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Monthly Archives: March 2015

Out like a ram: sorting the bucks

Edgar checking the bucks

The bucks have done their job and are back on the Home Ranch for another ten months of bachelorhood. It’s easy enough for them. In the meantime, the ewes carry their pregnancy to term, trail 100 miles or so, get sheared, and have their lambs. The ewes then trail to the Forest with their lambs, raise them–dodging coyotes, bears and ravens, and trail back to the ranch for weaning.

Some of the rams have given their all, and won’t make it to another breeding season. We sorted out the bucks who are old, thin, and/or no teeth, These will be sold and are destined to be buckburgers or dog food.

The rams do lead a good life, and we take care of them until the end.

Brittany, Meghan and Katie checking teeth

Tiarnan and Meghan

crew: Katie, Brittany, Randy, Tiarnan, Meghan, bucks, Randall, Cody, and Edgar

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 31, 2015 in Animals, Family, Folks, Folks who help us out, Peruvian sheepherders, Sheep

Tags: Brittany, bucks, Edgar, Meghan, sheep, Tiarnan

Optimal Veterinary Services works its pregnancy testing magic

18 Mar

Geri getting her gear ready

Banjo ewes waiting their turn

It’s the time of year when we pregnancy test and vaccinate the ewes in order to get everything organized for lambing. Gerri Parsons from Optimal Veterinary Services came with all her gear and informed us with her cries of “Single”, “Twins”, “Triplets” or the dreaded “Open”. Gerri’s magic with the ultrasound allows us to manage the ewes with mulitple lambs with more feed. We plan to lamb most of these through our new lambing sheds near Dixon. Last year, we were able to save extra lambs when a big spring storm hit, since it is often the twins who are lost to bad weather. The preg testing must be done mid-gestation, so Gerri, Meghan and our crew spent an intense several days studying, marking and handling the ewes.

Geri’s office (behind the water barrels)

Avencio bringing up the sheep

Brittaney and Cassie bringing up the ewes

Brittany and Cassie on the Red Desert

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 18, 2015 in Animals, Folks, Folks who help us out, Peruvian sheepherders, Sheep

Tags: Avencio, Optimal Veterinary Services, pregnancy testing, Red Desert, sheep

Siobhan in two states

17 Mar

Here's Siobhan with her left foot in Colorado and her right foot in Wyoming

Here’s Siobhan with her right foot in Colorado and her left foot in Wyoming

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 17, 2015 in Family, Folks

checking the cows

16 Mar

Ladies in waiting

Home

Siobhan closing the gate

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 16, 2015 in Animals, Cattle

Tags: cows, Siobhan

First calves

15 Mar

Baby calf on the ground

Well, we weren’t quite expecting two new calves just yet. It might have something to do with those enterprising bulls that kept getting out last summer.

Heading for the trees

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 15, 2015 in Animals, Cattle

Tags: calves, cows

Eagle at Eagle’s Nest

14 Mar

Eagle (at about 2:30) perched at Eagle’s Nest, Powder Wash

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 14, 2015 in Animals, Nature and Wildlife

Tags: eagle, Eagle's Nest, Powder Wash

Ghost cows

13 Mar

ghost cows…or maybe it’s out of focus– one or the other

The last truckloads of cows came in from Laramie last night. Due to mechanical problems, we ended up unloading after dark. I tried to take pictures without a tripod. The results were spooky, or maybe artistic.

night lights

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 13, 2015 in Animals, Cattle

Tags: cattle, dark, truck

…’til the cows come home

11 Mar

Here come the cows!

In the winter, some of our cows go to the balmy environs of Laramie, AKA “Laradise”. It’s almost spring, and time for the cows to come home. In a few weeks, they’ll start having baby calves, and you’ll see pictures of them on this blog. Usually, we have more snow on the ground, but the easy winter means we have plenty of hay.

photos by Siobhan

through the gate…

headed down the hill…

Chica supervising…

Eamon and the dogs put the cows into the…Cow Pasture.

Done. Pat, Tiarnan, McCoy and Maeve, with a little help from Belle.

Done. Pat, Rhen, McCoy and Maeve, with a little help from Belle.

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 11, 2015 in Events

Tags: Border collie, cattle, cows, dogs, Eamon, Laramie, Maeve, McCoy, Pat, Tiarnan

Siobhan the photographer at Powder Flat

08 Mar

Purebred Rambouillet ewe with five–count ’em five!–lambs

We have an amazing birth announcement. The Finn folk may brag about their multiple births, but, for the first time ever (for us, at least), we have a Rambouillet ewe with quints. They are doing well (with some supplemental milk) AND she gave us a 64’s spinning count fleece!

This Hampshire ewe doesn’t want to be outdone, but I suspect only two–maybe three–of those lambs are hers.

Hamp ewe and LOTS of lambs

Ewes and lambs enjoying the sunshine

Meghan checking out the new lambs.

still some snow on the ground

young bulls at the feeder

Meghan likewise checks out the bulls

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Posted by Ladder Ranch on March 8, 2015 in Animals, Cattle, Family, Folks, Sheep

Tags: ewes, Hampshire, lambs, Meghan, multiple births, Rambouillet, Siobhan

Waiting for spring

07 Mar

Heifers at the Flying Triangle

waiting for green grass

the snow has turned to mud

March came in like–well not exactly a lion, but certainly at least a bobcat. We received some much-needed snow, This has been the driest February I can remember, while the East coast gets hammered by storm after storm. Those guys are stealing our water, is all I can say! Meanwhile, back at Powder Flat, we have started the early lambing in earnest. And our multitudes of puppies continue to grow. Tiranan is having a great time with both Border collies and guardian dog pups.