokyo's longer straight, it might break a record."*
*"Northern Cross had some growth issues a few months back. Is it an early peaker or what?"*
*"It's basically Loto Heart 2.0, lol."*
"Growth issues, huh?" Kitano muttered. It sounded familiar. Mejiro Pegasus was in a similar boat. The system labeled it a "late bloomer," but Kitano felt he should do something proactive anyway.
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