EDITOR’S NOTE: In honor of the launch of RealEnergy on RealRanchers.com, The Original Muck Boot Company and RealRanchers.com gave away four pairs of The Chore boots on our Facebook page in July. One of the winners responded kindly to our request for photos of her wearing her prize. Thanks for the contribution Gail and kids!Continue reading “Doing Chores In Style”
Category Archives: Animal Welfare
Cattle Pot
Every wondered how ranchers get their cattle moved from place to place on those big trucks and trailers? Check out how cattle are carefully loaded onto this two-story trailer, called a cattle pot, specifically designed to safely and efficiently move them to their summer and winter homes when trailing them from place to place isn’tContinue reading “Cattle Pot”
Giving Cows a Bath
SUUUMMMMER TIMMMEEEE is here!! It’s getting warm outside and it’s time to start bathing and giving haircuts to my show cows! 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 lookContinue reading “Giving Cows a Bath”
The Pleasures of Calving
The little calves always make calving fun and seem worthwhile no matter how tired you are or how disastrous the situation seems. When four heifers aborted in a week almost two months before calving time, it appeared to be a disaster. When the second calf was aborted, Vern came out and did an autopsy. VernContinue reading “The Pleasures of Calving”
Pulling A Calf: No one ever said it was pretty
When calving heifers (female cattle that haven’t had a calf yet), you inevitably have to help one now and then. This year we are pulling a few more calves than usual, which is a bull-related issue. The bull’s genetics in large part determine calf size and the bigger the calf, the harder to calve. WeContinue reading “Pulling A Calf: No one ever said it was pretty”
Reflections of a Cow Man’s Daughter
Jennifer Faulkner, a University of Wyoming graduate student, received the Larsh Bristol photojournalism stipend in May 2011. This funding supports her current project, which aims to represent the ranching community. Her goal is to capture images of every day ranch life, with an emphasis on the diversity and challenges of this lifestyle. Jennifer wrote inContinue reading “Reflections of a Cow Man’s Daughter”
Hard to be Humane
Humane treatment of livestock is something ranchers are doing continuously through their livestock management practices. Typically these actions improve the health and well-being of the animals in their care, and are enjoyable tasks for everyone. But, what about those situations where being humane and doing what’s best for the animal isn’t a fun practice? ThisContinue reading “Hard to be Humane”
A Mother’s Grief
Two tiny babes arrived last week. Their mother, like all mothers, immediately protective. Nervously nuzzling first one and then the other. Squatting to let them nurse. Instinctively knowing what to do. One baby is a little larger and very healthy. He is already trying to buck and play. The second is small and fragile. SheContinue reading “A Mother’s Grief”
All Work and No Play Part II
In my last post about our snowmobiling fun, I left out the best part. You see I was saving the best for last! As can happen from time to time, unexpected things happen on a ranch. When Timmery and I were having fun up in the mountains on snowmachines we found a stranded cow, oneContinue reading “All Work and No Play Part II”
Rancher Talk
Have your heifers started? Did you have to pull very many? When do the cows start? All these questions are beginning to circulate between ranching neighbors at this time of year. Have you heard any of this lingo and wonder, what in the world are they talking about? This is a very important at thisContinue reading “Rancher Talk”
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