Shipping Steers

A few years back, Nathan and Bridget Williams turned their family ranch into a yearling operation. Now, instead of calving cows, they fatten steers and heifers, getting them up to about 1000 lbs on grass before they sale them to a feedlot to be finished. Well, today was shipping day. 

Just northwest of Kaycee WY lies Mayoworth, a little community at the end of Hwy 191. 

Each year they build their bunch up of various cattle from around the country. After backgrounding them in the Worland area, they bring them over to graze the hay meadows and pastures of Johnson County for the summer. 

When Bridget isn't sitting a saddle and chasing yearlings, she's homeschooling her kids and assisting the parish council. 

Once we got them gathered in the corral, the trucks showed up.

The whole family was on deck for this final push. Levi not only rides and ropes, but is a hand on the ground too.  

They'd bring in about 20 at a time and weigh them before loading up. 

1013 lbs average. 

They really look good. Slicked off nice and stocky frame. 

Then it was time to load. 

My job was sorting and keeping the alley full. 

Their oldest son Ben was the sales rep on these steers. It was up to him line the trucks up and make sure all the numbers match. 

18 truck loads in total. These critters are bound for Scott City KS, where they will be finished on a corn ration before heading to the end of the trail in Dodge. 

Job well done. 

This was a fun day to see some new country. Great folks and cool operation. That's the beauty of ranching, there is no one-size-fits-all way of doing things. Each family has to discern what works best for them and the land the Lord has entrusted them with. For the Williams', that's running yearlings. Keep up the Good work, y'all. America depends on you.