Bandin and Brandin

We fixed the welder!

Well....

Flower Boy fixed the welder.

I watched.

It was a simple fix.

The fuel filter needed to be changed and the gunk needed to be cleaned out of the choke float.

Whatever that means...

Back to working calves!

After the welder was repaired, we did a little Bandin and Brandin!

I lined the calves up in the alley, once more.

Remember us telling you, the calves have to be tight in the alley?

This is what happens when they aren't!

 Major Rancher Girl Error!!!

If the calves aren't tight in the alley, they will turn around!

You have to back out all the calves, in the alley, and reload the alley.

The chute man, Flower Boy, stands and looks at you...

No yelling...

Just looking!

There are also times when a calf will go down in the chute.

 When this happens, you give the calf some air by loosening up the sides of the chute.
They normally stand right up.

I will attempt to explain the bander.

This is another place, in the blog, where Flower Boy should be writing.

I'm not sure the bander needs to be explained, but it turns bulls into steers.

These bands go on the bander.

Note: The freshly done manicure.

Rancher Girls need to look pretty too!

Insert testicles...

 Ratchet the band tight...

 Crimp the metal clamp and cut the band.

 The band on the right is what remains, after the procedure is complete.

 Only a small amount of the band and the clip are left "on" the calf.

The band will cut off blood flow to the "bag" and seal "it" off.

Four to five days later, the "bag" will be cut off.

This really doesn't hurt the calves.

The downfall...

The rancher doesn't "get" calf fries.

The upside...

Your calves don't bleed to death, get infections or have fly larvae (maggots) growing in the incision.

If you ever had to clean maggots from a wound, you would vote for the banding option.

On to the Brandin!!

We have blogged before about the significance of a ranchers brand.

All of our cattle get our brand.

I hold the tail.

Flower Boy does the branding.

There is a ton of smoke!

On this day, I just happened to be on the side the wind was blowing.

I didn't mind.

I like the smell of branding.

Most would say is stinks.

To me, just as the smell of cattle poop smells of money, the smell of branding is the smell of ownership.

With each Rockin' B going on our cattle, it is the mark of them being ours!

As long as that animal is alive and even if it's hide is used in some form, everyone will see that brand and know that animal came from The Rockin' B Ranch.

Therefore, the brand must be straight and not burned in too deep.

One has to know when the calf will flinch or jump.

The brander must have a steady and quick hand.

Flower Boy brands a perfect brand!

This reminds me of a poem, sent to me shortly after My Daddy passed away.

Life Lessons from a Cowboy to his Daughter
by Amanda Stavropoulos

My dad is a cowboy
His rules are my roots.
He taught me his ways-
I followed his boots.

To a gun-fight don’t bring
A knife, he once said.
Always follow your heart
But don’t lose your head.

I knew I could jump
Whenever I felt froggy
But I was never to let
My pack become soggy.

He saw through my games-
Even at my worst.
Because my rodeo
Was never his first.

Finally-I should rein
With a strong, sure hand
Because as long as I live
I’ll ride for his brand.

Don't they look sensational?!?!

One last thing....

I wasn't aware this photo was taken until I uploaded photos of the Bandin and Brandin...

 I climbed up and over this fence more times than I care to count while working the calves.

Heck with workouts!

I'll just be a Rancher Girl!