As the temperatures start to drop, we’re wrapping up some of the busiest and most rewarding parts of our year. Fall is a big season on the ranch, with steers and pigs shipping out, pre-checks for the mommas, and reflecting on a successful farmers' market season. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.
Brandon West, Erik West (Uncle), Tim West (Father), Tyrel West (Brother)
Steer Shipping Season
Every October, we ship our steers after months of preparation and planning. It all begins with the online video auction, which takes place in September. Mid-summer, we capture video footage of each animal, showcasing them at their best, and decide the ideal weight for auction. We also determine how many we plan to sell based on our herd’s overall health and market demand. It’s a strategic process, and the online auction offers a valuable platform for reaching buyers who appreciate the quality we put into our livestock.
Before shipping, we make sure the calves are pre-conditioned to handle the journey smoothly. This involves separating the steer calves from their mothers and ensuring they’re in the best shape for travel. Sorting the calves off their mommas is no small task—it takes days of gathering, handling, and careful sorting, as heifer calves are sold separately.
Watching the trucks head out is always a bittersweet moment, but we’re proud of the hard work that goes into raising these animals from birth to the next stage in the chain. These steers will move on to the feeders, who will get them up to weight for the finishers. Here at West Cattle Company, we handle all these steps ourselves—birthing, feeding, and finishing our animals to bring the highest quality product to our customers. Our cow-calf operation at West Ranch raises these calves from day one, ensuring they’re ready to head to the feeders as healthy, well-cared-for animals.
Wrapping Up a Successful Year with Our Pigs
October also marked the time for shipping our pigs to the processor, and this year has been our most successful pig season yet! We’ve been raising pigs for four summers now, and while we’re certainly more experienced than when we started, it’s still been a journey to find what works best for us. Raising pigs has been a learning experience, especially in getting them to the right weight. Sourcing piglets each year is always a challenge, particularly because of the large volume we need, but this year we lucked out with the nicest piglets we’ve ever had.
Although we aren’t traditional pig farmers, it’s been rewarding to see our efforts pay off. Each year, we learn more and get a little closer to understanding the nuances of pig farming. Seeing the quality and growth of this year's pigs gives us confidence for the seasons to come.
Pre-Checking Our Herd
Fall is also when we pre-check all our momma cows to ensure they are pregnant. This is an essential part of herd management, but it’s particularly critical this year because we’re not keeping any animals over the winter that aren’t pregnant. Given the current drought conditions here in Wyoming, we simply don’t have enough winter feed to sustain any extra animals. As you walk through the fields, you can feel the impact of the drought—grass is so dry that it just crumbles underfoot.
Our hay crop was also deeply affected, yielding much less than we’d typically expect. To give some perspective, cutting this year almost didn’t feel worthwhile. Thankfully, we had a bumper crop of grass last year, which provided us with some extra hay going into this season. However, even with last year’s surplus, we will still need to purchase additional hay to get through the winter. It’s a challenging time, but we’re thankful for the blessings that have helped us through it.
Reflecting on a Memorable Farmers' Market Season
One of the highlights of our summer was our time at the farmers' markets. Being able to connect with our customers face-to-face is something I always look forward to. This summer was especially amazing, filled with loyal and passionate customers who love our products as much as we do. It’s always fun to meet people who share our commitment to quality, sustainability, and care for the animals.
We also continued hauling beef and delivering in bulk, meeting new customers and expanding our community reach. This season reminded us why we do what we do, and we’re deeply grateful for everyone who supported us.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for the winter, there’s a lot on our plate, but we’re ready to face whatever comes our way. This year has taught us even more about resilience, adaptation, and the importance of community. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey, from our loyal market customers to those cheering us on from afar. We couldn’t do it without you.
Until next time, continue to live the legend!
Brandon West
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