A set of twins at the Brandon Gasvoda ranch.
"The Mountaineer" took telephone in hand last week and called some area cattle ranchers to find out how calving was going. Here are some of those interviews.
Last week when Marla Ray was in she said that calving was going well. She handles the night shift as it is easy for her to go back to sleep and besides she knows about when her cattle (most of which are named) are ready to calve and it usually isn't at night. This week husband Jim Ray said that the calving is going good. They have 25 on the ground so far and with this weather being so good, calving is good. There are two sets of twins so far. Everything seems to be good. Jim said we are having a March calving season like we have never seen before. He just hopes it lasts until they are finished.
Meanwhile out at Brandon and Kristin Gasvoda's ranch they too report very good calving weather and that they are almost half finished with calving. It must be the air out at the Gasvoda ranch for they always get loads of twins. So far with their calving half completed, they report three sets of twins.
Closer to town, at the Chauvet Ranch they are not calving at all yet. Mrs. Chauvet said that they will be calving at the end of March or the beginning of April. She hopes this weather holds until then.
At Cowan and Son, it was reported that there is no calving happening yet at the main ranch but they have started and are doing fine at the Big Sandy ranch. Look for calving at the main ranch to start in April.
Sheehy's report on upper Sandy Creek that they are going to start calving toward the end of March. They hope that when they are calving the weather holds like it is now. Matter of fact Mrs. Sheehy said that she loves all the sun of late even though she knows that they can't rule out winter yet.
Linda Rutledge said that their calving has just gotten a good start. She figures they are about a quarter through. The weather is helping. Linda said it is a very good time to be calving. They have one set of twins so far.
Steve Boyce said that they have not got started calving yet. Just a few have been born and they hope to finish about the end of April. Steve hopes the weather will continue nice through calving and then it will rain every day in May. Many share his sentiments.
Ralph Kemph says it is no one's business about his calving but that it is going great guns way south of the Bear Paws. He is half through and has half to go and has had many twins. He asked that we use the name Ralph Kemph so no one will know his business.
Paul Hanson said they are just getting started with their calving. They look to finish around the end of April. Paul said that these last two years were the easiest for calving he has ever experienced with the good weather. But they paid for it by having no rain until the Fourth of July last summer. Paul hopes they don't have to pay for it again.
At the Jappe Ranch they are coming along well with calving. Their older cows had a due date of March 8 and around 25 percent of them are through calving. The heifers all calved out in February and with the good weather, it was a very good calving season so far.
Mrs. Jappe reports that they had one big white cow that had triplets. First they thought she was having twins, one of the calves black and one cream. Then they saw another red calf that was coming out backward so they lost it but it was so strange to see the three different colors of calves that cow gave birth to.
At the Don Weaver ranch they are just getting started with their calving. They are calving their registered cattle now and the commercial cattle will start around the 20th of March.
The weather out their way has been just great for calving. Mrs. Weaver said they had some who calved early and their calves were frisky and just fine. Everything is going great!
One Bear Paw rancher, who did not want his name mentioned, said this is the second year in a row that he has done almost all his calving, night and day clad in jeans, sneakers and a sweat shirt. He continued that he has been calving for over fifty years and never has this happened before!
At the Fred Finke ranch, Mrs. Finke said they won't be calving until April and May but commented on the wonderful calving weather for everyone.
Meanwhile at the Ed Allderdice ranch, Mrs. Allderdice said that they are about half through with their calving and that the weather has been wonderful for calving although they could certainly use some moisture.
No calves at the Allderdice ranch but Mrs. Allderdice said they would take those big fat calves any day. It is a good year for them.
