Local rancher well into normal winter routine

By Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

Blaine Brost ranches Hereford cattle north of Irvine and the winter months keep him busy with his operation.

The Brost ranch is in the midst of feeding right now, which he says has been a little easier this winter.

“We’ve sent half of our cows to a feedlot and all of our heifer calves have gone to a feedlot as well to get fed for the winter because of the low availability of feed in the fall,” said Brost.

Going into a winter with low feed, Brost said, created quite a challenge earlier if you weren’t prepared and never secured feed.

“(When) you get cold stretches like we’ve had here now these last five, six days really used up the feed supply on you in a hurry,” he said.

“If you weren’t prepared and had enough, you could really be in trouble. Cows go through a lot of feed trying to stay warm in this kind of cold weather.”

The ranch at this time of year is always feeding, bedding, gathering water for the cows

“At the end of February, we’ll start calving our purebreds,” he said.

“So, then it’ll be time to keep an eye on cows calving in this weather and most of the cows start the first of April.”

When the cattle don’t have shelter or wind breaks, it’s hard on the animal, added Brost.

He hopes there will be more snow and run off this winter for next year for the cows after a couple of drought years.

“I guess you think about what you might have to do as far as sawing off some cows just to get through the summer if you have enough water and grass to get through the summer and make it through another drought,” he said.

The Brosts are preparing for their bull sale on Jan. 27.

“We’ll get busier as we get closer to the end of the month. We (have) to get some videos of our bulls and ger our sale bond set up. That kind of takes January as we get prepared for our sale.”

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