I have been home a week and the weather has been hostile the whole time. Snow night before last , snow yesterday, snow last night. More to come. My thermometer says 48 degrees but there is still ice and snow in the shadows. The only time I feel warm is under the covers with a heating pad. Trips to town with the heater on are nice too. But it is taking a toll on me. Warm climes in the winter time are healthier for me. Jason's doctor is now including vitamin D screening in his blood panels. We simply don't make enough or get enough especially in the northern areas. That and magnesium are two supplements everyone ought to consider.
Interesting reactions to the Branding pictures. It is a brutal process. Why brand? Many times cattle go on the open range with other rancher's cattle. A permanent, visible mark is necessary to get them back and if the market price is right a cow can be worth $700- $1000.00 which makes them subject to rustling even in modern times. No brand is an invitation to put one on. Castration? Without it you get what is called a "hamburger bull." The meat is so tough that it is only fit for hamburger which does not bring much on the market. And the next time you look at a $6.00 a pound steak remember that the rancher got somewhere between 70 cents and $1.10 for that pound if the market is decent.
