banding

[D.R. Cattle]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

 

[jgn]

I usually band my calves in the field, most of the time they are no more than two days old, still young enough to catch lying in hiding and able to walk right up to them.

 

[Larry Sansom]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

Advantage of calicrate bander is you can wait until bull is weaned or yearling - with no problems. Also can band 18 -24 months old on bulls you did not sell - no need giving away blood lines at stock yard. Also no implants are needed - cattle grow and castration is a no stress deal - even older. REMEMBER to give 2 shots though!

 

[Craig-TX]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

If I'm reading your post correctly the calves are probably too small for the EZE. I can understand how it would be difficult to get the EZE to work on 2-3 month old calves.

Craig-TX

 

[Anonymous]

Larry,

Which two shots are you recommending ?

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Guest -- not to butt in, but I think Larry meant two separate shots for tetanus (aka "lockjaw")

 

[D.R. Cattle]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

If I'm reading your post correctly the calves are probably too small for the EZE. I can understand how it would be difficult to get the EZE to work on 2-3 month old calves.

Craig-TX

Calves were too big for the EZE. I tried banding one nut at a time too, but that was a pipe dream. The Old Timer blade pulls through again.

 

[Craig-TX]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

If I'm reading your post correctly the calves are probably too small for the EZE. I can understand how it would be difficult to get the EZE to work on 2-3 month old calves.

Craig-TX

Calves were too big for the EZE. I tried banding one nut at a time too, but that was a pipe dream. The Old Timer blade pulls through again.

The only time we use the EZE is when the calves are too big for a regular bander. We try to get them when they’re small but for various reasons a larger calf must be worked from time to time. I’ve only used our EZE a few times because we haven’t had it that long, but I’ve used it on calves older than that with no problems. Before the EZE it was either the burdizzo or the knife. If you’re having trouble there must be more than one EZE tool.

Craig-TX

 

[D.R. Cattle]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

If I'm reading your post correctly the calves are probably too small for the EZE. I can understand how it would be difficult to get the EZE to work on 2-3 month old calves.

Craig-TX

Calves were too big for the EZE. I tried banding one nut at a time too, but that was a pipe dream. The Old Timer blade pulls through again.

The only time we use the EZE is when the calves are too big for a regular bander. We try to get them when they’re small but for various reasons a larger calf must be worked from time to time. I’ve only used our EZE a few times because we haven’t had it that long, but I’ve used it on calves older than that with no problems. Before the EZE it was either the burdizzo or the knife. If you’re having trouble there must be more than one EZE tool.

Craig-TX

Craig my bad, I stand corrected. The one I bought was called "tri-band", I must have been thinking EZE for some reason. The description claims 3-4 months and up to 400 lbs. The calves were younger and smaller than that. Everyone consider this a warning for "tri bander". Only for SMALL/YOUNG calves.

 

[jcarkie]

i like the small bander and you can do calves up to a couple of months old. i lost two calves last year to the callibrate, my friend swears by it, i wouldn't do it again for any amount of money. they had tetanus, big calves.

 

[Craig-TX]

First experience with banding was not a good one. Ended up knifing all of them. I bought one of those "EZE" banders and my 2-3 month old calves wouldn't fit in those things. Wanted to go for the Calicrate but those things are pricey. You guys banding younger than 2 months?

If I'm reading your post correctly the calves are probably too small for the EZE. I can understand how it would be difficult to get the EZE to work on 2-3 month old calves.

Craig-TX

Calves were too big for the EZE. I tried banding one nut at a time too, but that was a pipe dream. The Old Timer blade pulls through again.

The only time we use the EZE is when the calves are too big for a regular bander. We try to get them when they’re small but for various reasons a larger calf must be worked from time to time. I’ve only used our EZE a few times because we haven’t had it that long, but I’ve used it on calves older than that with no problems. Before the EZE it was either the burdizzo or the knife. If you’re having trouble there must be more than one EZE tool.

Craig-TX

Craig my bad, I stand corrected. The one I bought was called "tri-band", I must have been thinking EZE for some reason. The description claims 3-4 months and up to 400 lbs. The calves were younger and smaller than that. Everyone consider this a warning for "tri bander". Only for SMALL/YOUNG calves.

Well, that’s useful knowledge because I’ve considered the tri-bander before. Thanks for the clarification. Won’t buy one now, based on your experience. As to the EZE, they do strongly recommend tetanus shots.

Craig-TX

 

[dun]

We prefer the small bander also. But today out of 8 calves the oldest 6 weeks, we had to knife 3 of them. Scrotum was so full of fat and testicles so big I couldn't get anymore then the sack in the bander. One drawback to using bulls with large scrotal numbers.

dun

i like the small bander and you can do calves up to a couple of months old. i lost two calves last year to the callibrate, my friend swears by it, i wouldn't do it again for any amount of money. they had tetanus, big calves.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I wouldn't say it's a bad piece of equipment, I would just say use it only for small calves. I guess i'll start catching them as newborns or continue with the knife.

 

[Larry Sansom]

i like the small bander and you can do calves up to a couple of months old. i lost two calves last year to the callibrate, my friend swears by it, i wouldn't do it again for any amount of money. they had tetanus, big calves.

That is EXACTLY why the directions now say 2 shots of Tetanus Toxoid. - Not just 1 at banding. This equipment is good if used right and not on baby calves. Those who band with the smaller banders on these very small calves are not getting all the testicles - many more mistakes at young calves with banders than the Calicrate on older calves - plus the lack of an implant cost.

 

[Craig-TX]

Those who band with the smaller banders on these very small calves are not getting all the testicles - many more mistakes at young calves with banders than the Calicrate on older calves - plus the lack of an implant cost.

I would disagree with that. If you get them both and end up with a healthy seer, which many people have done for many years, you’re batting a thousand. Implants are a moot point because we don't use them.

Craig-TX

 

[jt]

i like the small bander and you can do calves up to a couple of months old. i lost two calves last year to the callibrate, my friend swears by it, i wouldn't do it again for any amount of money. they had tetanus, big calves.

That is EXACTLY why the directions now say 2 shots of Tetanus Toxoid. - Not just 1 at banding. This equipment is good if used right and not on baby calves. Those who band with the smaller banders on these very small calves are not getting all the testicles - many more mistakes at young calves with banders than the Calicrate on older calves - plus the lack of an implant cost.

whether you like implants or not, there is a strong argument that it is actually a cost NOT to use them. why do you think the feedlots use them? if your calf only gained an extra 10 pounds, you would be way ahead, profit wise.

jt

 

[Craig-TX]

The feedlots use them because in their business model time is money. I’m not running a feedlot operation. I’m a rancher. In my business model grass is money.

Craig-TX

 

[jt]

The feedlots use them because in their business model time is money. I’m not running a feedlot operation. I’m a rancher. In my business model grass is money.

Craig-TX

craig,

i am not promoting or knocking them.. i am not crazy about eating implanted beef, but i recently read an artilce about a university study that found that implanting beef calves increased gain and slaughter weight of calves. it was not written just to feedlots, but for the average cow/calf rancher too.

my reference to feedlots may not have been a good one, all i was trying to say is that from what i understand, implants will produce more pounds per calf. and if the study was accurate, for grass fed ones too.

jt

 

[Craig-TX]

You’re correct that implants will increase the rate of gain for calves. And I’m not trying to be dogmatic that only one way is the right way. My point is that in a cow/calf setting grass or grazing capacity is the primary regulating factor (beside the markets) on gross income. One way or another it all boils down to converting grass to beef on the hoof, and you have a finite amount of grass.

You could ask why not get slightly heavier calves out of the same number of mother cows. You could also ask why not get more slightly lighter calves out of more mothers. With implants you have less adult mouths to feed. But with implants you are also distributing your risk across fewer pairs. There are probably a couple dozen other factors to consider in the implant decision.

In my opinion, when you net it all out, they don’t deliver enough to make them worthwhile. But, I’m not saying you’re crazy if you use them.

Craig-TX

 

[dun]

The ability to count to 2 prevents any problems with missing a testicle. We've banded for years and a normal piece of equipment in my pocket is a small cutter to remove the band if one slips when I apply the band.

dun

Those who band with the smaller banders on these very small calves are not getting all the testicles - many more mistakes at young calves with banders than the Calicrate on older calves - plus the lack of an implant cost.