Banding Tips

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EasTex

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I need to band a 4 month old in a couple of weeks. I don't have a squeeze chute, but have a chute with head gate. My concerns are, going in from the side, he could still get that back leg up and karate chop my arms. Any tips and words of wisdom? I'm using a Tri-bander.
 
I just banded a 6 month old with a zip bandit using just a head chute.
I was able to put 4x4's behind his legs to keep from getting kicked. Also had someone bend his tail forward while I was doing it.
 
Did you go at him from behind in the chute or from the outside?
I always banded... but I attended a cutting festivity at a place that only cut their calves late and sometimes even had yearlings they'd missed the prior year. These bulls were anything from three months to over a year old, and the guy did it all from the back. Caught them in a headgate and reached in between the legs with a razor sharp knife. He explained that cattle can't kick directly back and their sidekick will miss someone directly behind them. I never saw him get kicked... but there was plenty of gyrating and bucking around. Once he had hold of the nuts they seemed to go rigid, and he got the job done fast.

Good luck.
 
Biggest thing I've found to help is don't surprise them. Once they're head is locked, if the first thing the feel is someone grabbing their nuts, they start kicking. If you rub your hand along his rump so he knows you're there, then reach in and put the band on, it goes much smoother. I also try to go in behind the leg. I tried in front once and damn near got my arm broke because of it.
 
Have someone grasp the tail just far enough from the body that they can bend it forward and press down. Straight forward and down slightly with one hand. The calf cannot move.
This is the correct answer!
Once someone has pressure on the tail (Lifting the tail straight up and forward without twisting or bending it), you can work from the direct back. As Travlr said cattle kick back at an angle.
Another option is to use an electric cattle immobilizer. I think Kenny can verify that these work.
 
I always banded... but I attended a cutting festivity at a place that only cut their calves late and sometimes even had yearlings they'd missed the prior year. These bulls were anything from three months to over a year old, and the guy did it all from the back. Caught them in a headgate and reached in between the legs with a razor sharp knife. He explained that cattle can't kick directly back and their sidekick will miss someone directly behind them. I never saw him get kicked... but there was plenty of gyrating and bucking around. Once he had hold of the nuts they seemed to go rigid, and he got the job done fast.

Good luck.
I know two vets that have had fairly major plastic surgery on their face from getting kicked while castrating. One fractured his cheek and orbital socket. The other got a new nose.
Get someone to tail them up. I learned how to cut on 1,100lb bulls. Two guys on the tail. They never raised a foot.
 
I like to go in from the back rather than the side. I also like to make a slit in the sack for drainage with a sterile scalpel. Don't forget the Tetanus antitoxin! I second Rancher, California bander is the only way to go.
 
This is the correct answer!
Once someone has pressure on the tail (Lifting the tail straight up and forward without twisting or bending it), you can work from the direct back. As Travlr said cattle kick back at an angle.
Another option is to use an electric cattle immobilizer. I think Kenny can verify that these work.
An immobilizer takes all the stress away from the person and almost all the stress away from the calf. I knife cut them without any help except for the little immobilizer.
 
I'll work about 25 3-4 month old bulls at a time. Get someone to tail them and go in from the back with a California Bander. Sometimes I'll cut if I don't believe I have both nuts below the band but prefer the bander.
 
From the back, always from the back. If nothing else is available........ one person on the tail, a rope from one backleg to the headgate and another rope from the other backleg to the headgate or post or whatever you have in front.
 

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