Banding Problem?

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Better be using a long acting penicillin, or daily penicillin, so that you don't encourage/create anti-biotic resistant bacteria.
Good idea. Already gave a dose to him. Couldn't tell you what kind of penicillin it was. Borrowed bottle from neighbor. Penicillin is not something I keep around. Probably should though.
 
We have a tri bander, xl tri bander, and a California bander. At the present time, I like the California bander. But...I don't get to them when they are babies. The small tri opens wider than the little green bands. We have a green band type, I saw how small the opening was and put it on the shelf. Doubt I ever use it.
 
We have a tri bander, xl tri bander, and a California bander. At the present time, I like the California bander. But...I don't get to them when they are babies. The small tri opens wider than the little green bands. We have a green band type, I saw how small the opening was and put it on the shelf. Doubt I ever use it.
That sounds like what I have with the green bands.
 
I get mine up about 3 or 4 months old and give a blackleg/tetanus shot then sometime later....month or two.....i get them up and band the bulls, slit the bag and give the booster shot, so theres no issue with tetanus that way.
 
View attachment 3930All you folks banding calves are missing out on one of the real joys of raising cattle: bull fries!!
The Big Bucks Bull Drop was one of the biggest fundraisers when I was on a non-profit board. Condensed version: let a bull out in a gridded arena. If he poops on your square, you're the winner. One year we did it in conjunction with the 4-H calf fry - because who wouldn't want to eat a plate of 'nads while watching a bull poop? Huge success!
 
Brute Try the XL Tribander before you give up. The bands are about a buck a piece and are much bigger and stronger than the greenies.
My routine is to open a drop down door of the SO4 and lean over behind the calf, , The wife grabs the tail, I shove the tool up against the nut sack in the open position. Reach up through the band and pull the nuts down, release the band in a quick snap down motion, grab the sack and count to two and make sure the band is where I want. Takes less than 30 seconds.

If something is not right, the band can easily be rolled down and off to try again. No knife accidents, no blood, no flys.
 
Brute Try the XL Tribander before you give up. The bands are about a buck a piece and are much bigger and stronger than the greenies.
My routine is to open a drop down door of the SO4 and lean over behind the calf, , The wife grabs the tail, I shove the tool up against the nut sack in the open position. Reach up through the band and pull the nuts down, release the band in a quick snap down motion, grab the sack and count to two and make sure the band is where I want. Takes less than 30 seconds.

If something is not right, the band can easily be rolled down and off to try again. No knife accidents, no blood, no flys.
I did. Grabbed one this morning before heading out based on the recommendation here.😉

Yall are correct. It was quite a bit easier and I was blowing thru the smaller ones. I still cut 3 big ones but I think if I get the larger bander I can do those also.

Thanks for yalls recommendation. 😁
 
I did. Grabbed one this morning before heading out based on the recommendation here.😉

Yall are correct. It was quite a bit easier and I was blowing thru the smaller ones. I still cut 3 big ones but I think if I get the larger bander I can do those also.

Thanks for yalls recommendation. 😁
California bander with a pair of vice grips on the tubing works good on the big boys. Especially for the money. Got plenty tight. My issue with a cord remaining is just something that happens I am thinking. 1 of 7 had it happen. Neighbor saw the tool and asked to use it on his. He banded 30 or so 4 weights that day. Seemed to really like it. Only 50 bucks for the tool. Bands aren't outrageous.
 
Banding at birth is not an option for a lot of us.

This! We used to band at birth, but now it's just me tagging/working newborns (has been for at least 3 years). I recognize my limitations. Calves are now banded when they're worked at appx. 3 months and I haven't had any problems.
I understand being busy but if you can get into a good routine and system it goes pretty quickly.

I do all of mine by myself and my cows calve out on pasture. Takes me about 3 minutes per calf to tag, shots and band. Do what I can in the morning and then finish up in the early evening and do that daily during calving season. I have my go bag prepped every night before bed to go out and do it the next morning.

Once you get in a rhythm it's pretty fast and efficient. If you have time to tag them you have time to band. Banding only takes around 30 seconds once you do it enough and it's easy to make sure you got 2 in there
 
Brute Try the XL Tribander before you give up. The bands are about a buck a piece and are much bigger and stronger than the greenies.
My routine is to open a drop down door of the SO4 and lean over behind the calf, , The wife grabs the tail, I shove the tool up against the nut sack in the open position. Reach up through the band and pull the nuts down, release the band in a quick snap down motion, grab the sack and count to two and make sure the band is where I want. Takes less than 30 seconds.

If something is not right, the band can easily be rolled down and off to try again. No knife accidents, no blood, no flys.

I second that recommendation. I have both the regular tri-band Bander as well as the XL. I have no desire to use the Calicrate or Cheerios ever again now that I've gotten used to those.

My observation has been that those flat bands also cause a lot less discomfort. When I would use the Cheerios or any round band it was pretty obvious when they stood up that they were in discomfort. Once I started using the tri-band bander they would immediately stand up and shake It off like nothing happened without so much as a leg kick of discomfort. Really easy to make sure that you've got two in there, and incredibly fast to use once you get used to them.
 
I understand being busy but if you can get into a good routine and system it goes pretty quickly.

I do all of mine by myself and my cows calve out on pasture. Takes me about 3 minutes per calf to tag, shots and band. Do what I can in the morning and then finish up in the early evening and do that daily during calving season. I have my go bag prepped every night before bed to go out and do it the next morning.

Once you get in a rhythm it's pretty fast and efficient. If you have time to tag them you have time to band. Banding only takes around 30 seconds once you do it enough and it's easy to make sure you got 2 in there
Same system I use. Cows and bulls are out on pasture 365 days/year. They never see the inside of a barn unless they are getting loaded. Calves drop like flies out on pasture typically from mid-April through June. I make my rounds during the calving season early morning and at dusk each day to take care of banding and tagging. When you are sometimes doing 5 or 6 per day for 3 months (for 20 years), you get pretty fast at it. Running them in and wrestling with them when they weigh 600-800 lbs is my definition of hassle. I avoid that when I can.
 
I second that recommendation. I have both the regular tri-band Bander as well as the XL. I have no desire to use the Calicrate or Cheerios ever again now that I've gotten used to those.

My observation has been that those flat bands also cause a lot less discomfort. When I would use the Cheerios or any round band it was pretty obvious when they stood up that they were in discomfort. Once I started using the tri-band bander they would immediately stand up and shake It off like nothing happened without so much as a leg kick of discomfort. Really easy to make sure that you've got two in there, and incredibly fast to use once you get used to them.
I agree with you. The ones walking funny were cheerio bands Saturday. Monday morning the ones I did with the tribander moved around like normal right out the squeeze chute. The trick bander seems to fit up in between their legs better. I checked the place with the tri bander calves this morning and all looked good so far. You could see discoloration in the sacks like the blood flow was cut off. They were all up and moving like normal and came to cubes with their mommas.

Hope to make it by the cheerio band place this evening and see how they are looking.
 
I understand being busy but if you can get into a good routine and system it goes pretty quickly.

I do all of mine by myself and my cows calve out on pasture. Takes me about 3 minutes per calf to tag, shots and band. Do what I can in the morning and then finish up in the early evening and do that daily during calving season. I have my go bag prepped every night before bed to go out and do it the next morning.

Once you get in a rhythm it's pretty fast and efficient. If you have time to tag them you have time to band. Banding only takes around 30 seconds once you do it enough and it's easy to make sure you got 2 in there

I understand being busy but if you can get into a good routine and system it goes pretty quickly.

I do all of mine by myself and my cows calve out on pasture. Takes me about 3 minutes per calf to tag, shots and band. Do what I can in the morning and then finish up in the early evening and do that daily during calving season. I have my go bag prepped every night before bed to go out and do it the next morning.

Once you get in a rhythm it's pretty fast and efficient. If you have time to tag them you have time to band. Banding only takes around 30 seconds once you do it enough and it's easy to make sure you got 2 in there
It's not a matter of being too busy. I'm willing to bet you're younger & considerably larger than me;). I'm pretty scrappy but picking my battles.
 

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