Spearhead branding April 23, 2018

[Soapweed]

Sorting cows away from calves

Cows to the right, calves to the left

The generator is smoking a little, but we have extra oil.

Branding in progress

Cows waiting to be joined with their calves

The gate in front of the calf table allows heifers to be held back and steer calves to go out with their mothers.

Calves waiting their turn

We really like the Rawhide Corral, but some Scott panels also come in handy.

Crew rootin' to toot

The catch pen

Brock at dinner time

His brother Will

Will's kids are also helping.

We did 204 calves that day, and when the day was over we had them all branded and they were in two bunches--97 steer calves and their mothers in one bunch, and 107 heifer calves and their mothers in another bunch. Brock ran the calf table, castrated and implanted; Will branded and held the leg if necessary; Carol gave vaccinations of One Shot PMH, injectable Dectomax, Vison 7/Somubac, and nasal Inforce 3; and our hired hand for the past year Bryce Weisser did a good job of keeping the calves coming to the table. My sister Sybil and I were both mounted on our faithful Polaris Rangers, and as the steer calves came out and paired up with their mothers, we put them into a different pasture. At the end, we turned the heifer calves out with the remaining cows, and everything was sorted up the way we wanted them. It worked great, and the weather was beautiful that day.

 

[WB]

So the steers will get creep feed I assume?

 

[Soapweed]

So the steers will get creep feed I assume?

No, they will just be separate all summer so they can be preconditioned first, and be managed better to sell in the fall.

 

[gcreekrch]

Thanks for sharing Soap.

I wonder what Northern Rancher might have commented about you using mechanized ponies now.

They work just fine here still.

 

[Haytrucker]

I know Corey was old school, so am I. I joined the JQHA in the mid 90s. I think I'm about even between handling cows the same every time, and the times the horse knew more than me. Ain't always right, but we muddle thru. I wish I had time to do it with horses and dogs. It goes a little faster..

 

[VB RANCH]

Sure a lot of iron down in cow country Nebraska, gotta do what ya gotta do, to bad tho

 

[4Diamond]

Is the rawhide a new addition to the operation?

 

[Soapweed]

Is the rawhide a new addition to the operation?

Yes, as of last summer. We like it real well.

 

[leanin' H]

Looks like things are well in Nebraska. Glad to see the pictures. Been to a bunch of brandings here but since photobucket went haywire, I haven't figured out how to post pictures. Don't fret much over a calf table or mechanical horses. I got beat up pretty good once for posting pictures, of us all wearing new snaps shirts, to a horseback branding. Folks thought we were dudes. They were wrong then too. :wink: Whatever gets the job done safely, efficiently and enjoyably for you and your crew. We love out OK corral system. Been a god send when hauling out pairs in the spring to the mountain to pair up in, in pastures where a wire trap isn't handy. Used it a lot each fall when finding tail-enders after the gather that are far from a good load out facility. And it also works well as the horse corral during roundup week at cow camp. They are handy sun of a guns. Thanks Soap! Enjoyed all the pics

 

[ShawnR]

Thanks for sharing Soap.

I wonder what Northern Rancher might have commented about you using mechanized ponies now.

They work just fine here still.

Polaris iron Works excellent here as well, I sure miss the visits with Mr. Wilson. I stopped by to meet him on one of my trips back to Mn from Alaska a few years ago, ended up spend8n

 

[ShawnR]

Spending the night, great people and the best pancakes I have ever ate in my life. I hope his family is well.