Cow Healthchecks after their free-ranging summer on the Mountain

Our last ranch update was about moving cows down from the mountain.  You might be wondering what happens when they are "back home".  Well, we start with a health check. For this group of cows, it meant a two-day event, complete with  chuck wagon style lunches!

The first day was weaning day for the calves.  The cows were gathered moved from public to deeded ground that has a small set of corrals and weaning pasture, where the calves are first separated from the cows and given their first round of pre-conditioning shots, including  pastuerella and an 8 way vaccine, then turned into the lush pasture across the fence from mamma, who isn't on the lushest feed.  We want her to dry up quickly after nursing the calf all summer.  She doesn't need the lush feed or she would continue producing milk that is no longer needed.  She stays across the fence about three days then we move the cows back up the mountain to fall pastures, while the calves stay in the weaning pasture about a week to 10 days,  then are trailed to the home place to wait shipping day in about 45 days and will graze the aftermath of all the hay meadows.   We were able to wrap up our first day before noon, and enjoy a wonderful meal out in the country.  

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The next day was a Cow Day -Keep 'um if they are pregnant sell them if they are not!!  Yup,  Dr. Powell of Ten Sleep Veterinary Services  brought along his gas-powered generator, hydraulic chute and bovine ultrasound machine  - some think the ultra sound technology isn't  fast enough, but we find the information very accurate and have been very pleased with this somewhat new technology for our bovine friends.  Finished up right at noon, pregnant cows turned out open cows hauled home to haul to market.  We then enjoyed the company of wonderful friends, family and neighbors over another great dinner in God's wide open spaces.