Mus-ter : A formal gathering of troops, esp. for inspection, display or exercise.



This week has been full of “mustering” for us. Beginning on Sunday with our mid-year mated heifers. These little cows were beginning to work hard as young breeders raising their first calf. Traditionally and technically “bred out of season” for our region, we are conducting an “in-house” trial to improve the reconception rate in our first calf heifers.With the calves between 5 and 6 months old and around 170kg, they have been weaned and taken “home” for some education while mother cow can concentrate on gaining weight to reconceive in December.

We have a household full of willing helpers to muster, even with Tess away at Uni. They keep going all day, as long as you keep the food up to them!




They boys have chief positions on a mob of cattle, although change around occasionally. Last Sunday, Andrew took the wing, keeping any strays from wandering off. 

Lachlan was on the tail with a watchful eye…. 

while Rob & Hamish steadied the lead.


Adelaide, Eliza and I were the scout a bouts from the comfort of a Polaris Ranger loaded with carseat strapped to anchor point, esky full of fruit, water bottle and camera.
For Eliza, this was a stark contrast to her Monday and Tuesday. She and I rinsed off the dust and donned our city clothes, flying to Brisbane late Sunday night to attend a muster of an educational kind.
Imagine her delight, when she entered a forum full of Curriculum into the Classroom personnel, Home Tutors from all over Queensland and SDE teachers to find she had her own ‘desk’ for the two days…
A quick stop in a shoe shop in the Queen St mall was a stark contrast to Dad at home, looking after not only four children but a mob of weaners. 
The Muster has now moved to Rockhampton for one of a Natural Resource Management kind. Eliza spent yesterday attending the FBA Muster and is looking forward to hearing Mum speak this afternoon.
But that which brings her the biggest grin, is being reunited with Dad and her siblings.
Mustering the “troops” together…

There are 4 comments on this article:

  • On 18/10/2012 sharon said:

    looks like Hamish’s pally pony wasn’t keen on the lead, dad needs a longer, heftier lead rope than that bit of baling twine!

    My kids haven’t done much horseback mustering, just by circumstance, but got to help the other day and being short handed, I had to explain to them that they had to keep the steers inside the “imaginary fence” while I had to go to the lead. Trouble is, I think their fence was a lot wider than mine! 😉 They had fun, that is the main thing, and are coming along nicely, should send em to your place to join the ringer gang!

  • On 18/10/2012 annewheaton said:

    Baling twine – the universal farmer’s friend! Is there a farmer in the world who doesn’t always have a length in their pocket? We’d be lost without it.

  • On 19/10/2012 Ainsley said:

    Yes, baling twine (or hamstring, as we call it sometimes!) has a multitude of purposes! My grandfather was a master at it.

  • On 19/10/2012 Ainsley said:

    And yes, that piece of string was all we could find in the middle of the paddock. My hands have a few red marks from it!?

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