Our spring cows are due to start calving in the next couple of weeks. And before they start calving, we like to run them all through and work them.
Here’s a quick peek at what goes on when we do that.
First, Dad loads the cattle into the tub…
And up the alley.
Where Joe catches them in the chute.
There, Ashton gives each cow a vaccination,
And a dose of de-wormer.
The cows love this part. They’re like, “Oh Ashton, that stuff is delicious! Can I have some more?”
Okay. Not really. It’s more like trying to give medicine to a four-year-old.
“Did you say four-year-old, Aunt Bon?”
“Oh hi, Emma! I sure did!”
(Emma helped us work cattle, too.)
Anyway, while Ashton is working the cows, Mom starts clipping the brands. (We do this so that we can read the cow’s number easier when she calves.)
And Marci records the data and tells us which pen each cow goes in. We sort them according to when they should calve. The ones due to calve first are put into the “Earlies” pen and the ones due later are put into the “Lates” pen.
And this process goes on and on all day long.
Which apparently was a little too long for our sweet little assistant.
But we got that bunch of cattle worked and just have one more day of working the spring cows until they are all worked and sorted into their calving pastures.
Now if only the weather will straighten up!
Have a great day!