Bull Ring

[greatgerts]

I've shown a few bulls before, but this year is the first time that I have had to put the ring in their nose (dad or the vet had always done this). Now, it has been over a week and is still pretty sensitive to touch. It will bleed without putting much pressure on it. My question is, did I maybe get this in the wrong spot, or should I just give it some more time?

 

[KNERSIE]

It would be pretty difficult to get it in the wrong spot, there is only a relatively small area between the cartiledge and the muzzle where you can push it through.

It takes about 3 -4 weeks to heal completely, personally I don't touch the nosering untill the bull is broken to lead very well and only after the wound is healed completely. Remember the nosering is just your emergency brake, nothing more.

 

[greatgerts]

That's what I thought about the small area to put it in. The bull has some issues with wanting to headbut, and just a light tug on the ring usually stops most bulls. I just need to give him a little more time before it heals.

 

[Keren]

It takes about 3 -4 weeks to heal completely, personally I don't touch the nosering untill the bull is broken to lead very well and only after the wound is healed completely. Remember the nosering is just your emergency brake, nothing more.

I agree completely with this, though I have known some guys who use it directly after application, and some guys who use it to break them in, and some that do both those thing.

I have actually seen someone put it too far back in the nose, it went through the bone and never did heal up properly, the bull was never able to be lead with something on the nose, it was just too painful for him.

I prefer to use the punch to make the hole, then thread a normal bull ring through; I have seen the local vet put a self piercing one through just with his hands; and I've seen the tools in the local supply store that hold a self piercing ring but look like the punch tool, basically they punch the self piercing ring through the nose and the ring is in there, seems like this would be an ideal way to do it but I've never tried it ...

 

[KNERSIE]

I have seen the local vet put a self piercing one through just with his hands;

That's what I do.

 

[Keren]

Seemed to take a whole lot longer, the bull was moving around for a lot longer ... and it didnt seem the easiest thing to do. I dont think I would be strong enough to do it that way, which is why I punch the hole first then thread the ring through.

Knersie, this vet gave a local to the bulls first (although it seemed like they still felt a LOT of it) ... do you do anything like that?

 

[KNERSIE]

Seemed to take a whole lot longer, the bull was moving around for a lot longer ... and it didnt seem the easiest thing to do. I dont think I would be strong enough to do it that way, which is why I punch the hole first then thread the ring through.

Knersie, this vet gave a local to the bulls first (although it seemed like they still felt a LOT of it) ... do you do anything like that?

No I don't give a local, it takes only seconds to put the nosering in and as soon as its in they go right back to eating. They usually make a noise when I put the noserings in, about the same as with branding.

I use the weaning noserings and that usually make a hole for the permanent nosering anyway, but its not all that hard to push it through.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Hubby punches a hole with scaple. First time, we had a vet put one in. He gave it shots to numb - shots hurt the bull worse than the nosering ever did - without shots.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Seemed to take a whole lot longer, the bull was moving around for a lot longer ... and it didnt seem the easiest thing to do. I dont think I would be strong enough to do it that way, which is why I punch the hole first then thread the ring through.

Knersie, this vet gave a local to the bulls first (although it seemed like they still felt a LOT of it) ... do you do anything like that?

No I don't give a local, it takes only seconds to put the nosering in and as soon as its in they go right back to eating. They usually make a noise when I put the noserings in, about the same as with branding.

I use the weaning noserings and that usually make a hole for the permanent nosering anyway, but its not all that hard to push it through.

How do you find those weaning nose rings? I was looking at them and wondering how much it actually eases weaning.

 

[KNERSIE]

Seemed to take a whole lot longer, the bull was moving around for a lot longer ... and it didnt seem the easiest thing to do. I dont think I would be strong enough to do it that way, which is why I punch the hole first then thread the ring through.

Knersie, this vet gave a local to the bulls first (although it seemed like they still felt a LOT of it) ... do you do anything like that?

No I don't give a local, it takes only seconds to put the nosering in and as soon as its in they go right back to eating. They usually make a noise when I put the noserings in, about the same as with branding.

I use the weaning noserings and that usually make a hole for the permanent nosering anyway, but its not all that hard to push it through.

How do you find those weaning nose rings? I was looking at them and wondering how much it actually eases weaning.

It works very well on 95% + of all calves, no weaning shock and no weight loss if there is pasture available for the calves to graze with the cows. However there are always a few calves that are either to clever or because of long teats or masochistic tendencies of the cows that continue to suckle even with the nosering. For me its more than worth it as I am not set up for corral weaning or fenceline weaning at a large scale. The few calves that don't want to wean with the nosering are few enough that I can wean them in the corral.

 

[FarmGirl10]

Hubby punches a hole with scaple. First time, we had a vet put one in. He gave it shots to numb - shots hurt the bull worse than the nosering ever did - without shots.

I would have to agree with the bulls, the "numbing" shots are worse than the dentist. :frowns:

 

[CKC1586]

I've shown a few bulls before, but this year is the first time that I have had to put the ring in their nose (dad or the vet had always done this). Now, it has been over a week and is still pretty sensitive to touch. It will bleed without putting much pressure on it. My question is, did I maybe get this in the wrong spot, or should I just give it some more time?

What we have found that works the best is to ring the little guys when they are six months old and leave that ring alone for a couple of months (in our show rules you don't have to have them until 12 months old). This gives the nose plenty of time to heal. The best tool I have seen is the one my brother has that he got from my Dad who got it from my Grandpa and who knows where Grandpa got it (may have made it) looks like an awl makes the hole quick and then pop in the ring. Just like piercing your ears!

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Some of the old timers around used hay hooks like you use to handle square bales with.