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Branding, April 28, 2009

Soapweed

Well-known member
Gettingreadytobrandcalves.jpg

Getting ready to brand calves
Thecontraption.jpg

The contraption
Bradymixinghismagicpotionforcastrat.jpg

Brady mixing his magic potion for castrating
Thefirst27calvereadyandwaiting.jpg

The first 27 calves ready and waiting. We do 27 calves in each draft, as that is how many doses the vaccine gun holds. When the next 27 are run in, we change ropers.
Thewindwashowlingabout40mph.jpg

The wind was howling about 40 miles per hour out of the south, so we fooled it. We set up our portable corrals on the north side of a cedar tree shelter belt, and had a nice nearly breezeless day to brand.
Hurryupwiththisjobsowecangetback.jpg

Hurry up with this job so we can get back with our mommas.
BirdseyeviewfromontopofaGoose.jpg

Bird's eye view from on top of a Goose
Loungingonthesofainthewaitingroom.jpg

Lounging on the sofa in the waiting room at the doctor's office. Regretfully, there were no toys for the youngsters to play with.
Bradysturntorope.jpg

Brady's turn to rope
Bradyandhishorseattheendoftheday.jpg

Brady and his horse at the end of the day
TheKool-AidKidtotherescue.jpg

The Kool-Aid Kid to the rescue
Brushinguponherbrandingskills.jpg

Brushing up on her branding skills. Sunflower has done a wonderful job in applying the Spearhead brand to all the calves this spring. With her artistic eye, the brand gets put on good and straight.
Itsallwaterunderthebridge.jpg

It is all water under the bridge for another day. I was proud of our crew of four (Rena had other obligations and couldn't be with us). Peach, Sunflower, Brady, and I branded and processed 167 calves in five hours. Brady and I got to do plenty of roping, to boot. :wink:
 

leanin' H

Well-known member
Thanks for packing the camera today. You guys make a tough job look easy! Says a lot about your help. Your wife's shirt looked like an ad for moosehead beer at first glance! :shock: How many misses did your rope have in it today? :wink:
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
leanin' H said:
Thanks for packing the camera today. You guys make a tough job look easy! Says a lot about your help. Your wife's shirt looked like an ad for moosehead beer at first glance! :shock: How many misses did your rope have in it today? :wink:

My bride's shirt is from the Moose Head Ranch, which is a guest ranch in the heart of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It's a beautiful place with the Tetons looming to the west.

We rope with several different ropes, because each time a calf is caught, that rope stays with the calf until it has been branded and processed. The roper grabs another rope and goes to catch another calf. There were quite a few misses in the ropes I was using. :roll: :wink: By only having 27 calves at a time in the branding pen, my goal is to rope them as quietly as possible. If they don't get stirred up much, they are easier to catch. The ground crew welcomes a few misses, as it gives them time to rest for a few moments. :)
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
Blkbuckaroo said:
Did the ladies get a chance to rope?

Peach is a good roper but she has a shoulder with a torn rotator cuff that bothers when she ropes. Sunflower had the chance but declined. Rena likes to rope, but she wasn't here.
 

High Plains

Well-known member
Another low-stress kind of a Spearhead branding. The nice part about your brandings is that the boss doesn't have to endure a lot of stress wondering what kind of wreck is going to ensue when the big crew shows up. You also don't have to wonder how many guys are going to break their colts at your branding.

I'd love to swing by one day and help you with the roping chores. I'm not real good at catching two feet all the time, and that's what it takes with your contraption. :cry:

HP
 

PureCountry

Well-known member
Around here it seems most only use colts at their own branding, unless it's a real quiet sound youngster. The branding we're going to on Saturday will have 4 "contraptions" going, not like yours though. They're the spring steel ones tied to an anchor pounded in the ground. One guy on the ground throws the steel hoop on the calf just behnd the ears and when it pulls tight, their tight. At this particular branding, the ground crew goes non-stop. With 4 contraptions and 4 ropers, we have to. THey have a real big pot, and 2 sets of irons, which can get confusing if someone mixes up the 2 different brands they use, making 12 irons in the pot at any given time.

I'll try and get some pics of it and post on Sunday.
 

Jassy

Well-known member
I wanna know how come you get lucky and brand in shirt sleeve weather??? lol It seems like we always pick the cold dreary days...Must be living right over there...glad that it went good for ya...
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
High Plains said:
Another low-stress kind of a Spearhead branding. The nice part about your brandings is that the boss doesn't have to endure a lot of stress wondering what kind of wreck is going to ensue when the big crew shows up. You also don't have to wonder how many guys are going to break their colts at your branding.

I'd love to swing by one day and help you with the roping chores. I'm not real good at catching two feet all the time, and that's what it takes with your contraption. :cry:

HP

Stop on by. We'd love to put you to work. :wink:

Jassy said:
I wanna know how come you get lucky and brand in shirt sleeve weather??? lol It seems like we always pick the cold dreary days...Must be living right over there...glad that it went good for ya...

It was miserable and windy on the other side of those trees. Where we were, though, it was rather nice. :)

Carter said:
what is the secret potion used for?? and why is it a secret?? :(

It is an old family recipe of Lysol and water. I can't remember what it is such a secret. :wink: :)
 

Cedarcreek

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
It is an old family recipe of Lysol and water. I can't remember what it is such a secret. :wink: :)

Lysol used to be the disinfectant of choice around here until we started using Nolvasan. Its a whole lot easier on my hands, I take some with me when I go to the neighbors just in case they don't have any and hand me a bottle of Lysol to mix with the water. I've been know to bring a little warm water too after having to use almost ice water on a 40° F day.
 
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