Calf hook?

[uplandnut]

I thought I saw a post on here in the past about a tool to catch a calf by the leg? If I remember right it kind of a looked like a double sheperd"s hook. Anyone have something like that and like it? I'm trying to come up with a different tactic to catching calves as I just had a partial tear of my acl and moving fast to grab calves probably won't work for me this year.

 

[Stocker Steve]

They work well on day old calves. Much beyond that and you have to be sneaky or have a very tame cow.

I have hooked month old calves as the herd streamed through a gate. That is a rodeo, and your aluminum pole can break.

 

[simme]

Calf Catch Koehn Mfg - Cattle OB | OB Equipment | Equipment Supplies | Farm

Fast Shipping. Great Low Price. Calf Catch allows you to catch them on the first try. The calf catcher pole can be used to catch the back leg of calves up to 200 pounds. Use at the five-foot length or push spring-loaded release button to extend to ten feet. This easy calf catcher hook fits...

www.valleyvet.com

For small calves. It says "up to 200 pounds", but catching is easier than holding sometimes.

 

[TCRanch]

I have the Calf Catch and love it. Yes, it does say up to 200 lbs, but the hook is pliable enough I can bend it out a little for larger calves.

@simme is right, catching is the easy part. It's generally a 2-person job unless it's a newborn or very small calf. I'll catch it and have someone else ready with the lasso. Once we get it down, we'll switch to a halter so it doesn't choke.

What you're describing sounds like the Hook Doctor, with a hook on each end. I bought one for a friend of mine and she's only used it once but liked it. You can (theoretically) hook the calf by the leg and secure the other hook in a utility hole on a UTV.

The Hook Doctor Calf Restrainer Ritchey Mfg Co - Medical Surgical | Instruments | Equipment Supplies

Fast Shipping. Great Low Price. The Hook Doctor allows the producer to safely and humanely restrain and control an animal's head in the chute by hooking its cheek. Use the Hook Doctor for routine procedures like tagging, mouthing, administering boluses, etc. Small leg hook at opposite end for...

www.valleyvet.com

 

[Warren Allison]

It's a lot easier to heel them.

 

[cfpinz]

Calf Catch Koehn Mfg - Cattle OB | OB Equipment | Equipment Supplies | Farm

Fast Shipping. Great Low Price. Calf Catch allows you to catch them on the first try. The calf catcher pole can be used to catch the back leg of calves up to 200 pounds. Use at the five-foot length or push spring-loaded release button to extend to ten feet. This easy calf catcher hook fits...

www.valleyvet.com

For small calves. It says "up to 200 pounds", but catching is easier than holding sometimes.

I've got one of these, works great from the side by side.

Just don't get mad and whop anything over the head with it, but we won't go there. For some reason mine doesn't extend as easily as it used to.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Y'all need to work on your agility, just grabem by the back leg and yank.

 

[littletom]

I think its called the hook dr. Made out some kind of plastic composite. Big hook on other end catch them then hook that big end on ranger fence whatever. Can put that big end around your leg. I just hook in on ranger handle with left hand tag right ear. Could be the best 50 bucks i ever spent on cow stuff.

 

[livetoranch]

I have one that I bought at my local co-op. It has an extendable pole and an aluminum hook you can adjust. However….as earlier posts attest…catching a 'sick' calf much over 100lbs becomes a rodeo. Not only does does the calf get a new lease on life but it's bawling brings momma back on the hunt. The best purchase I've ever made is a dart gun. It shoots aluminum darts up to 10cc. With Draxxin or Excede it has saved me a lot of stress. No drama and worth every penny.

 

[uplandnut]

Thanks for the responses, I knew someone on here would be able to help me with this. I have traditionally caught them free hand the day they are born or the next. However as I said in my original post this year might be a little rough to chase and grab a calf with the injured acl.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

not sure using a hook is going to help much over using your own hand in terms of an injured ACL, they can still yank you around at the end of the pole.

 

[Dave]

B has a old beater Jeep Cherokee that is his calving rig. He tags, bands, and vaccinates every calf in the first day or two. The jeep has a luggage rack on the roof. There is a Dr. Hook bungee corded to that luggage rack. He pushes the calf between the open door and the drivers seat. Ear tag, bander, injection of multi min, and Calvary 8 are all placed in easy to reach places. Slam bam the calf is done. He uses the hook on the ones who are too fast for him to catch easy on foot.

 

[GoWyo]

I like the calf hook for the ones that are just a little too quick to grab a leg. The extra couple feet of reach with the Hook Doctor is a big difference. The really fast ones I wait til I find them napping in the sun and sneak up and just pounce on them. Tagging is the spring sport calving in a 60 acre pasture.

 

[Ebenezer]

Works good.

 

[SBMF 2015]

With Draxxin or Excede it has saved me a lot of stress.

Exceede is designed to be injected under the skin on the back of the ear. It's not like Exenel.