Ranch Work
It's been a busy week, here at the ranch.Up at 6 am, usually having a light snack whilst getting dressed. Out the door and in the razor by around 6:50. We do the 'rounds' in a single pasture, counting 52 cows and their calfs. If any are in unusual spots or not with the main herd, we count them again and look for the missing cows. They usually have a new-born calf with them.
The average is 1 or two a day, though last week we had none for four days and then five in friday. This morning there were five births. Four from last night, and one pre-mature birth. The premature supposedly happened becuase the mother ate some pine needles, which causes the animal to go into labor prematurely. The calf must've only weighed about thirty pounds, most are abnout eighty.
That makes two dead calves in as many days. Yesterday the death was from birthing complications. On both days I was tasked with loading the dead calf into the back of the razor and haul it to the "boneyard", a small gully a ways from ost other pastures on the edge of the ranch. Lately there's been something eating the carcases and disturbing the bones. There might be a coyote running around, and if I see him, shoot to kill.
My preferred hunting rifle at the moment is a Mauser, Model 1898. Effective range is about a thousand yards, and it uses an 8mm bullet. More than enough to kill a coyote, if I can steady myself. I haven't seen one yet, though I suspect if I do try to shoot it will miss and make him run.
In any case, after the rounds are done I head back to the house and work on more personal labor; weight lifting, ping-pong and the like. We go out again at noon to feed the cows hay, after which we have lunch, and most chores are done after that.
Mostly light work for now, but when calves do come I have a fairly demanding job to do with grandpa.