Weaning Day

Last Sunday we had a bunch of neighbors come over to help us wean our calves.  We had lots of help, more than we really needed but I much prefer it that way than not enough help.  We said 9 but everyone showed up early and so they went and got the cows early.  The cows start in the small field just north of the house (my horses other summer pasture, about 200 acres)  The cows don't really like that field for some reason, not sure why but they go in there good and then they just wander, and there is lots of grass, good water just not sure if its cause its too small and they have to hang around each other or what but they don't like it.  That's why we only put them in there a couple days before we wean.

Then they cross the road into my horses regular summer pasture and into the corrals.  It works really well and the cows just go in quite nicely, and it only takes a half hour or so.  Then we cut out the cows and let them into the bull winter pasture and the calves get put up the alley, when all sows are out, we put heifers in one pen and steers in another.  Then the truck comes and we loaded up the steers, he was here way early, was supposed to come at 11 and he left the yard at 5 after.  But worked well, he knew he was early and wasn't in a hurry just come to visit with us while we worked.

The we went for lunch, I wasn't really ready for lunch that early but no one minded, they came in had a drink and bull shitted until I was ready and then we ate.  The vet come had a bite to eat as well.  15 for lunch, more than we had ever had at a weaning.  But we had more plans.  We always get done so early we decided to preg check the cows the same day.  Just a test to see how it works, since last year we were done before lunch as well.

Well we got the cows back in the chute all ready, everyone had a job and off we went.  221 cows and it took us about 2 and half hours, of course that includes loading the heifers when the trucker come back.  Pretty good timing, after the open cows were in the pen with a bale and the other cows turned back out, we went to the house and had another drink and it was only 3:30.  Everything worked really well.

Then today our dry cows went to town as well, so we are pretty well ready for winter, tomorrow our cows will get to go up north onto the hay and oats field and hopefully weather is nice and they will be up there 6 weeks, boy will they be fat and happy after that.

And somehow didn't get any pics of weaning and just this one of our truck leaving hauling cows today.