Working Ranch Blog

Breeding Time by Brett Haas
May. 8 2010, 10:55 PM

How is it that any ranch duty that includes the word "heifers" in its description invokes other words such as, "late nights", "dumb", "long days", "no", "stop it", "no or little sleep", and "frustration" ? For those of us who so tenderly and lovingly work with those young, mothers-to-be, do, indeed, know the answer to this question. If you have children, worked with a young horse, or trained a new employee, you probably can relate. Well, this week was breeding week, and many of those above phrases and words were used by Kirk, Shorty, and I in abundance.

Here I am preparing to go in and help this young heifer fulfill her God given purpose.

As much as I complain about heifers, I have to admit there is a part of me that enjoys working with 'em. I guess maybe I like a challenge and get bored easily, so maybe that's what keeps me coming back for more. Also, I think there is a part of me that can relate. I have been, at many times in my life, green and full of excitement and anticipation at the thought of the new opportunity in life that God has bestowed upon me. I can remember the first time I rode a horse and, consequently, the first time I got throwed. I remember my first days of college when, I had thought at least, I finally started to figure out my place and role in this big ol' world. I can recall landing my first job that I trained so hard at school for and moving on up the ladder as an auto mechanic. And finally, I can remember when I got married and started having kids of my own, and my life was changed forever. So I guess what I'm saying is that I enjoy those heifers, even though they can be frustrating at times, because I feel like I'm giving something back, just like those who have, and continue, to mentor me through this journey called life.

So last Monday we pulled the CIDRs and gave them all a shot of Lutalyse. The CIDR stops the cycle of the young bovine by releasing progesterone, a natural hormone that cows release when pregnant. When we pull them out and give the shot of Lutalyse, which causes a drop in progesterone levels, this gets them cycling all at once so multiple numbers can be bred within a few days of each other. Also, by artificially inseminating (A.I.) we can use bulls that, otherwise, we couldn't afford to keep on the place. We average a 60% pregnancy rate, so after we're done we'll still need our own bulls to "clean up" where we missed.

After we pulled CIDRs and gave shots, the heifers were turned out into a small (20 acres) grass trap so we can keep an eye on 'em and take numbers down when they start coming into heat. Since we pulled CIDRs Monday morning, they started showing signs of heat, riding or "bulling" one another, on Tuesday afternoon/evening. Kirk was preparing the breeding charts to ensure no heifer was accidentally bred to her own sire or even grandsire to ensure a healthy calf, so it was my job to heat check and write numbers down. If a heifer is standing to be rode by her herdmates then I know she is ready. She's not ready that evening, but I know her optimal time will be twelve hours from the time she stood. So If I can get her to hold still long enough and can read it, I record her tag number.

The following morning, I share my numbers and other thoughts with Kirk so we both know what we'll be breeding that morning. Heat detection is more of an art form than a science. Certain heifers are easy to spot. Everyone one wants to ride them. Others are not. You can tell they've been ridden by the "ratted" up hair on their back, but you never see them stand. I'll go ahead and record their number and wait. Then, sure enough, I'll catch 'em standing and verify what my "cowsense" was telling me all along. Kirk will write the numbers down as well. Then we'll saddle up and go watch for more numbers that will be ready to breed that evening, and then it's on to the best part: cuttin' 'em out!

Yes indeed, I do love the cutting pen. Cutting is where we pull out all the heifers, on horseback, that we'll be breeding. Some may still be standing. Others will not. This is why you carefully write them down.

Ritzy ain't much on sharing her food with them stinkin' heifers.

I chose Ritz for this job. She's a smaller horse. That makes her quicker and more agile which is essential in the cutting pen. In all honesty, horsemanship has probably been my greatest challenge in learning this job. In all fairness though, I think a lot of cowboys and cowgirls struggle with this. There is a reason that it takes years to even coming close to being called a good horseman. And my guess, any good horseman that has been at it for years, will honestly tell you that there is always something to learn and improve on. I have made my strides though and have really come to love my time in the saddle, especially in the cutting pen.

Ritzy is a mare. She gets pretty excited in general, especially when you first get on in the a.m., when her adrenaline is as heavy as the dew on the cool season Kansas grass. I learned quick that a cowboy might be ahead if he walks her out for a bit, then trots for another bit before he asks her to chase down an unruly cow or calf. She's not a hard bucker by any means, but if you're not paying attention it'll catch you off guard. Her excitement is coupled in the Spring by the fact that she herself is coming into heat. (Every year I threaten to stick a CIDR in her.) Kirk's young gelding, Rusty, does his best to satisfy her maternal needs, but for some reason he just can't get the job done. You also add some cattle that need worked into the factor, and she can get quite aroused to say the least. I haven't ridden a whole lot of horses in my short career, but I'd say I'd almost prefer a horse that had a little extra "juice" to one that had the personality of Eeyore on downers. Yeah, I think I'll keep her.

After we pull the ones to be bred that morning, Kirk and Shorty start setting up, and I stay in the pen and ride herd for a little bit to see if there are any more takers for this evening. I usually spot a few more of those that had set off my cowsense earlier, so it usually pays off.

Kirk usually has a few done by the time I'm done heat checking. On average we'll get 20-30 head per breeding session. We usually have an overall number of 100. It takes two days to get 'em all done. We breed in the morning and the evening, so for a few days each week, I'm eating dinner around 9 p.m. while watching some T.V. and filling in my wife on my exciting day of reproductive adventures. She hangs on my every word. That is if she doesn't fall asleep first.
Kirk tells me stories of being up 'til 11 breeding, so I'll take 9.

Here I am in deep thought. Hopefully, come Spring, I won't see this end again.

The ranch also purchased a new squeeze chute a couple years ago that has a palpation door in the back. We used to run 'em in a dark box, which was basically an old converted dipping vat (used to submerge cattle in a dewormer/fly treatment before they came out with a pour on) with a tarp over it, and had to shove a pipe through the back to hold 'em in (you notice I didn't say still?). You about had to be a better shot than Larry Bird to work that pipe through both holes on the first try. Shorty was pretty good at it, but I'm guessing that he doesn't mind we parted ways with it.

As I write this we are done with the first bunch which were our home-raised heifers. Next week, starting on Tuesday, morning the process will begin again. This time it will be our bought heifers. We do them last because for some odd reason our customers prefer to calve a little later to avoid all that fun snow, ice, and cooler temps. I don't know, call 'em odd I guess. After all, anyone can calve out heifers in nice weather. I guess we like a challenge. Either that or we're just not too bright. I'll go with the former.

Are you breeding yet? Tell me at thekansascowboy36@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook.