Flat Stanley Finds Out Brahmans are Big in Texas!

Nacogdoches, Texas (964 miles from home)

A trip to a ranch means a lot of time outside helping with chores! That means a lot of photos of what Flat Stanley was doing while he visited MJ Brahmans in Nacogdoches, Texas. We’re putting the photos in a slide show and some along with the explanations so you can follow along!

1. Flat Stanley traveled to MJ Brahmans in the great state of Texas. Only one state is bigger than Texas, do you know which one it is?
2. This is Rancher Jim. All day he takes care of chickens and when he gets home from work he takes care of his cattle. Even if it is dark, cold, raining or snowing ranchers take care of their cattle because the cattle are depending on them.
3. This is Deets the cowdog, He goes where ever Rancher Jim goes. He is not really a pet. He just showed up one day about 2 years ago and decided to stay and work on the ranch. He is smart and loves to swim in our pond. 
4. This is the big bell Rancher Jim rings to tell the cattle it is supper time, but they know anyway even if the bell doens’t ring.
5. This is a feed bunk. Looks like the calves didn’t finish their breakfast this morning.
6. The cattle and horses on the ranch also get hay in the winter to eat when there isn’t much green grass. They really like it and it helps keep them warm.
7. This is a little bull calf. His name is Monte Walsh. He is going to a cattle show soon so he has this special ring in his nose and a pretty purple halter. A cattle show is like a beauty pageant. Monte is only 9 months old.
8. The Brahman cattle on the ranch are special..they have humps! They really don’t like cold weather and snow very much so it is a good thing this snow is a rare occurrence in our part of Texas.
9. We have horses on the ranch too. We don’t ride them anymore but they help us keep an eye on the cows. We call them non-functional pasture decoration.
10. This red paint horse, Chief is really big. He is 15 hands tall which means you could turn your hand sideways on him 15 times to measure him top to botton. A hand is 4.2 inches so Chief is 63 inches tall or 5.25 feet.
11. Brahman cattle have HUGE ears! Libby’s ear is almost as big as Flat Stanley!
12. Brahman cattle come in two colors- Red and Gray.
13. Flat Stanley really likes Chief & wants to take a ride, but Chief thinks it is too cold.
14. This cow is not Brahman-no hump, and she is not red or gray. She is a Holstein. Holsteins are dairy cows and give their milk for yummy stuff like cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream.
15. Dharma wants to taste Flat Stanley. Cows have teeth but they only have front teeth on the bottom. They have tough pad of skin instead of teeth on the top front.
16. This is a pony. She doesn’t have a name. Maybe you can think of a good one for her. Ponies aren’t baby horses. This pony is full-grown. Baby horses or foals are either colts-boys or fillies-girls.
17. This beautiful Gray Brahman is named Sookie.
18. Sookie wants to taste Flat Stanley too!
19. Flat Stanley thought this was GROSS! Can you stick your tongue in your nose? Cattle can!
20. This red Brahman is Bella. Bella and other cows drink about a bathtub full of water and eat around 40 pounds of food a day.
21. Brahmans have lots of wrinkled loose skin. This helps keep them cool in the very hot Texas summers.
22. Mooooooooooo!
23. Flat Stanley lets Bella lick his hand. Bella’s tongue is rough and feels like sandpaper. It tickles!!!
24. Flat Stanley helped Rancher Jim put out some bird seed. Ranchers provide an environment for wildlife. They take care of the land and the animals.
25. Flat Stanley had a great time at MJ Brahmans in Texas learning about cattle with humps. We enjoyed having him visit too!

Melissa Laurent

[slideshow]