Calf Puller

[KenB]

After reading the thread "When do you pull a calf" I am of the opinion that I might need a better calf puller.

Any suggestions on which one is best, and where to get it?

 

[jkwilson]

Valley Vet has about the best prices. They have the Dr. Franks for about $140 with no shipping until mid-March. They are pretty good pullers, but I'd guess not as strong as the cable pullers.

I broke down and bought one last year after getting a $150 vet bill for pulling one and figured that after the next one I'd be even. My thinking is when the calf is backwards, you'd better be ready to get that calf out when you start, so I didn't like the idea of starting to hand pull a backwards calf when I didn't have a puller on hand.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Think I would change bulls.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Think I would change bulls.

So the bull is always the culprit. Never to rich of a diet, never a calf past term, never a mineral deficiency, never problems from past genetics be it the dam or the bulls side. My suggestion would be always be prepared.

that means you would have to meddle. your right the bull does take alot of the blame

 

[randiliana]

Valley Vet has about the best prices. They have the Dr. Franks for about $140 with no shipping until mid-March. They are pretty good pullers, but I'd guess not as strong as the cable pullers.

I broke down and bought one last year after getting a $150 vet bill for pulling one and figured that after the next one I'd be even. My thinking is when the calf is backwards, you'd better be ready to get that calf out when you start, so I didn't like the idea of starting to hand pull a backwards calf when I didn't have a puller on hand.

We have a Dr Franks, and we like it. The only problem is that sometimes it will slip. The pole can't be too clean or the mechanism will slip. If you have to pull harder than a Dr Franks will pull then you made an error in judgement and the calf should have come out the side.

 

[KenB]

Think I would change bulls.

:roll: OK what would you do with the bred cows when you change bulls?

 

[Susie David]

Blame the cows....

 

[IL Rancher]

I prefer this one of Franks... http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... b0d0204ae5

It is a double ratchet one... Two pulling points so one leg gets pulled, than the other.. Or you can pull both at the same time.. I would say it worked pretty good for me last year and as the one person said, one pull pays for it basically with what a vet will charge you for a 3am visit..

 

[jkwilson]

Think I would change bulls.

Not sure how the bull can control reverse presentations or breeches. I can't imagine there is a genetic link other than possibly through the cow. Even if there was a genetic link and he passed the genes on to the calf, it wouldn't show up until it had a calf of its own.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I've pulled two calves in my lifetime. Like I said, I would change bulls.