The first cowboy experience ......

The fine art of calf roping

Since I have been in Canada, I'm frequently being asked if I have met any cowboys yet.  Sure, I've seen them around, but I can now say that I've seen them doing what they do best - roping cows, other cowboy things and drinking.  Last night, I attended the second session of cow branding on the boss, other ranch.  I expected to show up, watch for a bit and then go home.  Little did I know that cow branding here is like a spectator sport.  There were close to 60 people there, the priority before the cowboys began was 'Is the beer on ice?' and afterwards, a huge feast was enjoyed.

Swing that lasso!

How many cowboys does it take to hold down a calf?

For someone from a non farming background, the experience was quite confronting at first.  The first thing you notice is the noise.  One hundred calves have been separated from their mothers and neither party are too thrilled about it.  The calves huddle in the far corner of the pen and the mothers push and shove to stand closest on the other side of the fence.  Then the action begins.

First you catch it ....

.... then you sit on it

Several cowboys on horseback swing their lassos and catch the calves around their back legs.  Being caught by two legs means that the calf will fall to the ground and be dragged to the other end of the pen where the remaining cowboys and unskilled (read: city slickers come to get a taste of cowboy life) helpers wait to get on with the task.  If the calf is only caught by one leg, it can still stand up, so a cowboy will wrestle the cow to ground so it can be dragged.  The stress in the calf's eyes is awful.

Prepare the branding iron .... 

.... and sizzle ....

Once the calf is at the other end of the pen, several people will hold its body while it is branded, vaccinated and chipped.  The branding iron is applied with a sizzle and then quickly painted with aloe vera juice.  If the calf is male, he will have his testicles fastened from his body with an elastic band.  I felt quite sick to the stomach when I realised what they were doing.  The calf is then let go and once a group of 20-30 calves have been branded, they are let into the main paddock to reunite with their mothers.

Note the city slickers in the background

Branded babies

The noise subsides as more calves are released, the cowboys begin to relax and soon the job is completed and the beers begin to flow.  Despite the fact that I felt like I had a neon 'city slicker' sign on my head and therefore incredibly out of place, I joined in the festivities over dinner, where I finally met some people my age which was great.  I know that many of you will be wondering whether I met any young, good looking and intelligent cowboys and sadly, the answer is no.  So, for that cowboy experience, I will need to wait a little longer.