2 things I just learned

[nathan arizona]

The local cooperative extension agent offered to come out yesterday and help me vaccinate my first set of calves, give shots to two of my cows which have developed pink eye, and de-worm them all. Vet said not to vaccinate the cows since they are in with a bull and it could lower fertility. I don't have a head gate or squeeze chute, but he said he had a portable one and we'd hook it up to the (pretty dilapidated) chute that's left over from when my Dad had cows here. Long story short, his portable squeeze chute is missing and we had to wedge the calves and cows in the chute to get everything done. It was quite the ordeal and I never felt safe the entire time. So two things I learned.

1 - The NCCES guy was great. Tons of patience, stuck to it when I would have gladly thrown in the towel and gave me great advice afterwards. I'm going to get my wife to bake cookies or something and send down there.

2- There will absolutely be a handling facility on this place before the vet comes to preg check the cows in a few months. Current chute is too wide, no design to entice cows to get in, and dangerous to be in there with them. I'm thinking bud box with a corral built around it closer to where we'll be building our house in a place where my two pastures meet. I don't have a ton of budget for it, but anything I do will be less than a hospital bill - for either physical or mental health!

 

[torogmc81]

The list of things to repair, upgrade, and improve is endless, but getting ourselves set up with a head gate, chute, run, collections area, etc. was a game changer for us. Wish we would've done it sooner. It's not the best and can be a lot better, but having the vet bring their chute was a ton of work and spooked the cows a ton. Sometimes less is more, but not when working cattle as I've learned quickly!!

 

[greybeard]

We used to do it with a rope and the closest tree to snub 'em up next to. That was late 60s. If I had to do it again, I'd go ahead and hang myself.

 

[Supa Dexta]

1000 bucks should get you a cheap setup, and keep you safe enough, A used chute with head gate can be found for 500 or slightly less. Then find some used gates (panels). Where the gates meet build a frame that looks like a doorway, out of steel. Have your gate pin holes in this and that sets your width of the race leading into the chute and keeps them from spreading. Four 10 or 12 foot gates will do for the race, and then use a couple junks of steel pipe to keep animals from back up, just slide them across gates as the cattle enter.

Up to you what you use for a holding pen at the beginning of it all, but again, panels are simple.

 

[fenceman]

We used to do it with a rope and the closest tree to snub 'em up next to. That was late 60s. If I had to do it again, I'd go ahead and hang myself.

GB I guess you know what that mesquite trees called

 

[dun]

We used to do it with a rope and the closest tree to snub 'em up next to. That was late 60s. If I had to do it again, I'd go ahead and hang myself.

Boy, ain;t that the truth!

 

[Bigfoot]

You've got a great agent.

 

[nathan arizona]

1 other thing I just learned. When you google "bud box kits" apparently there is more than one type of bud box. Something about growing marijuana hydroponically...

 

[jedstivers]

1 other thing I just learned. When you google "bud box kits" apparently there is more than one type of bud box. Something about growing marijuana hydroponically...

See all the stuff you can learn? It's endless.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

And then there are "buddy box" kits and buddy boxes for RC airplanes. These allow you to run an "umbilical cord" from one controller to another controller with only 1 controller box (transmitter) controlling the airplane. Allowing a more experianced flyer to 'stand by' while the lesser experienced learns the ropes of flying.

See........you just learned something else......which you probably didn't want to learn. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[pdubdo]

this is exactly what I was looking for. I recently purchased some raw land and just assumed I wouldn't put 7-10 cattle on in until I had a set of working pens in place. But tonight, started wondering if maybe I should just get a few cows before putting pens in. This thread is great timing as I'm thinking through all this.

 

[lavacarancher]

I just learned something from this post. A "bud" box can be something other than a box, usually aluminum, in which to build prototype electronics circuits.

 

[Kell-inKY]

If I waited until I was ready I would never get anything done. I still don't have a permanent handling facility, and it bothers me a lot, but I'm just too busy right now. Going to have to get on it, 2 calves need castrating soon.

But that's just me, I have to challenge myself I guess.

Having this farm is a giant game of whack-a-mole, as soon as one problem gets solved, another pops it's head up.