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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7 |
OT, no beer for me that day!
About 7-8 bottles of water and ice tea though....
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,650 Likes: 12
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,650 Likes: 12 |
Richard, it is so G-damn dry here I had a sprinkler going around the the corrals.
Made a little difference here and there but still coughed up and blew out black snot for 6-7 days in a row.
But at least the breeze was at my back when we worked the big bunch. Blew it towards the kids.....grin
Sorting off loads was another story. Dust bowl. I've got that merit badge!
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7 |
That said if you don't have to worry about anything I'd get beered up for sure!
No hair brands!
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,878 Likes: 10
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,878 Likes: 10 |
I'd like to loan out a couple of inches, but it don't work that way.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7 |
The eternal conundrum.... Not to hijack the thread but guess who had MULTIPLE chances to behave but still had to try out the new leash? (aka gate chain...)
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,436 Likes: 12
Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,436 Likes: 12 |
I am MAGA.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,878 Likes: 10
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,878 Likes: 10 |
Now that, is a chain. Our dog Rowdy used to wear out chain.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,393 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,393 Likes: 1 |
Has anyone here tried out electric irons? If electricity is available, that's what we use - and if it isn't, I take my Honda EU2000 out. With this set up, we can average a calf a minute - assuming clean, fairly short, hair. A proper calf table is like having 2-3 more good hands.
I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon. ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,878 Likes: 10
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 60,878 Likes: 10 |
Yes Mark, we have not used the branding iron for years now, but we have an electric. We have a registered brand for Iowa.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,436 Likes: 12
Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 60,436 Likes: 12 |
Was around some electric irons years ago. I was never impressed, but I hear they have improved.
Worst was battery powered de-horning irons. You could boil coffee in the time it took them to warm up.
We got rained on when we branded the other day. Just turned up the propane and kept going.
It was just enough to settle the dust, but it can sure slow progress down if you cant keep your irons hot enough.
I am MAGA.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,890 Likes: 7 |
Nothing worse than getting low on propane and it's starting to rain.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,919 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,919 Likes: 2 |
Has anyone here tried out electric irons?. yeah..... Electric irons and hydraulic chutes rock...... 2 irons. The M over bar is one, the P is the tuther.....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884 |
The ranch where I help out uses a calf table and electric iron. With a mixture of heifers/bulls we can do about 50 an hour if we have a very efficient pusher with good technique. In general that means me, but we always try to train some younger guys to do it. With brute force, they need a rest after 25 calves. With good technique, I can usually go for 2 hours straight with no break.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,959 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,959 Likes: 2 |
Potsy is right about good equipment making it easier on the cows and the crew. We have four working corrals scattered over about 15 sections in two locations plus the corrals at the house and it is not always possible to have the best equipment at each location. Not to mention the folks from town that want to haul off or vandalize things. We use squeeze chutes or calf tables when they are available and it is not a social event. We use propane burners or 55 gallon barrels with the top cut out and a hole in the side. No shortage of mesquite for the fire. Sale barn uses an electric branding iron. Took them about 20 minutes to brand a bull I bought the other day. Have a couple guys that help me and we get it done. Never developed a taste for beer and the whiskey and tequila wait till we get home. I'll rope your cattle all day long but when your working my cattle don't pull your rope off your saddle until I pull mine off first. Things have a way of getting western enough with encouraging it. Where do you think Baxter Black gets his material.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,959 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,959 Likes: 2 |
That M Bar P stacked is very similar to our brand. Ours is a Lazy M Bar L stacked same as yours.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,393 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,393 Likes: 1 |
Just a hint - if you cut a slot in the side of one of those 35 gal (more or less) plastic drums, and hang the electric iron inside, out of the wind - they re-heat a LOT quicker, and stay hot better. (Handy height, too) We use a 5 gal bucket with about a gallon of ant hill sand to knock the burnt hair off the iron after every animal - just kind of twist the iron into it a couple of times - and you can keep up the speed.
I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon. ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,919 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,919 Likes: 2 |
We use a 15 gallon steel barrel to keep the wind off. see third pic
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 22,884 |
We use a discarded mini-fridge to keep it hot. Then store everything in there that is needed (branding iron, heavy-duty cord, wire brush, etc) for the next time or when we move to a different location.
If our electric is spitting hot, then we hold it on a calf for a count of 7, and that will be a perfect brand on the shoulder.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,959 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,959 Likes: 2 |
Sounds like you've got a good system Mark.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,393 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 16,393 Likes: 1 |
Mark, it works for us. Our various pens have been refined over 4 generations, now. (Damn, that's a long time ) Thinking back, the first branding I "helped" at was in about 1957. I'm OOOOOLLLLLLLDDDDDD !
I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon. ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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