Lost & Found

Last week I took around 10 old cows to Billings to sell. Damnedest thing happened when I was getting them in to load them, I couldn't see a brand on one of them. We studied this cow for the longest time and could not see sign one of a brand on her. She had our earmark but that was it. I went ahead and took her to Billings under a different permit saying the brand was unreadable, didn't want nobody claiming I stole her, and figured the brand inspectors could figure it out. I pointed her out to them and went back home. A couple of days later I got a letter asking to contact the brand inspector in Billings. He quizzed me on who Bangs vaccinated my cattle, permanent id tag in the ear from this procedure, and I told him. Turns out they shaved this cow and found a year brand where we put it, and a small part of my brand. These facts with the earmark and Bangs tag being traced to the vet we used convinced them it was my cow and they released the money she brought to us. How in tarnation I could have a cow running around for 15 years without a full brand on her is beyond me. The only thing I will say in my defense is that she is one wild critter and doesn't really stop to well for a person to look at.

I weaned their calves and left them in the pasture I took them out of. In a situation like this I like to keep my eye on the calves for about a week to make sure they don't get sick or run off. I had seen them every day without having to look for them until yesterday and only one was in sight. I had other things to do for a while but I fretted all morning about where the calves were. I ran over after lunch to look for them fully prepared in my mind that they had gotten out in the neighbors place and I was going to have a couple days work rounding them up and worrying about them. As normal I was worrying for no reason, they were hiding over the hill in the bottom of a draw. I felt a little sheepish for worrying so, but better safe than sorry.

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today. Bible Matthew 6:34