Saturday, June 2, 2012

Branding Time

Last Saturday was the annual branding of new calves. 

Cattle
It was cloudy and cold!



Roping the calf
The cowboys/cowgirls in action. We have friends who come and do this because we are not as skilled!



Branding Time 01
Instead we do the branding, vaccinations, ear clipping, and castrating {if necessary}



Watching the branding
Fudge watching the action from atop the corral fence.



Branding Time 02
The smell is either good or bad depending on who you ask.



Making the same face
Mr. Ferrero Rocher and Hershey making the same face.



Smiling Cowgirl
This cowgirl has one of the most angelic singing voices ever.



fell asleep watching the branding
The branding must not have been too exciting!



Castrating the bull calves
Castrating a bull calf, always Mr. Ferrero Rocher's job. He hates it!


Branding can be dangerous especially when done this way. You never know how animals are going to react in certain situations. After the little kids and I left one of the cowboys {my SIL's father, the man standing on the left in the photo above} roped a calf who started to go berserk. Somehow the rope got wrapped around the cowboy's leg while the calf was running around and between the horse's legs. This made the horse go crazy and start bucking. The cowboy tried to bail off the horse but because he was tied up in the rope he got pulled under the horse instead. The horse was trampling him. All the adults sprang into action, some going for the horse to calm him down, others cutting the rope which was still tied to the horn of the saddle, and still others helping to untangle the cowboy. He was bruised and battered and trying not to pass out. He has been very sore this week but we are so grateful his life was spared!

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