The Calves Are Worked and Branded

[Dee]

Been a busy 2+ weeks. Built a portable furnace for branding irons, built new branding irons (a first for me), and got everything ready for my little roundup.
Helped some on the big ranches, and the 25th was the day set for ours.

Some really good cowboys showed up, with some good ropin, cuttin, and sorting. It was a hot day, and I had to take an occasional break, but it all went well with BBQ for everybody in the evening.

Finally got everything put back for next year, and I'm still lookin for a good cow pony I can afford for everyday use around here.

There calves are tagged, vaccinated, branded, and the bulls are now steers.

Couple a pics to show off my new branding irons.

[Ranger99]

Not much stinks like the old fashioned
way of branding cattle

[Dee]

And its still the best way to ID cattle from the pasture to the packin house.

[Ranger99]

Oh yes.  Absolutely true

Pretty essential these days with
all these people that are declaring
that they'll just help themselves to
livestock and farmer's crops if things
get bad enough

[Dee]

Among other things. Had an oil company crew come in unbeknownst to me and open a long unused wire gate to get to some old oil pump stations on an adjoining ranch.
It would have been easier for them to go through that ranch, but they're city boys. I had 51 cows and calves find that open gate in 2 days.
I got'em back in, and when I did, I went back over there with posts, wire, and the tractor. That old gate ain't a gate any more.

[Lloyd Smale]

glad to see you back cowboy

[Dee]

Thanks Lloyd, next year hopefully will be easier.

[ironglow]

  Pleased to see you back !  ..But of course, no way a cowboy can neglect his  cattle..

[Dee]

I enjoy the part time job, its worked at an old mans pace. The real "cowboy stuff" I leave to the younger guys.

[oldandslow]

Something that really surprises me is the fact that old timey branding is still allowed. If it ever appears on the animal right's do-gooder's radar there will be a huge "stink"  about it being inhuman and cruel to the poor 'ol cows and they will diligently work to see the practice abolished. Same with turning them into steers.

Make sure that is a gentle and pretty un-skookable cow pony. Old men don't bounce much when they hit the dirt from the height of a horse's back.

[Dee]

Ironglow, if I were a young man again, I'd still want a solid, calm horse. You have to understand working cattle in large rough country areas to realize a good solid horse is essential. 

This ain't rodeo stuff, it's about patience. I may or may not ever rope a calf, don't want to rope a cow, or bull. He'll be used for roundups, sorting, and moving cattle.

[oldandslow]

Ironglow, if I were a young man again, I'd still want a solid, calm horse. You have to understand working cattle in large rough country areas to realize a good solid horse is essential. 

This ain't rodeo stuff, it's about patience. I may or may not ever rope a calf, don't want to rope a cow, or bull. He'll be used for roundups, sorting, and moving cattle.

Are you becoming confused in your golden years?    I didn't see IG post anything about horses. only me and, yes, I know about a little about horses and cows. That is part of the reason why I chose not to persue an agricultural lifestyle. By the way the gentle horse thing was joke but old men have no business on any other kind. You couldn't pay me to get on a horse now plus I would need to carry a step ladder to mount and dismount.

[Dee]

Ironglow, if I were a young man again, I'd still want a solid, calm horse. You have to understand working cattle in large rough country areas to realize a good solid horse is essential. 

This ain't rodeo stuff, it's about patience. I may or may not ever rope a calf, don't want to rope a cow, or bull. He'll be used for roundups, sorting, and moving cattle.

Are you becoming confused in your golden years?    I didn't see IG post anything about horses. only me and, yes, I know about a little about horses and cows. That is part of the reason why I chose not to persue an agricultural lifestyle. By the way the gentle horse thing was joke but old men have no business on any other kind. You couldn't pay me to get on a horse now plus I would need to carry a step ladder to mount and dismount.

Yes, I'm constantly confused. Sorry. 

[oldandslow]

Welcome to the club. It's a subsidary of the CRS club.  I am a long time member of both.

[ironglow]

Ironglow, if I were a young man again, I'd still want a solid, calm horse. You have to understand working cattle in large rough country areas to realize a good solid horse is essential. 

This ain't rodeo stuff, it's about patience. I may or may not ever rope a calf, don't want to rope a cow, or bull. He'll be used for roundups, sorting, and moving cattle.

  Sorry if I mis worded my post.  When I called you a "cowboy", it was meant to be complimentary to your job.

  I wasn't implying that you are some kind of yahoo!  ..And yes, my Dad always insisted on a calm, stable horse for work, that is why as I said, he wouldn't enter his horses in "horse pulls"..

 Horse pulls make them far too jumpy..

[Dee]

Ironglow, if I were a young man again, I'd still want a solid, calm horse. You have to understand working cattle in large rough country areas to realize a good solid horse is essential. 

This ain't rodeo stuff, it's about patience. I may or may not ever rope a calf, don't want to rope a cow, or bull. He'll be used for roundups, sorting, and moving cattle.

  Sorry if I mis worded my post.  When I called you a "cowboy", it was meant to be complimentary to your job.

  I wasn't implying that you are some kind of yahoo!  ..And yes, my Dad always insisted on a calm, stable horse for work, that is why as I said, he wouldn't enter his horses in "horse pulls"..

 Horse pulls make them far too jumpy..

I didn't take any other way. What I'm doin is called cowboying here, but this operation is tiny compared to the ranches surrounding me.
A good friend almost surrounds ours, and is grazing a 1,000 head on 8,000 acres. The "Turkey Track Ranch" to the north is 80,000 acres, and several thousand head of cattle.

[ironglow]

I accompanied my son on a photo shoot in the Pennsylvania mountains (Elk county), day before yesterday.  The subject is a new vacation house .
  It is a beautiful, brand new build on a remote mountainside.  The family owners were there..wonderful Christian people.
  The Dad mentioned that he is in hog farming. He runs 9,400 head on 640 acres nearly on the NY line.

    That rather surprised me, since I can hardly imagine 9,400 hogs in one place..but judging by the owner's family,
     I have little doubt it is  a clean and efficient operation.

[Ranger99]

I can hardly imagine 9,400 hogs in one place..

In the written accounts of the early
settlement days of east Texas, they
tell of "hog drives" they would have
similar to later cattle drives that would
go to northern rail heads, except the
hogs were driven to markets to the
east like New Orleans and Natchitoches.
They would drive many thousands at
the time,  and during the period there
were rest stops with large corrals where
the drivers could rest and rest their
stock for so much a head.

[Dee]

East Texas "free range hog farming" was only done away with in the 60s.

[billy_56081]

Southern Minnesota has hog barns everywhere.  The hogs are owned by the big meat Packers and the farmers get barn rent and fertilizer.

[nw_hunter]

Welcome to the club. It's a subsidary of the CRS club.  I am a long time member of both.

We could start a CRS forum. But remembering to go to it could be an issue.

[ironglow]

I can hardly imagine 9,400 hogs in one place..

In the written accounts of the early
settlement days of east Texas, they
tell of "hog drives" they would have
similar to later cattle drives that would
go to northern rail heads, except the
hogs were driven to markets to the
east like New Orleans and Natchitoches.
They would drive many thousands at
the time,  and during the period there
were rest stops with large corrals where
the drivers could rest and rest their
stock for so much a head.

  I greatly doubt, these are free ranging hogs, since neither NY or PA have a feral hog problem, and are very actively acting against and such development.  Whenever there is a report of any wild hogs, they are immediately eradicated.
  There once was a wild hog farm near Tioga, PA..that booked hunters, but I think the state shut it down.

[Dee]

I like bacon, but hate hogs in general.

[ironglow]

It is a sad situation what hogs are doing to some states. The eradication of them is probably one of the best reasons why a large capacity magazine should be allowed for semi-auto rifles.
  Them, and in some places, coyotes..

  We do however, have plenty of wild pigs around here.  None in the woods though..most of them have chosen
    to be in politics !

[Casull]

Glad to see you back Dee.

[Dee]

Glad to see you back Dee.

Thanks,