WOMEN IN RANCHING REMOTE DELIVERY MEDICATION SYSTEM LIFESAVER FOR PRAIRIE CIRCUIT DIRECTOR GILLESPIE By Allie Bohus, Photos Courtesy Cindy Gillespie W hen Prairie Circuit Director Cindy Gillespie isn’t busy running barrels professionally, she and Sam Minnick run Bar MX Cattle, small starter yard (feedlot) in Central Kansas. They receive 400lb.
steer and heifer calves and keep them for 60-90 days. When the cattle arrive off the trucks, the first thing she does is let them eat, drink and rest. Then within 48 hours they mass-treat and process. Ensuring new cattle are up to date on vaccinations is necessary to maintain herd health. The cattle are then moved to different grazing allotments dependent on the season. About 4 years ago Gillespie purchased a Pneu-Dart remote delivery device (basically a ‘dart gun’). The Pneu-Dart has afforded Gillespie the ability to remotely deliver medication to free-range cattle at the first onset of infection. This is something that would
be exceedingly more difficult without this piece of equipment. If cattle are turned out to pasture many miles from any sort of holding pen or working facility, (think: rocky ground, steep/mountainous/ brushy terrain, etc.) it can be very difficult (if not impossible, speaking from experience) for horseman to effectively doctor a “This has been one of the best purchases we have ever made. It has more than paid for itself.” sick animal. Not to mention it’s harder on your horses and yourself. The Pneu-Dart allows the stockman to deliver a remote injection
24 WPRA NEWS JUNE 2023
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