Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Road Trip!


Road trip!

There are definitely times when you'd prefer that your cattle not take a road trip. A call from the sheriff's office regarding cattle out is one of those times. That did happen a couple of times this summer. One time, we did have an escapee. We got a call the next day, saying we had cattle out again. We headed down in the dark, looking for them. After a search and no sign of tracks, I called the sheriff's office. The dispatcher looked at the report and said the cattle were by the Reno/Kingman County Line. Long story short, that's nowhere near us, and we shouldn't have gotten a call in the first place. Oh well! I told the officer that I guessed it was a good night for a drive.

But sometimes, a road trip is in the plans. We recently moved the heifers from one pasture to another one for a little rotational grazing as the summer pasture availability winds down for another year. These 25 young heifers will become mamas for the first time in February.
This was the first time we'd brought cattle back to the pasture where we'd lost a big old cottonwood tree this summer. Watching the trailer go through the gate was definitely a different view with only the stump still standing. 
A June storm brought down the mighty old cottonwood. (Click here for more on the old tree.)
The heifers seemed happy to arrive - even without the old landmark.
There are still plenty of cottonwoods that provide shade and a little respite from the sun.
Welcome to the new digs, ladies!
It looks like a nice place to be on a pretty fall day!

6 comments:

  1. I love those big old cottonwood trees! My brother in law (from western Kansas) is the one who introduced me to them. Such stately trees. I'm sure those heifers will be having an adventure out there!

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    1. Where does your brother-in-law live? I love the old cottonwoods, but more and more of them are succumbing to old age. The one by our mailbox at our south drive is not looking very healthy. I just dread losing it!

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  2. Replies
    1. Yes, Randy planted wheat near there on Monday and says he saw them grazing away. They are doing well. They'll be on that pasture until the first part of November.

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  3. Cattle out on roads is never fun and something that I am a bit paranoid about... not that we have ever had any major issues and therefore no real reason for my paranoia.

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    1. It happens once in awhile for us, despite our best efforts. If they start getting out, we try and move them.

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