Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A herd of cattle stand near the flight line while A U-2 Dragon Lady flies behind them Dec. 7, 2018 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Alongside the U-2, the bovines are a unique feature of the base and there is a running tally of their population known as the cow count. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A U-2 Dragon Lady flies behind a barbed wire fence Dec. 7, 2018 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. In addition to providing security, Beale’s barbed wire fences are used to contain cattle and keep them safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A few cattle stand by a road near the flight line Dec. 7, 2018 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Beale is capable of housing approximately 2,000 cattle which eat invasive species and help with fire suppression. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A U-2 Dragon Lady flies over Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 7, 2018. The U-2 is provides high-altitude Reconnaissance to commanders allowing them to make better warfighting decisions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A cow stands in a field Dec. 7, 2018 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Beale participates in a grazing program where the base leases approximately 12,000 acres to ranchers for their cattle to graze from November through May. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A U-2 Dragon Lady flies above Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 7, 2018. The U-2 is capable of flying up to 70,000 feet when fulfilling its reconnaissance gathering mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

A U-2 Dragon Lady performs a touch and go Dec. 7, 2018 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. The U-2 is provides high-altitude Reconnaissance to commanders allowing them to make better warfighting decisions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco)

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Beale’s Bovines enjoy our Reconnaissance

Published Dec. 11, 2018
By Airman 1st Class Tristan D. Viglianco
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif -- One of the things that makes Beale unique is the U-2 Dragon Lady, another is the presence of cows on the base. The cows are such a fixture there is actually a running cow count, which currently stands at 1881. The cows are here due to a grazing program where the base leases approximately 12,000 acres to ranchers for their cattle to graze from November through May. In addition to money brought in from the leases, the bovines help reduce the number of invasive species and aid in fire suppression.