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Unconventional branding.

rancherfred

Well-known member
Several different factors contributed to our decision several years ago to quit having large brandings after calving season was over. Since we are now calving on summer range we had to come up with a way to brand our calves in the pasture. We tried several different types of systems to brand the calves, from a generator on the back of a pickup, to an inverter on the pickup, and finally settled on an inverter hooked to a car battery carried on the back of an ATV. Now we tag, tattoo and brand all at the same time. I try to get everything done the day the calf is born because they are a lot easier to catch and work. After seeing Soapweed's pictures of the generator I thought I would post a few of our branding.
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A couple of day old calves to work.
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Caught the first one.
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Mom trying to figure out what is going on.
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The iron is hot enough.
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The final product.

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Soapweed

Well-known member
Looks like a good workable system, rancherfred. There are lots of different ways to skin a cat.

We are experiencing quite a hailstorm here, as I type this. The ground is completely white, and it is getting deep. Oh well, it was fun the past ten days between severe drought and this menacing hail. :roll: All we can do is roll with the punches. :wink:
 

leanin' H

Well-known member
You need to fix that system up to work off of a horse! :wink: I can picture a mount for ridin and ropin off of, and a pack string with equipment, battery, iron, ect!!! :lol: Sorry to be a smart behind! Looks like it works well for ya!
 

Silver

Well-known member
I worked on a ranch years ago where we did much the same thing. We just put a little honda generator on the back of an quad to run the iron. Two of us managed to stay on top of about 2000 head that way.

BTW, those are some fine looking cattle!
 

Shortgrass

Well-known member
I worked a place in the Book Cliffs of Colorado where we had small wire pens in the head of a few draws up on summer range. We branded most of the summer by gathering a few slicks in the pen, building a wood fire, and branding with a running iron. We had probably 800 calves, and would get them all done. We would have a branding before we turned out where we got 75% or so. It was fun for a young guy.
 

rancherfred

Well-known member
nortexsook: Not sure what you mean about NR's EXTs. Guess I haven't been reading the forum long enough.

Leanin' H: I have wished many times that I had a horse that I could rope off of when the calves get a little age to them. I am so terrible with a rope though that I would be more likely to get my own, and the horse's neck in the rope at the same time. That would be quite a rodeo...

Silver: We used the generator for a couple of years, but the thing was so loud that we had the cattle tearing all over the pasture trying to get away from it. We finally had to figure out a way to get the whole process quieted down. I am the only one that does the working, and I only have to do a fraction of the number you did. Thanks for your kind comments about the cattle.
 

BRG

Well-known member
You gotta love the green grass and red cows. Your cows look like they are very deep bodied and easy fleshing. My type of cow!
 

rancherfred

Well-known member
If I have a cow that tries to take me once I get a hold of her calf and am setting on the thing she gets a black mark. If she gets enough black marks she gets a free ride to town. I have too much to do to worry about cows running up my back when I am working calves. Most of the calving work is done by myself so I can't afford cows that might injure me.

Ranchero: The calves are usually worked within 24 hours of being born. If the calves are dry enough to brand I will go ahead and work them. They are much easier for me to handle them by myself when they are just a few hours old. I can still do them at several days but the difficulty goes up dramatically. I have been gone for several days and I have one to do tomorrow that is a week old. Really not looking forward to that...
 

George

Well-known member
We were so dry last year that I culled down to half my herd last July, Then I culled very hard again in November. That left me with enough pasture and hay I was able to help out a couple of my neighbors and my son.

Now we are about 18" above normal in rain and I have hay that is about 3 feet high and should have beenmade a month ago but with a 2" rain every three days it is not looking good for putting up hay.

The cows are in pasture half way up on their sides but there are not any good cows for sale as it seems last years drought sent them all to market.

At least we did not get as much rain as about 50 miles to the south. I have lost one bridge on the farm but I will replace it when the water goes down a little and thank the Lord for the blessings he has bestowed on us.
 
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