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Branding season pictures

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All branding pics are encouraged. Calf tables, nord forks, rope and drag, it's all good to go.
Our calves aren't big enough to carry a brand quite yet.....
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We had a Powder River calf table once, and Mr FH and a neighbor changed it so it was easier to use. Cut it down, or something........made it easier to tip over.
We brand in a table but standing as I band all male calves at birth. Three shots, implant steers, brand ID tag and there is the odd set of horns to burn off. Three or four of us can average a calf every 40 to 50 seconds.
 
A calf every 40 to 50 seconds is fast enough. Usually just the two of us and it's been a long time since we could work that fast. We do everything in a squeeze chute and average about 30 per hour on our home-raised calves and we can only do it that fast because we also band at birth.

That slows way down on sale calves and cutting bulls to about five minutes each. The occasional horns on those really take up a lot of time, but admittedly, a lot of that time spent on the bulls now is just me getting back up.
 
We do have the first two bunches branded and ready to go to grass should it ever come. Too busy to take photos. Old fella watching yesterday said we averaged 48 seconds per calf going through the table. Two pushers and four at the chute.
 
Went to a branding at Bert's this morning. Based on the amount of vaccine I went through there must have been about 200 calves. I had the camera but was kept so busy giving shots I never took a picture, I told one of the gals there that I have my camera but never ready with it when something exciting happens. About 20 minutes later a rope stuck on a hind foot of a calf who had been worked. Same gal was trying to get it off. She tripped just in time to catch the other foot being kicked up. Caught her on the nose. She got a good cut. I didn't see the kick but I saw her drop like a rock. No picture.
Then there was a cow with an abscess on its jaw. They were going to rope her to doctor. Neighbor roped her. His horse bogged its head and went to bucking. He is a former college regional champion/PRCA saddle bronc rider. We all thought he had it covered but he got bounced up on to the saddle horn. That was it, he came off. Again no picture. All this excitement and no photographic evidence.
 
Remind me never to accept an invitation to Bert's branding! 😂
If I had a nickel for every time I've been kicked I'd buy everybody a steak supper.
 
Remind me never to accept an invitation to Bert's branding! 😂
If I had a nickel for every time I've been kicked I'd buy everybody a steak supper.
I have been kicked a lot too. But how often have you been kicked in the nose by a 200 pound calf? Of course this gal is only about 5' 1" so her nose is closer to the calf's feet. Her little sister was there also. She is about 4' 10". If half a dozen like those 2 showed up, everyone else could just stay home.
 
We had a county extension agent help brand years ago. He was wrestling calves and was on the back end of the calf.
Turned the legs loose and that calf kicked back and got him in the nose. Knocked him backwards and bloodied his nose
really good. I don't think I have seen that happen since.
 
I have been kicked a lot too. But how often have you been kicked in the nose by a 200 pound calf? Of course this gal is only about 5' 1" so her nose is closer to the calf's feet. Her little sister was there also. She is about 4' 10". If half a dozen like those 2 showed up, everyone else could just stay home.
If you'd of seen my face ya may wager it's been kicked a few times. 😁
She is tougher than me, but most folks are
 
I went to a branding today. I didn't take the camera and I certainly wish I had. This place was made to be photographed. A nice green basin probably 300-400 acres. It was burned in a big fire here back in 2015 so there is nothing but grass. And the grass there is still green. Yesterday they had set up panels for a pen and herded about 150 pairs into the basin. The pen was on the lower center of the basin. We herded the cattle into the pen and the fun began. I was vaccinating and it was steady. They were constantly bringing calves to the fire. It slowed toward the end as the ropers had to search for calves that hadn't been worked. Plenty of good help who were well mounted. I have mentioned a couple of young ladies on here before who are hands. About half of the calves belong to one of these gals and her fiance. All of their bull calves need to be cut. Those two young ladies had their hands covered with blood and the front of their pant legs were bloody from wiping their hands. It was a site to see. Those two don't shy away from anything.

Side note. To answer a question asked on here before. While sitting in the shade of a trailer eating after we were done I observed the brand of jeans worn today. 13 men had 10 Wrangler and 3 Chinch. The 4 ladies who worked with us today had 3 Wranglers and one Chinch.
 
I forgot. There was two owners of these calves. Most were turned out as ear tagged calves (yellow and blue) but there were some turned out as dry cows who had since calved. When one of those untagged calves was dragged to the fire. Some they would recognize some they didn't. The ones they were unsure of they did rock-paper-sissors to decide which brand to put on.
 
Those two young ladies had their hands covered with blood and the front of their pant legs were bloody from wiping their hands. It was a site to see. Those two don't shy away from anything.

Side note. To answer a question asked on here before. While sitting in the shade of a trailer eating after we were done I observed the brand of jeans worn today. 13 men had 10 Wrangler and 3 Chinch. The 4 ladies who worked with us today had 3 Wranglers and one Chinch.
Proud to hear the young ladies are carrying on the art of the sharp knife. That was always my favorite part of working cattle. I used to take an old bed sheet and cut 5 foot long by 1 foot wide strips and fold it and thread it through my belt loops and have two handy rags hanging down in front for hand wiping. It saved a lot of jeans and shirts.

Your side note was a bit disheartening hahaha! I was surprised no one wore Carhartts or Lee Riders. I don't know how young ladies work in those low-waisted jeans. Also, can you give us a count on how many wore caps and how many wore hats? Also, pull on or lace-up boots?
 
Proud to hear the young ladies are carrying on the art of the sharp knife. That was always my favorite part of working cattle. I used to take an old bed sheet and cut 5 foot long by 1 foot wide strips and fold it and thread it through my belt loops and have two handy rags hanging down in front for hand wiping. It saved a lot of jeans and shirts.

Your side note was a bit disheartening hahaha! I was surprised no one wore Carhartts or Lee Riders. I don't know how young ladies work in those low-waisted jeans. Also, can you give us a count on how many wore caps and how many wore hats? Also, pull on or lace-up boots?
Hats and boots? You are asking my old memory to remember that? All 4 gals had on cowboy hats. The guys? I am going with 7 cowboy hats and 6 ball caps. Boots, I have no idea. Well Bert always has lace up boots. Dustin and Luke always wear Romeo's with spurs over them...... I guess it works for them. Kathy and I both had on cowboy boots with a small hole in the side. Both the hole was on the left foot.
 

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