It Was Lost, But Now Is Found

The camera is back! Well, what was once a camera is back. It was found in the middle of the pasture, smashed. The memory card from within the case was able to be salvaged. Here are some of the pics from a Thursday when we branded some replacement heifers.

Branding Cattle at the O'Brien Ranch


The Man In Charge: J.M. O'Brien

J.M. oversees everything. Usually from his trusty Chevrolet.

Morgan O'Brien

Here, Morgan is branding a replacement heifer. She'll get dewormed by Kelley, vaccinated by Doc, tattooed by the vet tech and then out the front of the shoot she'll go.

I'm getting hooked on a little in the crowd pen and Kelley thinks it's funny.

One of these heifers got to raking around on me in the crowd pen while I was waiting to send the next bunch through and Kelley thought is was alot funnier than I did.

So, of course Mick has to wave and tell me to take his picture.

There's always comedic relief when working at the O'Brien Ranch. I'm trying to get myself out of a bind and Mick is hollering for me to take his picture. Of course, if I was wanting to take his picture for real, he'd be running like I had the plague. Gotta love Mick and Dick.

Finally get away from her. Didn't even know this picture got taken until today.


OK, she's leaving, got to get back to work.


Morgan O'Brien branding.


The O'Brien Ranch cattle brand.

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Mick and Dick O'Brien

THE BEST cowboy team I have ever seen. Yes, they're full of . . . um yea that. Yes, they like to give you a hard time. They usually can make up words to a song that is surprisingly good while they do whatever it is they are doing. And guess what, you will be in the song and probably won't be thrilled about what you are doing according to their Kristofferson-like verses. But, they can get it done. You name it. It gets done. Quick. Right. Every time.

Doctor Williams

Doc Williams headed to vaccinate the next one.

Kelley O'Brien

Kelley O'Brien deworming another heifer.

Dick O'Brien

Dick O'Brien holding a heifer for the vet tech. She'll give her a tattoo ID in the ear.

Cowboy in the Smoke

Branding iron smoke is a great filter for photography. This is Dick about to open the front gate for this set of heifers to go get with the rest of those that have been worked.

Jesse Gomez

Jesse opens the squeeze shoot after each set of heifers have been branded, dewormed, vaccinated and tattooed.

Felix and JB

Felix (left) and JB immobilize each set of heifers by closing the squeeze shoot and holding it until the crew is finished.

Getting everything done on eighty head of replacements takes some time. This crew has been doing it for quite some time though and we wrap it up pretty quick. For a run down on what's going on in some of these pics, go here to read about a branding day.