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No Bull

Working the cows by the Elephant Corrals

Working the cows by the Elephant Corrals

It’s that time of year. In order for our calves to be born in a timely manner next spring, the cows must become pregnant now, or soon. Most of them will manage this in the traditional way, which involves a close, if brief, relationship with a bull–preferably one of our choosing. Some of the cows will have a close encounter with a straw of bull semen. What this encounter lacks in romance it makes up for in the quality of the afore-mentioned semen. Artificial insemination allows us to breed the cows to bulls which have been carefully selected for characteristics we like, while not having to buy and support very high-priced bulls. If, for some reason, the cows do not respond to the attention of Adam, Megan and Hallie–well–there’s always the actual bulls who are willing to work to ensure a spring calf crop!

Getting the cows ready for Artificial Insemination

Getting the cows ready for artificial insemination

Megan and Nikki bringing up the cows.

Megan and Nikki bringing up the cows.

Sam, our Wyoming Stock Growers Association intern, on the job

Sam, our Wyoming Stock Growers Association intern, on the job

Nikki with the flag

Nikki with the flag

Maeve--cowgirl in pink

Maeve–cowgirl in pink

Three Amigos--Chad, Eamon and Pat

Three Amigos–Chad, Eamon and Pat

Eamon pondering: Bull or No Bull.

Eamon pondering: Bull or No Bull.

 

 

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No Bull!

Cows gather at the Elephant corrals

Cows gather at the Elephant corrals

 

 

Each June, we artificially inseminate a selected group of cows to famous bulls–or at least their “on ice” reproductive avatars.

Crew at the ready

Crew at the ready

 

Thanks to Eamon’s crew, including his cowhand sidekicks Jeff (his father-in-law), Mike and Karen Buchanan (who have returned to cow work after retiring), intrepid ranchhand Brittany, and Eamon’s wife, Megan (on-site medic). The AI crew included his sister-in-law, Halli. And not to be forgotten is his mother-in-law, Georgia, who wrangled McCoy, 4, and Rhen, 2.

cow in chute

so WHERE’S the bull???

Oh wait--it's Alan!

Oh wait–it’s Adam!

Megan from the AI crew (left) and Megan from the Ladder crew (right)

Megan from the AI crew (left) and Megan from the Ladder crew (right)

feeling pregnant

feeling pregnant

McCoy

the real McCoy

Georgia with Rhen

Georgia on the job with Rhen (dirty job but somebody has to do it!)

 

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