All throughout the Cariboo/Chilcotin every ranch house and yard is teaming with cows, calves and riders as this is the busiest time of year for everyone!
This is when the stock is sold and the bank balance goes up again, ranchers then find out if the riders did a good job looking after the herd as the calves bring good prices, cull cows are cut from the herd and sold plus pregnancy testing the cows lets the rancher know if the riders moved the bulls to where the cows hung out and thereby getting bred.
First off the cows are brought in off the summer range with riders going back to the far 40 to round up the stragglers.
Phone lines are busy as ranchers call each other asking if they seen “the bull” or “I’m missing about a 100 head; are they in your range?”
Or “I corralled about 30 head of yours this morning when I rounded my stragglers way out in the range.”
This is when everyone catches up on the ‘goings on’ and the gossip.
Next the equipment is brought out for the winter feeding, fences are double checked to make sure the stock stays home, no rest for the ranchers as there is something going on all year long with cattle!
Here’s hoping everyone gets a good price for the beef!!
On Oct. 11 the Dane Ranch chased the cows into a pen and had them pregnancy tested by the vet Rick from Alberta, a little chilly in the morning, but afternoon had everyone peeling off the winter coats and gloves in exchange for riding hats and a much lighter coat.