As the five horseback riders disappeared behind a pasture hill on a blustery late April morning, a meadowlark sang in the rustling tall grass. An hour later, the riders reappeared in the distance, their "yips" and "hey, hey, heys" directing a herd of Angus cows and tag-a-long calves.
Crew members held a calf while Bruce Treffer of Lexington applied the Treffer Ranch brand on the left side ribs.
Greg Treffer of Lexington prepared to throw his rope toward the legs of the Angus calves as the first step in the medication and branding process.
This cap displays the Treffers' business name and brand. Cattle they and other beef producers raise are a huge component of Nebraska's No.1 industry: agriculture. The value of 2023 beef exports alone was nearly $1.8 billion.
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Delores Treffer, 90, center, still hosts the family's branding day. Her children are Jan Thompson, left, of Overton, Bruce Treffer of Lexington, Dawn Wheeler of Kearney, Mike Treffer of Gering and Linda Smith of Ceresco.
Calves jumped up after being vaccinated and branded, and quickly found their mothers grazing nearby. Several started nursing after missing at least one meal during branding day
The branding day dinner – noon meal in rural Nebraska – is a highlight for many crew members. The meal, served by the Treffer sisters Dawn Wheeler of Kearney, left, Jan Thompson of Overton and Linda Smith of Ceresco, included sloppy Joes, cheesy potatoes, salads and desserts.
The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.
Lori Potter spent most of her nearly 46-year Nebraska newspaper career reporting on agriculture, natural resources and rural issues for the Kearney Hub. She’s also a veteran of the York News-Times and Alliance Times-Herald. Potter is president of the Nebraska Press Women and past president of the National Federation of Press Women.
