Branding Traditions

[A.Lane]

I was just wondering how you guys brand your calves. I've learned many things with cattle are regional (tank vs. dam) and was curious what you do at your brandings.

Around here branding time is a big party. Everyone usually spend the spring time going to each others brandings. It's a time for everyone to get together and have fun. Kids are encouraged to rope and wrestle calves as much as possible to keep them interested in the way of life. Usually someone brings a young colt to season and winds up getting bucked off. The calf nuts are cooked on the fire or deep fat fried later. (Except for my uncle who would hold them in his teeth, cut the cords and eat them raw....just to see who would puke) The women cook huge meals and it is almost as important as getting calves branded and vaccinated. Most of the time when the work is done everyone sits around and drinks and tells stories. It's my favorite time of year.

Just wondering what you guys do in your areas. Is it the same everywhere? Or do you have your own branding traditions.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Tell us more about that uncle. PLEASE

Some of the people I help out woking cattle brand theirs. Nothing consistent. We do it in the chute. Not much roping anymore. Not a big festivity either. Dinner (that's lunch for me) is usually in the house. Owner and helpers are there and its usually a decent meal. No room for dessert but we eat it anyway. Then we are worthless but we are finished with the chores anyhow.

I absolutely want to hear more about this uncle of yours. Sounds like some interesting tales.

 

[M5farm]

The HRA has adopted the use of Chalk to brand Our animals It is a lot less stressful and following HRA guidelines insures our brand trademarks are copyrighted.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Sounds like a good time A Lane. I know of one farmer around here that actually ropes and brands his calves. We use headgates and alleys, no branding either on my farm.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sounds like a good time A Lane. I know of one farmer around here that actually ropes and brands his calves. We use headgates and alleys, no branding either on my farm.

Sounds like great fun for sure. I'd like to participate in something like that.

 

[Craig Miller]

I dont know anybody that brands. Got any pictures?

 

[Shanghai]

I haven't been to a true branding since I was a kid
I'd hate to go to one now and spoil the memories I have of those times growing up

 

[cow pollinater]

Most of the ones I go to are about as you described but on my own calves we do them on a table and do about twenty head at a time. My kids are to young to rope so I want them right there involved all the way through and so the table was the easy option. By splitting it up and doing a few at a time I can make it a few hours of fun work for them without grinding them to hard. We'll do one bunch a week every week or so and then they're all a manageable size and it lasts all season. Once they get more comfortable in the saddle and can make smart choices on the fly then we will start roping but we're not there yet.
My son(age 10) is scheduled for his first real branding this winter. I didn't get a choice. we were invited and I said I'd try and they told me if I couldn't make it they'd pick him up just let them know who he was riding. :lol: They meant it to. :nod:

 

[cow pollinater]

I haven't been to a true branding since I was a kid
I'd hate to go to one now and spoil the memories I have of those times growing up

If you want to feel like a top hand, come rope with me. :nod: I can heel okay but it's going to be a loooong morning if people start waiting on me to neck one. I do have an excuse as my elbow sounds like a ratchet and it's loud enough that everyone can hear it but I wasn't much better before I started breeding cows. :lol:

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I dont know anybody that brands. Got any pictures?

There are some good videos on YouTube Craig.

 

[A.Lane]

Backhoeboogie,

I tried to post this once but I don't know where it went.

My uncle was an amazing guy, one of the last of the real cowboys. He was ruff and gruff and would do anything to make you laugh or puke whichever didn't matter to him. He broke his back more times that I can count, he fell off of a break in the Badlands and landed on a porcupine, blind in one eye after roping a cow and the rope broke, cut his face in half with a chainsaw, lost a few fingers. He was a cop on the reservation for awile so he always came across real mean but he would do anything for anyone.

Every summer he would put up an Army tent for any kid that wanted to stay as long as there was no whining or crying(even if you got hurt) He wouldn't babysit and you were expected to help or go home. At any given time there were at least a dozen or kids there.He would hitch up his team and take all the kids to the river to swim or riding in the breaks. I'm sure it was cheap labor for him but all the kids wanted to stay. Looking back now I figure my aunt was sick and tired of feeding all of us kids all summer.

After his funeral everyone was to go to the local bar and he had paid for everyone to drink all night.

Thanks for asking about him. It brought back alot of special memories.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sounds like an interesting man.

 

[Shanghai]

I haven't been to a true branding since I was a kid
I'd hate to go to one now and spoil the memories I have of those times growing up

If you want to feel like a top hand, come rope with me. :nod: I can heel okay but it's going to be a loooong morning if people start waiting on me to neck one. I do have an excuse as my elbow sounds like a ratchet and it's loud enough that everyone can hear it but I wasn't much better before I started breeding cows. :lol:

I ain't no better I never got to rope and had to flank and hold calves

What I remember most was the food at dinner time. They would always put on a big spread and the laughter and how happy everyone was.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We brand, but it is nothing spectacular like your event! We do it in the chute, and usually have the entire family involved.

Your uncle reminds me of college! We had a professor that castrated with his teeth! Sheep, of course. He taught the sheep production class, and offered students extra credit if they used their teeth instead of the hands to pull the testis out and remove them from the body. He claimed it was more sterile than using the hands. I don't know if any student ever took him up on that offer, but it was fun to watch him get blood all over his face! YUCK!

 

[cowboy70]

I was just wondering how you guys brand your calves. I've learned many things with cattle are regional (tank vs. dam) and was curious what you do at your brandings.

Around here branding time is a big party. Everyone usually spend the spring time going to each others brandings. It's a time for everyone to get together and have fun. Kids are encouraged to rope and wrestle calves as much as possible to keep them interested in the way of life. Usually someone brings a young colt to season and winds up getting bucked off. The calf nuts are cooked on the fire or deep fat fried later. (Except for my uncle who would hold them in his teeth, cut the cords and eat them raw....just to see who would puke) The women cook huge meals and it is almost as important as getting calves branded and vaccinated. Most of the time when the work is done everyone sits around and drinks and tells stories. It's my favorite time of year.

Just wondering what you guys do in your areas. Is it the same everywhere? Or do you have your own branding traditions.

Thats what basically happens around here , and we wouldn't want it any other way !! We try to keep the old traditions going .

 

[3waycross]

Backhoeboogie,

I tried to post this once but I don't know where it went.

My uncle was an amazing guy, one of the last of the real cowboys. He was ruff and gruff and would do anything to make you laugh or puke whichever didn't matter to him. He broke his back more times that I can count, he fell off of a break in the Badlands and landed on a porcupine, blind in one eye after roping a cow and the rope broke, cut his face in half with a chainsaw, lost a few fingers. He was a cop on the reservation for awile so he always came across real mean but he would do anything for anyone.

Every summer he would put up an Army tent for any kid that wanted to stay as long as there was no whining or crying(even if you got hurt) He wouldn't babysit and you were expected to help or go home. At any given time there were at least a dozen or kids there.He would hitch up his team and take all the kids to the river to swim or riding in the breaks. I'm sure it was cheap labor for him but all the kids wanted to stay. Looking back now I figure my aunt was sick and tired of feeding all of us kids all summer.

After his funeral everyone was to go to the local bar and he had paid for everyone to drink all night.

Thanks for asking about him. It brought back alot of special memories.

Sounds like so many who have gone before us. I remember quite a few who fit that description. They were men and they built men! Good post :tiphat:

 

[John SD]

Branding here is still a family and/or neighbor helping neighbor affair. Now everyone does fall shots too which takes almost the same amount of crew.

The cowboy type ranchers still throw calves or use horses to rope the calves. Some use Nordforks. Mostly set up on clean ground out in a pasture somewhere.

4 wheeler type ranchers like myself most always bring cattle into the corral and use a calf table. For a limited and aging crew, IMO the table is the way to go.

 

[A.Lane]

John SD,

I was wondering where in Meade County you are at. I work at a vet supply company near Sturgis and was curious if I knew you.

 

[A.Lane]

I haven't been to a true branding since I was a kid
I'd hate to go to one now and spoil the memories I have of those times growing up

I know what you mean. Branding was always way more fun as a kid and now it just feels like a lot of work, but it's also fun making memories for the next generation to look back on.

 

[John SD]

John SD,

I was wondering where in Meade County you are at. I work at a vet supply company near Sturgis and was curious if I knew you.

Don't believe so. I must admit I haven't purchased vet supplies for a few years, and when I did usually bought them from the vet in the NE corner of the county, or the one stop shop out in the central part of the county.

Though back when the Sturgis sale barn was still up and running, one vet supply place there had open house with free lunch in late April every year. I'd stock up on branding supplies then. ;-)

My neighbor's annual Angus bull sale was also that day. When Sturgis closed, he went back to St Onge where he had sold previously. Same deal with my Hereford bull supplier. Both are out of the business years now, and the Angus guy has passed on.