The minders of cattle first plan carefully for this important ranch task.  The herds are brought up to the corrals in the early morning.  The first task sees the cows and yearling heifers sorted into groups.  Then the calves moved into pens with their mothers..  Heifers into a separate corral pen.  We weigh the heifers next first to decide which female yearlings will be used for breeding and which for harvest.  The harvest heifers are moved into the finishing pen with the yearling steers.  Ear tags must be changed on the “new cows” (yearling heifers) removing the small calf ear tags (identifying mother) and place a new cow ear tag in her left ear.  Any cows ear tags missing reinstalled.  Time consuming, no problems or veterinary procedures.

The feeder calves (weaned calves) are weighed too and sent to pasture at least two fences from the bulls (heifer feeder calves coming in heat are attractive to the bulls, yet breeding at too small/young an age would produce a calf when the female was to small for safe birth).  Feeders are sent to eat in the creek pastures and good quality grasses of the northern part of the ranch.

Nine months later the new calves are on-the-ground; cowboy lingo for born.