Sorting Buffalo

Welding, painting, and greasing has been the agenda for Verne and his help this past week to get ready for tomorrow’s calf sorting.

Before the cows start giving birth this next month, we sort off the calves born last spring from the cow herd. We want to do it before any newborns are added to the herd as this could be dangerous for them.

Bison can get aggressive very quickly when they feel cornered, and a little baby could get run over and injured in the mayhem.

Once the calves are sorted from the herd, they run through the work chute to get their ear tag for identification. Bull calves will move over to the “Meat and Eat” bull herd, and the heifer calves will go back to the “Meet and Greet” cow herd (the group our Visitor Center guests see on our tram tour).

So how do the top three mentioned items go with wooly fast-footed animals? We have to be prepared with safe pens, gate latches that move freely, and latch tight when they swung around to close off a pen of animals.

After Verne’s accident with a gate that didn’t hold last June (he and cow Annie ended up in the same spot together), he's going to be sure everything is in top shape for the sorting.

Verne has added a new steel “cat walk” to be above the animals in one area, and new steel bar gates in the middle sorting circle so he can be behind it when sorting the cows.

Please wish us a safe sorting and calm cows tomorrow!