This weeks photos

[BRG]

This past week we have been busy, preg ultrasounding spring heifers, cascass ultrasounding bulls, and giving a cattle tour to a young guy from Australia. Here are some photos I took.

Bringing the yearling heifers in to ultrasound. They were running with 100 head of spade heifers that needed sorted off.


Here they are in the pen


The same day I gave a tour to Cameran Cutler, a young rancher from Australia. Here he is taking a photo of Victory.


Here are a few pasture and cow photos I snapped while giving the tour.

This is a photo of our lease where we run all of our spring calving cows and yearling heifers. This is the first year we have it. Lots of grass, water, and open space.



a 2003 model cow

First calf heifer pair

Another first calf heifer


Then yesterday we scanned the bulls that will be coming 2's in our sale next spring. Here we are gathering them.

I am getting a few out of the trees


Here is my sis in law and Jasn, the ultrasound technician scanning the last bull of the day.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Country looks good.

Is the winch above the chute for use when putting in brisket tags?

 

[BRG]

Country looks good.

Is the winch above the chute for use when putting in brisket tags?

That is the scan mans chute. But no, it is for loading and unloading it onto the trailer.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Country looks good.

Is the winch above the chute for use when putting in brisket tags?

That is the scan mans chute. But no, it is for loading and unloading it onto the trailer.

I see, A fellow up here built a arm that comes out from the front of the chute to run a cable to a winch(I think he just used a hand winch) to hook to a halter to stretch the head and neck out and up and to keep them from throwing their head while installing brisket tags.

 

[mrj]

How are your heifers spayed, through the side, or by going in from the back? Is it a Vet or a Technician doing the work.

It's been several years since we have spayed any, and it was pretty hard to find someone to do it, so have been selling our bottom end as open heifers, in spite of the nuisance it is to keep them open.

Nice cows. It must be a big chunk of western SD where pastures are looking so good in spite of our slow start this year.

mrj

 

[BRG]

How are your heifers spayed, through the side, or by going in from the back? Is it a Vet or a Technician doing the work.

It's been several years since we have spayed any, and it was pretty hard to find someone to do it, so have been selling our bottom end as open heifers, in spite of the nuisance it is to keep them open.

Nice cows. It must be a big chunk of western SD where pastures are looking so good in spite of our slow start this year.

mrj

He is a tech and goes in from the back.

Yes it is a large are that look good, spread throughout MT, WY, SD, ND, and NE. Could use another shot of rain. The corn looks like it could use another good rain. But very happy with what we have gotten so far. Second half of may we went from extremely dry to having 7.5 inches to over a foot of rain in some places. Then in June we only got 2 inches, which is below normal. So it is time for another shot. Hay crops and pastures are awesome!!!

 

[Clarencen]

I like your pictures. I am wondering what species of grasses you have there and what forbs you have growing with the grass. On that one picture of the cow and calf, it looks like some sort of sage wort with the grass. Looks like some pictures have introduced grasses. I have only been through your part of SD a few times but it looked like you have about the same native grasses as we have here. I often ask, What is your favorite grass or your most important grass? In western South Dakota the answer often is "Crested Wheatgrass".

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

How are your heifers spayed, through the side, or by going in from the back? Is it a Vet or a Technician doing the work.

It's been several years since we have spayed any, and it was pretty hard to find someone to do it, so have been selling our bottom end as open heifers, in spite of the nuisance it is to keep them open.

Nice cows. It must be a big chunk of western SD where pastures are looking so good in spite of our slow start this year.

mrj

He is a tech and goes in from the back.

Yes it is a large are that look good, spread throughout MT, WY, SD, ND, and NE. Could use another shot of rain. The corn looks like it could use another good rain. But very happy with what we have gotten so far. Second half of may we went from extremely dry to having 7.5 inches to over a foot of rain in some places. Then in June we only got 2 inches, which is below normal. So it is time for another shot. Hay crops and pastures are awesome!!!

When spaying do you know if they use the Needle with the keyhole or the Tube called the Meagher flute? Our vet has tried twice with the Flute and can't get the technique down to do any volume.

 

[BRG]

How are your heifers spayed, through the side, or by going in from the back? Is it a Vet or a Technician doing the work.

It's been several years since we have spayed any, and it was pretty hard to find someone to do it, so have been selling our bottom end as open heifers, in spite of the nuisance it is to keep them open.

Nice cows. It must be a big chunk of western SD where pastures are looking so good in spite of our slow start this year.

mrj

He is a tech and goes in from the back.

Yes it is a large are that look good, spread throughout MT, WY, SD, ND, and NE. Could use another shot of rain. The corn looks like it could use another good rain. But very happy with what we have gotten so far. Second half of may we went from extremely dry to having 7.5 inches to over a foot of rain in some places. Then in June we only got 2 inches, which is below normal. So it is time for another shot. Hay crops and pastures are awesome!!!

When spaying do you know if they use the Needle with the keyhole or the Tube called the Meagher flute? Our vet has tried twice with the Flute and can't get the technique down to do any volume.

I am not sure. I just pushed them in the chute, so never really watched.

 

[BRG]

I like your pictures. I am wondering what species of grasses you have there and what forbs you have growing with the grass. On that one picture of the cow and calf, it looks like some sort of sage wort with the grass. Looks like some pictures have introduced grasses. I have only been through your part of SD a few times but it looked like you have about the same native grasses as we have here. I often ask, What is your favorite grass or your most important grass? In western South Dakota the answer often is "Crested Wheatgrass".

Grasses, depending on the pastures. They range from Crested Wheat un some of the pastures to more native grasses in the others. The way south pastures are in heavier soils and they are full of western wheat grass.

I don't know what "forbs" are.

Crest is a great grass early. It will green up first, but also matures first. Usually after July 4 it looses its power. This year it will last a little longer as it started later and we had more moisture for it. It makes great hay as well.

Favorite grasses are a combination of the native grasses. I don't even know them by name, as most of our pastures have a combination of them. Which makes it great as some harden early and some don't start until July.

I also like brome as an early grass and for hay.

Their is a little sage in the pastures. Not a big deal though.

 

[cure]

He is a tech and goes in from the back.

Yes it is a large are that look good, spread throughout MT, WY, SD, ND, and NE. Could use another shot of rain. The corn looks like it could use another good rain. But very happy with what we have gotten so far. Second half of may we went from extremely dry to having 7.5 inches to over a foot of rain in some places. Then in June we only got 2 inches, which is below normal. So it is time for another shot. Hay crops and pastures are awesome!!!

When spaying do you know if they use the Needle with the keyhole or the Tube called the Meagher flute? Our vet has tried twice with the Flute and can't get the technique down to do any volume.

I am not sure. I just pushed them in the chute, so never really watched.

We did a bunch of heifers last year cost us ten bucks a head and he went in the back with the keyhole tool worked pretty slick