Cows want their breakfast too and that's usually the first order of the day. Today holds something new. We have to move the cows from their current pasture in Field #1 to the Stuart field. The Forest Service plans to burn the old growth growing around the irrigation ditches in Taylor field on the other side of Little Gulch and that would spook the cows. This is a common practice on many farms and ranches both east and west of the Mississippi. We will be moving them to a field adjacent to the steers. Now here's a question for everybody: What's the difference between a cow, a steer and a bull? Look for the answer at the end of the blog.
So, how do you get a herd of 52 cows to move to a different field. You might say, "Jus git on yer horse and whoop and holler and twirl yer rope." Okay, 150 years ago, that might have been the case. In this day and age, we cowboys are a "kinder and gentler" bunch. Here's how we do it. First - Get a truck with some nice, tempting hay in the back and a person to stand there and say "Here cows, here cows." (Okay, I made up that part.) The truck part about tossing out a trail of hay is true. You see, each herd has a "lead" cow. Once you get that lead cow's attention with the hay, the rest just fall in line. Kind of a bovine parade! (with leavin's for the crowd).
Now for the old girls that just don't feel like "gittin' on," we have this handy-dandy device called a cow paddle. You can use it in the obvious way, but that usually isn't necessary. The paddle has bee-bee's inside and just shaking it toward the cows is motivation for them to "git-a goin'."
This is my primary supervisor, Alan. (We'll try to get his face next time.Hay...what do you want...the man was working!) He is in charge of irrigation on the ranch and also drives our team of Belgian horses, Duke and Duchess. The lady in red is Alan's mom, Linda. Alan and his wife moved her to Deer Lodge last fall after his father passed away. She comes to the ranch each day with Alan and works along side him as a ranch volunteer.
One of the things she and I do is toss out the bales of hay for the cows and steers and horses; sometimes from the truck bed and other times from the horse-drawn wagon. Just like the other ranch workers, the horses have a work schedule! Duke and Duchess usually work M-W-F, unless there is a special activity planned.
This is Big Gulch after the cows passed through the gate.
And here they are, enjoying the new pasture.
Not a minute too soon! Here comes the Forest Service to check out the job site. They might not start burning today if the wind continues to blow.
They fill their tanker truck from the Clark Fork River as it flows through the ranch.
Then off again to prep the site.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...the team has had a full day and are "chomping at the bit" to get back in their pasture.
Today, Alan has decided to teach me how to both put on and take off the harnesses. Putting them on was pretty hard. Those harnesses are heavy! Taking harnesses off is a bit easier, but by the end of the day, I'm also a lot more tired!
Sorry, there are no pictures of me carrying the harnesses into the barn. We'll try to get them another time.
That's it from ranch hand/cowboy Larry.
Oh, almost forgot the quiz? The answers are: a cow is a female bovine. A bull is a male bovine that becomes "papa" to little calves. A steer is a male that just gets to be hamburger and steak....
No comments:
Post a Comment