Two steers sold

We haven't have rain or snow for a long time. It is getting dry and the grass is shorter than normal for this time of year.  I'm concerned about there being enough grass for the cattle.  I told the people with the horses I couldn't pasture them this year.  Earlier I told Dan I could only take his two cows.  So I am sticking with that.  He had eight other yearlings but I don't have room for them this year.  So he called Evan to haul them to the livestock auction in Missoula for the auction on Thursday (today).

I decided to sell two of my steers now instead of waiting until Fall.  I would have liked to have kept them till Fall but I don't trust I will have enough grass.  The other steer still has his one horn so I am keeping him until that horn falls off.

The long hair must be from Buddy's tail.

Since Evan was hauling Dan's cattle to the auction on Wednesday, along with another person's bull, I shipped my two steers with Evan.

I had to haul the steers to Dan's corral.  I wasn't planning on shipping steers so the bale of hay was in the way in the corral.  It would be hard to maneuver Evan's long trailer around it.  And Evan was short of time anyway as he had to go to Libby to get the bull.

One steer was with the cows, the other steer with the bulls.  Separating them may take time.  Me maneuvering my stock trailer around the hay bale would take time.  Donna offered to help me sort and load the steers.

We started shortly before 9 am Wednesday.  The one steer was the first to run into the loading corral and I closed the gate.  That was easy!  I then easily got him into the far end of the loading corral ramp.  Then we got the cows and calves into the loading corral to keep them out of the way.

It took a few more minutes to separate the steer from the bull.  That steer didn't want to leave the bull or the horned steer.  He kept running back to be near the bull.  With the excitement Buddy started to get excited and began to jump up and down and buck.  We calmed things down.  After a few more tries I got the steer through the gate and quickly closed it before the horned steer ran through it too.

I have a second gate to the loading corral ramp and we herded the second steer in there from the corral and not the loading corral.

We were done herding by 9:30 am.  That was fast.

Waiting to be loaded into the stock trailer.

Yes, you guys are going for a ride.

With Donna giving me directions it didn't take me long to back up the stock trailer to the loading corral ramp.

Backed up to the head gate.

View from above.

We were to Dan's place in plenty of time.  Evan was running late so Donna and I left as she had an appointment and I had fence work.  The auction was today and I will know in a few days what the steers sold for.  This week was a regular auction.  Next week was the last larger feeder auction sale.  It would have been nice to have sold my cattle at that auction as there could be more buyers at that auction.  But one rolls with the opportunities they are given.