Provider: Rick Kuntz
Profession: Rancher
Hometown: Dillon, MT - Diamond Bar J Ranch
October, 2007 Diary Entry
I have been somewhat derelict in my duty regarding diary entries, so I'll
try to catch you up on how things have gone on the Diamond Bar J Ranch
the past few weeks.
We finished stacking the last of our hay in early August. This year
we had a pretty good crop. We put up nearly 50 more ton of hay this
year than in 2006. Fertilizer and timely irrigation would appear
to be the answer as to why this happened.
Another dry summer in southwest Montana has kept us busy moving our cattle
from pasture to pasture to keep them in feed and water. We seem to
have plenty of feed (grass) for the cows, but water has been a problem. Springs
are slowing way down or drying up completely. Creeks are running
way low, too. Grasshopper Creek which runs right through our front
yard almost dried up this summer! Fortunately, some fall rain and
cooler temperatures have rejuvenated the creeks and they are flowing much
better now.
We are busy now getting about 30 ton of hay delivered to the ranch and
placed in our feed mangers. This is the hay that will feed our cow
herd through the cold winter months.
We are also about ready to begin working our 2007 calf crop – it
should happen within the next few days. We will give the calves
their pre-weaning shots and de-worm them in preparation for their sale
which will happen in about three weeks. As they are run through the
chute, we will also weigh them individually so that information can be
put on their mother's records. This info helps us determine which
cows continue to be satisfactory producers and which ones probably need
to be sold. Shortly after the calves are weaned and sold in late
October, we will run our cow herd through the chute and have them pregnancy
checked by a local veterinarian. All cows not pregnant will be sold. This
usually amounts to about 5-6% of our herd - roughly 20 head.
With the hay laid in and the cattle processed, weighed and vaccinated
for next year, we will concentrate on getting our feed bunks ready for
the winter feeding season. Never a dull moment on the ranch, always
plenty of work to keep us busy.
Hope the new school year is going well for you and this diary entry finds
you in good health and spirits. Until next time, take care and always
remember - when the going gets tough, just COWBOY UP and you'll get over
the rough parts!
Rick Kuntz
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