Pass or Keep?

The ship date for this years calves is approaching, so recently we had to round them all up and make sure they had the appropriate vaccines.  On a cool morning, Tom and Jeff drove the cows and calves in from the fields where they were feasting on grain stubble.  Then they sorted the calves apart from the cows, along with help from me and Carol, and another young neighbor.  The calves were run one at a time into the squeeze shoot (or is it chute?-- I'm really not sure which word it is.  Anyone have any ideas?) where they were vaccinated and given a new ear tag.  The sex and appearance of each calve that would be shipped was marked on a sheet. 

During this process, Jeff and Tom also decided once-and-for-all which of their heifer calves they would keep as part of the herd.  It appeared as though they had given some thought into this beforehand and were taking a last look at each of the prospective replacement heifers to decide for sure.  These calves were not given vaccines or ear tags, but will be branded with either an LES or a J3 at a later date.  

It's an interesting process.  It took the better part of a long morning from the time the guys went out to round up the animals until the time all the calves had been run through the chute (I guess I'm settling on this version).  I like to think I see what the guys see when they're deciding which heifers to keep-- their size, shape and parentage suggesting they too would be good mothers.  In truth, there's no way I could know at this point, with my limited ranching experience, what factors contribute and how they could be expressed in a young animal. 

It's not natural selection if we are choosing which animals to keep around for breeding purposes. But, decisions are based on genetics and predisposition towards some traits as well as non-expression of others.  One great big biology lesson on the farm.  The guys each have an idea in mind of how they want their herd to look and animals are kept or sent down the road based on this.  Each calve was given a verdict:  Pass on to be shipped next week with the rest, or Keep for the herd. 

The cows were all separated out into a large pen.  This cow is one of my favorites simply for the 'brockle' markings on her face.  Unfortunately, she's actually somewhat of a poor cow and will likely be sold sometime soon. 

Calves kept in a different holding area from the cows, before they are pushed through the chute. 

Harvey had been 'helping'-- he fancies himself a herding dog sometimes.
Apparently he decided he'd rather watch from the safety of the pickup.  

Young cows are quite excitable and not very smart.
These ones had basically ran themselves into a corner. 

Harvey was again 'helping' by running around with a large piece of corral wood in his mouth.

A little hard to see, but there is a cow in the squeeze shoot here.
Jeff applied his ear tag while Tom gave the vaccines.
I was the secretary and took notes on the calves.
Carol and Brett helped move the calves along.