Nebraska dude ranch Sandhill Double R
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Ranch Adventure

What's it like to visit a working cattle ranch? If you'd like a sample of Western adventure, Double R invites you to participate in seasonal ranch activities, which might include:

  • Rounding up and moving cattle

  • Checking windmills and fences

  • Harvesting the hay

  • Calving and branding

  • Checking and feeding the cattle

  • Vaccinating, testing and treating the cattle

  • Branding calves
You may wish to help with the round up and/or moving the cattle. This may be done on horseback, or with the 4-wheeler and a pick- up, or all three. It may take a half an hour, or half a day depending upon the mood of the cattle. Some of the days the cattle will move easily, some days not. Prior to going into a new pasture with the herd, you may ask to go along to help check fences, gates, and windmills, and to put out mineral blocks and salt.

The cattle and the windmills are checked on a daily basis. In the fall and winter the cattle are fed cake cubes and hay almost every day. The rancher acts as his own veterinarian most of the time so he is always watching for sickness or disability in the herd. He usually treats the illness himself and that usually requires getting the critter into the corrals. During calving time the rancher generally brings the cows to the nearest pastures so he can check them 2-3-4-5 times a day. This assures that he is available in case the mother cow is in need of assistance with the delivery. Calving time is usually from late March thru mid May. This is a busy time but one of the most rewarding times of the entire year. The baby calves cavort and play and torment their moms just like little children do. It is delightful to sit and watch them.
In May and June the baby calves are branded. This is a legendary social event in the Sand Hills. Generally, the area ranchers and their families gather to help each other roundup the cows and calves. Then they will sort the calves from their mothers, and will rope and drag the calves to be branded, castrated, vaccinated, and dehorned. There are usually several sets of ropers, and several groups of cowboys to brand, castrate, vaccinate. The whole process takes just several seconds for each calf. The calf is then released to his mother. The branding over, the meal is served. The tables groan with an over abundance of foodstuffs. When the meal is over the games begin. They play horseshoes, basketball, or cards, or just catch up on the latest happenings around the neighborhood.
In July the meadows are harvested for hay. The hay is mowed, raked, and then put up in big round bales. After the baling is done, the hay is allowed to rest for a day or so and is then moved a bale at a time to higher ground. These bales must then be fenced off and protected from the cattle because they will be the cattle feed for winter.

In the fall the cows and calves are again rounded up and the calves are weaned and immediately loaded into trucks and are taken either to a private buyer, or to the sale barn where they will be sold.

Days on the ranch are full of surprises and are usually quite busy. There is a variety of activity all year round.