Crossing in the Night

As the storms came up on the horizon tonight there were still animals to move. It was a problem. We had bulls who needed to be moved in with the herd bull. Young heifers (too young to breed) who needed to be moved off the herd bull (they were being weaned), and in with the cows.

All the girls and boys want to socialize, crossing in the pastures. But there's no socialization, just time to move. Everybody gets angry. It's a dusty, dangerous and just plain hard work time. Anything that can go wrong usually does. Fences are put to the test, people get stepped on, horses fall...but you keep going. You just can't let up, re-planning the plan as each dynamic changes.

Sometimes you don't know what's going on in another pasture, but you hope people are working in the same direction as you are...moving animals. You "cut" (separate) one animal, and two escape. People moving every direction, horses ears spinning around on a swivel and everyone is breathing hard.

Winter storm is coming. No time to waste. All just to cut out one late bull calf. Rodeo. People cut on fences, banged up fingers on chains and gates...and then the wind comes up. The storms on the high plains of the west. This is what we do. I know this cow will go this way, and that cow will jump. This one is the leader of those dozen or so, this other one the leader of those. Whites of horses eyes, stopping short, ducking under...whoa boy! Keep going.

And now it's snowing...probably a foot or more tonight and another tomorrow. We got it done. It's never easy, but i wouldn't trade it for the world. Tomorrow, just looking out across the horizon, snow and all, knowing everybody got where they needed to be (once again), the windswept high plains of Colorado, it'll all be worth it. (again).

Maybe another 7-8 years and like many others, this cattleman will pack it in and call it a day. The last of a few, and a dying breed. All the land sold and off to enjoy a nice big boat and a place on the water. I don't know if I'll ever fit in, but I know I'll never forget this. It's all I know.

I'll never forget the crossing in the night.

God Bless!

Fire-crackers can be a useful tool when moving cattle.
It is a dangerous job.
Believe me, I know.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Get yourself a trombone.

Maybe an accordion. Daddy's got a squeeze box. It gets the cows in every night.

Failing that, try a remote control car.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Very well written and descriptive.
I felt transported to that place watching from a distance.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Get yourself a trombone.

Maybe an accordion. Daddy's got a squeeze box. It gets the cows in every night.

Failing that, try a remote control car.

Those were so entertaining to watch 😆... and they work !

Heh, I just bang a hay fork on a corral panel. That's the dinner bell.

They come runnin'.

Rattle a bucket with some cake in it and they'll really come runnin! Like watch out you don't get run over type runnin'. I swear those cows can hear me puttin' cake in a bucket from a half mile away...even if I'm inside the barn! I'll walk out and they'll all be craning their necks to see where i'm at.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
Heh, I just bang a hay fork on a corral panel. That's the dinner bell.

They come runnin'.

Rattle a bucket with some cake in it and they'll really come runnin! Like watch out you don't get run over type runnin'. I swear those cows can hear me puttin' cake in a bucket from a half mile away...even if I'm inside the barn! I'll walk out and they'll all be craning their necks to see where i'm at.

What is cow cake ? You can’t be talking real cake 😏

a reply to: Sheye

"Cake" is a compressed grass / grain product which is extruded into a round shape about 1-1/4" in diameter, which then breaks up into 2-3" long pieces as it hardens. Some folks call them "cookies" also. The official name is "range cubes", but no one I know calls them that.

The cows LOVE 'em! It's like crack for cows!

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: Sheye

"Cake" is a compressed grass / grain product which is extruded into a round shape about 1-1/4" in diameter, which then breaks up into 2-3" long pieces as it hardens. Some folks call them "cookies" also. The official name is "range cubes", but no one I know calls them that.

The cows LOVE 'em! It's like crack for cows!

Sounds like a yummy treat for cows... it’s no wonder they come runnin’ . Sounds like you take care of your animals well.. which is nice to read.