We worked about 400 pairs on April 16th. We ran all of the cows through the chute and gave them their breeding vaccinations in preparation for the upcoming AI season.

Each cow recieved a dose of Cattle Master Gold and Leptospira vaccine along with a dose of MultiMin, an injectable mineral/vitamin supplement. We believe the MultiMin improves vaccine efficacy and gives the cows the support they need to produce healthy follicles. 

After sorting the cows from the calves we work all of the cows through the Wilson/OK Corrals and through the double alley and chute.

After all the cows are through the chute we start working the calves. We gave each calf a dose of a 7-way Clostridial vaccine and BoviShield Gold. Each calf also recieved a dose of MultiMin.

Frankie sporting the vaccine holsters!

Craig keeping all the vaccine straight and the syringes full.

Frankie and Rod making sure that each calf recieves their shots!

Each calf also got their RAB brand!

The brand location is shaves so the branding iron can make good contact with the calf's hide. Seth ran the clippers all day and sang country music at the branding afterparty!

We then put alcohol on the brand location to help the branding iron stick and make a nice brand. Each brand is left on for 23 seconds.

Kristin and Patty the alcohol and timer ladies. 

Craig Howard and Eric were running the branding irons.

Peggy kept track of each cow and calf that was worked!

Ron and Martin watched the gate. They made sure the calves stayed in all while staying out of the ropers/horse's way!

Here are more pictures of everyone who came out on a dreary day to help us get the cattle worked. We appreciate each and every one of you!

The brother/sister branding team.

We have one last branding for 2016 coming up in June!

About a week prior to breeding Craig Bieber and Craig Howard pick both an AI mating and a natural service mating for each heifer individually. They consider each heifer's phenotype, cowline history and each heifers EPDs. They then try to pick a bull from our lineup that will complement her. It's a long process but one that we take alot of pride in doing and doing well!

This year we AI bred to six different AI sires. We bred each bull to around seventy heifers. This year we did things a little bit different and sorted the heifers into their AI sire groups prior to breeding. Pre-sorting will help improve our semen handling,  by only have to pull one type of semen at a time. The presorted groups were placed in pens inside our hoop calving barns. Another thing that we did differently this year was to set up our double alley and breeding barn inside one of our hoop barns. The thinking is that the heifers are used to being worked/getting their shots through our working barn chute. If we breed them using different facilities in a different location we can reduce their stress and improve our conception rates! 

Here are the sires we AI bred to:

Loosli Right On 423

Bieber Spartacus A193

GMRA Trinity 5222

Bieber LB Mitigator C314

Bieber Federalist B543

Pieper Stockman 4051

Our heifer synchronization schedule this year was to use a 5 day CIDR program. We inserted the CIDRS and gave a dose of GnRH then 5 days later we pulled the CIDRS and gave a dose of Lutealyse. We then time bred all of the heifers and gave a second dose of GnRH at breeding!

We then work the cows through our portable double alley/chute and give them their 'breeding vaccinations'. We gave a dose of Cattle Master which protects the cows and future pregnancy from abortion from a whole host of viruses and a vaccine to protect the cows from Leptospirosis. Each cows also gets a dose of MultiMin which is an injectable vitamin/mineral supplement that we believes helps improve the vaccine efficacy and also conception rates.

After all of the cows are worked, we start working the calves. We rope and drag all of the calves to a pair of wrestlers (if we have a large crew helping) or a Nord Fork. A Nord Fork is a device that fits behind the head of a calf to help hold it along with the horse/rope while the ground crew works the calf. After the calf is done the Nord Fork is easily slipped off and the heeler on horseback releases the rope and the calf is free to leave. They are a big help when you have a short crew or as we liked to say on Saturday a mostly old/tired/crippled crew!

We freeze brand all of our calves with our RAB brand on their right hip.

Here Dillon is waiting for a heeler to drag a calf to him. As the calf is passing by he slips the fork over the calf head. As the rope tightens he makes sure that the fork stays properly placed and that the calf is laying it's left side (so we can brand the right hip).

Before the calf can be branded the area needs to be clipped, then alcohol is poured on the area to hold the branding iron in place for the 23 seconds it's applied.

Each calf also gets two vaccinations one a 7way Clostridial vaccine and BoviShield Gold. Each calf also recieved a dose of MultiMin.

Our gate crew, one of the most important jobs, don't let any calves out and don't let any done calves back in!

Waiting for the next 'catch'!

Peggy keeps track of every cow and calf that is worked, and if they have any white markings!

Jess keeping all of the vaccine straight and the syringes full.

Our next branding will be on April 16th. We will be working 450 pairs. All interested parties are invited. Come early, come late, leave early or stay late. We will be working cattle all day, and after the work is done we will have live music from Seth Anderson and Peggy's famous brisket sandwiches!