5/10/21

Branding season.

We kind of have calving and branding seasons running together. Most of our neighbors start calving about a month or so ahead of us.. and many are trying to get branded up so they can get them to summer pasture. We aren’t hauling any anywhere else for summer this year.. other than some steers hauled to the sale barn, if the dang market would get better. I know, I know, greedy ain’t I? I would like to get paid for wintering them!

The last heifer calved awhile back, so calving is getting better. But I am wishing we were leasing bulls instead of owning them.. when I checked cows this morning both the new bulls who were still supposed to be in the corral, had escaped and were out with the drop bunch. I guess if they had to be with one of the bunches, that was the best as none are cycling right now. Either still haven’t calved or haven’t calved long enough to cycle. There were some heifer yearlings out there, but I don’t think they are cycling either. Guess we will find out when we preg this fall!

Then a neighbor stopped in to say we had a bull on the road. Wasn’t too big of a deal getting him back, but he and some others were in a pasture they weren’t supposed to be in. Me and the dogs got them relocated, found the open gate they had come thru’ and shut it. And then noticed some more yearlings and a cow with a fairly new baby calf, in another pasture. I knew the cow was out there but had forgotten about her. Really didn’t think she was going to enjoy all the attention from 16 bulls when she started to cycle, so went back with my horse and got her sorted off and where she should be across the road. Man, she was high headed rip! Her poor little calf is in training for the Preakness or something, she must think, because he had to rope to keep up with her trot! Last I saw of them, they had went thru’ the gate and were headed north at a high rate of speed. Sure hope they slowed down before they got to the next fence  a mile north!

But back to the branding.. we got all done but one more neighbor .. and of course, ours. Sure is nice to see all the neighbors and watch the little kids who are not so little anymore, wrestling calves and roping. Kids. They are the best thing we raise in this part of the country!

Here is hoping we get a bunch of rainy days!