The cattle are an important part of what we do here on the ranch. We have our own herd that we have grown and we also board about a thousand head over the summer months.
The calves are usually born in March and April and spend the summer with their mothers. In May, we brand the calves with our Diamond 7 Bar brand. Branding is very important for our industry, it serves as proof of ownership. We cannot sell or slaughter cattle without a brand inspection.
Throughout the summer months, the cows enjoy the grass in several of the pastures here. We move them every other week to ensure that they have plenty of grass and water available to them. Sometimes we have visitors from the Diamond 7 Bar Guest Ranch help move the cattle from one field to another. We also farm the land for hay and barley so that we have feed for our cattle during the winter months. The summer months are always busy with fence to fix, animals to care for, and farming.
In the fall, the boarded cattle get shipped off to the feed lots and we sell our 2 year old steers to you. Also, we give the cows pregnancy tests and wean the calves.
During the winter, we feed the cattle in the morning. The cattle get the hay we farmed in the summer and cake (a nutrient supplement made from crushed seeds and grains, vitamins and minerals, and molasses). These are all very important to keep the cattle healthy and fed as there is plenty of snow on the ground most of the winter months.
Then, the Spring comes again and we start the year over again!