I did many things throughout this work week, but what I would like to focus on is the branding I attended at a neighboring ranch. Being from the Midwest, this is something I had never been a part of, and it was fascinating and very fun for me. I was able to do things like vaccinate and wrestle a few calves, while watching and learning how to put in implants and tie down calves to perform all the tasks at hand.

One of the things I noticed from this branding was the patience displayed by everyone there, and the willingness to let others try. It was slow paced and easy going, which was contrary to what I thought it would be like. I was later told that some brandings I may be a part of in the future may not be like this, so this was a great one to experience for the first time and allowed me to prepare for future brandings.

Another thing I want to focus on from this week was a lesson I learned from my host. On our way back from the branding, I asked him about why he runs primarily red angus cows as opposed to black angus, and if he sees a difference in price he receives at the sale barn. He answered with yes, there is a difference in prices I receive because of the color of my cows, but it always depends on who is sitting in the buyer’s seat at the sale barn. He then went on to say, “Sometimes it pays to be different than everyone else around you… just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it right or better.”

After he said this, I began to think, this lesson has so many different applications, not just in selling calves, but in other areas of life. I began to apply it to my life and future careers. I believe that beginning to equip myself with skills and a work ethic that stands apart from my peers will bring me success in many ways going forward in school and future careers. Just like my host said, it matters who is sitting in the sale barn seat, or in my case, at the desk of the job I am interviewing for, or the desk of the professor that is lecturing me on a topic. Either way, setting myself apart in good ways will be beneficial to the right people.

Some people see the things that may set me apart from my peers as something to shrug off, but when I least expect it, the right person may recognize those skills I have and provide me with a job or other opportunities I had only dreamed of before.

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During my first week I learned a lot about both livestock management and irrigation systems through hands-on work around the ranch. One of the biggest things I did was help move and sort cows on horseback to a different pasture. This gave me more experience working cattle and understanding how important it is to move them calmly and efficiently. I also continued feeding the bottle calves throughout the week, which helped me see how much consistency and daily attention goes into caring for livestock.

I also learned a lot about water management and equipment maintenance as well. We built gated pipe for irrigation, put together a pump to move water to a pivot, and repaired a pivot tire. One of the most interesting situations this week happened when a reservoir dried up significantly and became very muddy. Since there was a risk that cows could get stuck, we had to come up with a solution quickly. We ended up bringing in a water tank and water tanker so the cattle would still have access to water without entering the muddy area. This experience showed me how important problem-solving and adaptability are in agriculture.

One idea I would challenge is the belief that ranch work follows a set schedule or plan every day. While there are routine tasks that need to be completed, this week showed me that unexpected challenges can change priorities very quickly. The issue with the reservoir is a good example because it required immediate attention and a solution that was not originally part of the plan for the day. This experience made me realize that being successful in agriculture requires more than just knowing how to perform certain tasks. It also requires being able to think critically and adapt when situations change. Whether it is weather conditions, equipment breakdowns, or livestock needs, ranchers often have to make quick decisions and adjust their plans to keep the operation running smoothly.

After this week, I am interested in learning more about how ranches prepare for water shortages and drought conditions. Seeing how quickly the reservoir changed made me realize how important water management is to an operation. I would like to learn more about the planning that goes into making sure there is enough water available for livestock throughout the year. This year has been really dry and this is a real concern where I am at, so I would like to learn more about it.

I am also interested in learning more about the nutrition program my hosts use for their cattle. I have seen the importance of providing cattle with the right feed and resources, but I would like to better understand how decisions are made regarding rations, supplements, and overall herd nutrition. I am curious about how factors, such as age, production stage, pasture conditions, and seasonal changes influence feeding decisions. Learning more about cattle nutrition would help me understand how proper feeding practices contribute to animal health, performance, and the overall success of the operation.

I plan to continue building on the skills I have learned by becoming more involved in both livestock and irrigation management tasks. The experiences from this week helped me become more comfortable troubleshooting problems and working with equipment. As the internship continues, I want to gain a better understanding of how different parts of the ranch operation work together and contribute to overall success.

I also plan to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from my host family and the experience they have gained over the years. Throughout my first week, I have found that asking questions and listening to their explanations has helped me better understand not only how certain tasks are done, but also why they are done that way. Moving forward, I want to continue asking questions, learning from their decision-making process, and gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and responsibilities involved in running a successful ranch. I think the knowledge and experience they share will be just as valuable as the hands-on work I am doing each day.

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This week I have learned ways to ensure a calf gets colostrum, environmental stewardship, the issues of moving cows between pastures, and the importance of having knowledge of how to use different types of equipment. At the beginning of the week, a neighbor came to the property to use my host’s hydraulic squeeze chute, as he had a cow that had a calf pulled 2 hours before and would not suckle. We spent the rest of the evening trying to get the calf to suckle by itself (it would not), then I milked the cow to try and get the calf to take a bottle. Lastly, because it had no sucking reflex, I watched and learned how to drench tube, which is what we’ve been needing to do this past week.

To add, I checked on the calf every day in the calving barn, and on Thursday I saw a bobcat. My host won the 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award and takes great pride in maintaining and restoring their property to uphold the species, both plant and animal, of the original ecosystem. However, in addition to last week’s coyotes, bobcats became an important lesson in the various types of predators in the area.

Furthermore, this week, cows were sorted into separate pastures with the hopes of dividing those who have and haven’t calved, and during my rounds I found three had been missing from where they were said to be. After searching, I found that one of the wire gates was broken and then found out that one of the cows had calved and broke the fence to get to her calf. Not only did I learn how much moving an animal can cause stress, but I also learned of potential hazards that can occur when a cow is moved between pastures during calving season. Lastly, my host taught me how to drive a skid steer and about how to change the various attachments, thus allowing me to understand how the trucks, side-by-sides, quads, etc., all play different roles in different scenarios in a ranching setting.

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One idea I would challenge this week is moving cows between pastures during calving season. Despite the idea that knowing who has calved and who hasn’t is a good idea, I think the additional stress and the potential issues that can occur if a calf is separated for too long can cause injury and/or death to both cow and calf. I think it would be best to either establish specific groups that stay in specific pastures before calving season and keep them separate until everyone has calved, or have everyone in a single pasture and move them together only to prevent overgrazing.

Currently, I have been wondering what a pasture needs to look like before you begin supplementing a herd’s diet with hay. I have had some conversations about it with my host, but I have yet to see what it actually looks like in person. My host follows a 50 percent grazing plan and then rotates the cattle to a different pasture. We also discussed recent findings that suggest grazing a pasture heavily for a short period during the growing season may improve grass growth.

With the events of this week, I plan to research grazing methods as new research is published, with the hope of using the most effective approach once I have my own operation. I want to continue learning about how different grazing strategies affect available forage, soil health, and pasture sustainability. As well as implementing what I have been taught on the steps that need to be taken when a calf won’t suckle, and thus better my ability to use a drench tube before then. Lastly, I plan to continue to develop my skill in operating equipment, such as the skid steer, hydraBed, and trailers.

This past week, I have learned that a lot of running a farm is about how to make profit outside of just the farm. My hosts have had an extremely busy week running their other businesses in town. For them to have a farm, they have had to discover other income opportunities beyond their livestock sales. I also got the opportunity to use the tractor and learned why my host minimizes tractor equipment use and uses regenerative agriculture practices. They made that choice after watching the soil health decline and the only option for saving their farmed fields was to buy more and more expensive equipment. I also got to learn to mix minerals for cattle and recognize signs of copper deficiency in cattle.

I am curious about pasture health given my work over the past week. I believe their fields may need to be fertilized with compost or some other natural remedy to stimulate some growth and help the grass conquer weeds in the area. They have some ideas of why a bigger ranch is not a good idea, and I believe that larger operations can make a huge profit if managed correctly. I would also challenge the idea that cows chew on wood and plastic out of boredom. I believe that this behavior could be a sign of a deficiency in cattle. Often times, this behavior is caused by a phosphorous deficiency. I also spent time this week hand removing weeds and am curious to know why we don’t try using their sheep for weed control on several other parts of their property, such as along the driveway or under solar panels. I believe that doing this may be a better use of labor and could help pasture grasses grow back.

There are also several things that came up this week that I would like to learn more about. I would like to learn more about care and feeding plans for their chickens. Also, why don’t they build permanent fences if they always use the same rotational grazing pattern? And how do you know if there is enough grass in a pasture to feed cows for a certain amount of time?

Lastly, this week I also got to run some orders of processed sheep and beef to several customers. This experience taught me how to use customer interaction to support a business. Talking to clients and connecting with them over shared interests on your operation can increase sales and the trust they have for you and your products.

Join us in welcoming Kaylee Pearce to GrowinG!

“My name is Kaylee Pearce and I’m from Poulsbo, Washington. I just finished my first year at the University of Wyoming, majoring in Animal Science with an Equine Concentration. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of GrowinG and I’m ready to learn everything I can this summer!”

Kaylee is starting her internship this week. Wish her luck!

Join us in welcoming Sean Frost to GrowinG!

“My name is Sean Frost, and I am currently a student at the University of Wyoming. I’m originally from Placerville, California. After serving in the Marine Corps, I attended farrier school and shod horses for four years full-time, primarily in Northern Colorado. Last May, I chose to start at the University of Wyoming with the Ranch Management and Agriculture leadership program. This internship program will help me achieve my goal of a ranching career in the future. My interests in the agriculture industry include beef cattle and horses. The program has helped me get set up with those interests in mind and will give me the experience needed to pursue a career in the production cattle industry.”

Sean is starting his internship this week. Wish him luck!

This week, I have learned various aspects of ranching. Major points include the importance of checking cows consistently, mineral supplementing, grass tetany risks and prevention, and control of invasive species. My host ranch is currently in the middle of calving season, and on my first day, we experienced a snowstorm. As a result, we made multiple rounds throughout the day, checking the three pastures where they are keeping their cows and making sure there were no new or older calves showing signs of hypothermia. Emphasizing how important observation and keeping tabs on your animals are, especially during harsh weather conditions.

Additionally I learned about the importance of mineral supplementation and how that and proper nutrition play a role in the health and productivity of cattle. Mineral supplementation plays a large role in preventing health issues, such as grass tetany, especially during the spring, which is why we drove around on Tuesday, adding extra magnesium into all the mineral buckets.

Moreover, the softer ground allowed us to go around the ranch and dig up weeds, such as thistle and wolf’s tongue, as I learned the importance of managing invasive species to improve pasture health. Overall, this week has given me valuable insight into the responsibilities and tasks one must carry out to ensure successful operation, and future experiences on what I’ll learn in the coming weeks!

My first week has already made me realize that ranch work doesn’t always go as planned, and that ranching involves more than just taking care of cattle. This week has shown me that new expected and unexpected things can occur, constantly changing how you do things. Such as lost and dead calves, weather conditions, diseases (grass tetany – metabolic disease), and predators. All of which can require fast thinking and quick actions, as you must always stay alert and ready for problems.

Moreover, I spent this last week doing various tasks, such as working on equipment, preparing equipment for the next week, gardening, and rangeland conservation through the removal of invasive species. All of which show various aspects to either keep things running smoothly for your operation, or tasks to encourage general upkeep around the property.

Currently, I still wonder what the most effective way is to manage coyotes. Seeing the pastures made me understand some means of predation control. I know some methods include fencing, guard animals, and paying hunters. But I want to learn more about which methods are most effective in Wyoming, and the most cost-effective for the rancher. I also continue to question what types of equipment maintenance should always be prioritized to ensure the ranch runs safely and efficiently.

Overall, this week has taught me to pay closer attention when checking cows and observing their health to ensure we notice any problems or health concerns sooner. I would also like to keep learning about what challenges can occur that I have yet to see in person, and how to best manage them. Including disease, predation, injuries, broken fences, and equipment.

Lastly, I also plan to keep asking my host and her family questions, so I can continue to learn new skills and management practices. Watching and learning with the additional hands-on experience has already helped me a ton in my understanding of ranch work. As branding gets closer, I want to become more efficient and confident when handling cattle and working around large groups of big animals. By practicing more, I hope to become more responsible and reliable on the ranch.

Submitted by: Celise Pacheco
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team