Pregnancy Check and Hauling Calves in WY Winter
#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk
This week we pregnancy (preg) tested the main cow herd, trucking animals to the auction and doing chores for winter preparation. Although we had done the preg testing before, this was the first time of this cycle (year) for it to be done to the main cows. The cows were split into two groups as the overall size of the herd was too big to process in one day. In the mornings, everyone would saddle up and ride out to the pasture and move cows in. After the cows were brought into the corrals, everyone assisted in setting up the chutes. The veterinarian checked the cows to determine pregnancy status, pregnant or open (not pregnant). We marked the cows with bleach to designate their status and then released them into a pen with cows of the same status. Open and early cows were shipped to Riverton, while the cows further along in their pregnancy were kept as a part of the herd. This is a part of annual selection process to maintain the herd according to the overall management plan.
After a couple hours of assisting the processing, I left to take last week’s remaining calves to the auction house in Riverton. A snowstorm hit the area and there was concern if HWY 28 was going to be open. The roads were fine until the Beaver Creek and Red Canyon areas. Along with snowy conditions, the area was getting wind gusts up to 60 mph. I stayed behind a snowplow, kept the exhaust brake on, and coasted into Lander. I dropped the calves off in Riverton and turned around for the return trip. The same activities occurred on Tuesday, but this time the roads were completely clear.
The remainder of the week’s activities were doing chores around the ranch, mending fences, and feeding cows. One chore was to clean the chutes and remove all the dung from the alley. I had no idea dung slush could weigh as much as it did. Even though the task was mine to do, once they completed their own chores, team members grabbed a shovel and jumped right in without being asked. It sure was nice to have the help.
As I was driving over to Riverton, I reflected on the amount of money I was being entrusted to safely bring to market. I was a little more concerned than usual due to one of our shipments (post purchase) last week that flipped over in Bondurant. I’ve driven cargo all over the world, but it would be the first time in these conditions utilizing the ranch’s equipment. Ranch trucks are worked hard and not maintained to the level I am used to. In jest, I was told by a senior ranch hand that if a truck didn’t have fence wire holding some part of the truck together, then it just wasn’t a ranch truck. Although funny, how the comment didn’t make me feel any more reassured.
During my internship, I’ve watched trucks, and equipment in general, just get torn up. Sometimes it is because things just happen and it was unavoidable. However, there are times it is out of carelessness. In either case, it falls upon the driver to always be cautious before and during movement. Always double check. If you’re not sure of something, stop and check again: use a ground guide to help when backing things up, and make sure you have enough clearance before moving thru or under something. Nothing can make up for the lost money and time needed to repair a vehicle if it goes down. As an intern, you want to work fast. But when it comes to handling equipment just take your time, it will be appreciated.
The season is winding down and activities around the ranch will be focused on building stack yards, moving and feeding cattle, and whatever the day brings. It is going to be hard to say good bye to the ranch once the internship ends in the coming weeks, but we’ll leave that for then.
Submitted by: Tim Bauer
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team
