August 17, 2012

Spring Time Jobs

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the fault of this busy editor, I didn’t get this wonderful post up in a timely manner, but it’s just too good to wait until next spring to share. So here is Katie’s Spring 2012 experience…even though it’s August. Thanks for putting up with me. – LL

Spring time!! The grass has sprung and the cows are chasing the green stuff like crazy! Time to put away the snow machines and bring down the horses from winter pasture.

In the spring we stop feeding hay to our cattle. We gather up the cows, sort them into groups and trail them to the summer pastures!

Also in the spring is when our registered cows start popping out those cute little baby calves.

And those cute babies become a big job! They have to be weighed, tagged and given a shot.

Another big job in the spring is fence building. We go around the fence lines and fix the holes.

It sure doesn’t seem like much, but oh boy its a 24/7 job!

RealRancher Katie Keith talks about springtime jobs on the ranch including calving, fixing fence and sorting cattle

From RealRancher Katie Keith – Casper, Wyo.

 

August 17, 2012

Spring Showers

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the fault of this busy editor, I didn’t get this wonderful post up in a timely manner, but it’s just too good to wait until next spring to share. So here is Katie’s Spring 2012 experience…even though it’s August. Thanks for putting up with me. – LL

AWWW spring showers!

RealRancher Katie Keith talks about the importance of spring moistureIn late May we finally had our spring drizzles, down pours and even wet SNOW. It was a very hot, dry spring.

In late winter, coming spring, it would melt, then freeze at night and all the water would not soak into the ground because the ground was frozen, so all the water just ran off all the hills and did not soak in.

Then it got really hot and dried up everything, It was dusty. Dusty in spring time?!?! WHAT THE HECK dusty in spring time!!

Ranchers do not have sprinklers all over our land and hills, so we depend on nature to water our ground. And if we don’t have water, then we don’t have grass, and if we don’t have grass, we don’t have enough food for the cows.

So moisture is a very important thing!

From RealRancher Katie Keith – Casper, WY

 

June 27, 2012

Giving Cows a Bath

Posted by RealRanchers under Real Ranching, Animal Welfare | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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SUUUMMMMER TIMMMEEEE is here!! It’s getting warm outside and it’s time to start bathing and giving haircuts to my show cows!

RealRancher Katie Keith discusses the importance of preparing her cows for the show ring

Bathing cows in the summer and spring is good for their hair and is also cooling to them so they eat and feel better. It also gentles them. Giving them haircuts makes there appearance look better and cleaner. They don’t look so raggy after a nice, clean haircut!

RealRancher Katie Keith discusses preparing her cattle for the show ring. Her cattle are tied to the trailer as she gives them a bath and a haircut.

It is also good experience for me so I’ll be ready for shows and fairs. That way my clipping will look nice, clean and give that cow a good appearance.

RealRancher Katie Keith shows off her handy work with getting a cow ready for the show ring.

In the spring is when I also start taking them to smaller shows and jackpot shows.

RealRancher Katie Keith sets up her cattle in the show ring.

Jackpot and small shows are good experience for both me and the cows to be prepared for fairs, state fairs and big shows. That way they’ll be calm in the show ring and I can show better!

RealRancher Katie Keith shows her cattle in the show ring.

We have a big year ahead of us!

From RealRancher Katie Keith – Casper, WY

 

January 6, 2012

Snaring Coyotes

Posted by RealRanchers under Real Ranching, Wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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Coyotes are predators to other wildlife such as deer. They are also predators to our new born calves.

Last spring the coyotes were after our registered calves and just about killed one. Luckily my Grandma went up there and caught the coyotes, killing one, while the other ran off. If they kill our calves that can cost us $2,000 and up. That’s a pricey meal for those coyotes.

Livestock losses due to predators take a big bite out of a ranchers income. Photo from Kent Price.

They also kill baby deer and we’ve been trying to raise our deer population numbers. The coyotes are not helping. They are a bad predator to have.

So this fall and winter I decided to eliminate some coyotes by snaring them. Snares tie to a fence at the bottom at a hole where the coyotes crawl through. When the coyotes try to crawl through the hole they get caught. Then I kill the coyote, skin it and sell its pelt.

Trapping coyotes in Wyoming to reduce predator losses in cattle herd.

The snares trap coyotes crawling through the fence

Ranchers trap, kill and skin the coyote. The coyote hides are then sold.

I’m protecting our herd of cattle and the deer. I’m also making money selling their pelts.

Snaring is like a chore, you have to check the snares every other day. It’s an enjoyable learning experience.

From RealRancher Katie Keith – Casper, WY

 

November 10, 2011

Keith’s Fall Drive

Posted by RealRanchers under Real Ranching, Environmental Stewardship | Tags: , , , , |
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This is our yearly Cattle Drive, which is about 25 miles long.

Cattle must be moved from place to place in Wyoming to provide enough feed for the livestock without harming the range by overgrazing.

We trail about 200-350 cows every year back and forth between home and the place we lease. We start early in the morning and get done late in the afternoon.

Moving cattle from one place to another is often done horseback or with vehicles and ATVs. It is often more efficient and economical to move cattle in one big group than it would be to hire trucks to haul the large herds of cattle from place to place.

Its become a fun family time! We trail in the spring and then again in the fall and have been taking the trip for 6 or 7 years. I think it feels shorter every time we go!

From RealRancher Katie Keith – Casper, WY

 

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