Calves sticking by water ?

[Stocker Steve]

I have problems with MIG moving 2 to 6 week old calves away from surface water. Waiting to have them paired up helps but some still balk. If it is a pond, I can make a lap around it and usually get them going. If it is a creek through some rough ground, that does not work. Deeper water is worse but but even ankle deep can stop them. Any tips?

 

[Stickney94]

I have the same issues.
This year I did do some sorting to paddocks that are easier to manage with young calves.
My paddocks are long and narrow with a creek running right down the middle I normally move them on one end, but I added some carabiner ends to my insulator on the other end so that I can move from either end. That has probably been the best solution.
I moved from using two wires on my cross fence to one wire fairly high mounted and my calves can just walk under. The 2 month olds are just now starting to get regularly shocked.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have a creek from corner to corner and some ditches draining into it. Deep ditches are the worst. Thinking some culverts would be cheaper than a cutting horse.

 

[Stickney94]

I have a creek from corner to corner and some ditches draining into it. Deep ditches are the worst. Thinking some culverts would be cheaper than a cutting horse.

Long story but we do have one bridge. Half the cattle use it religiously and half won't go near it, haha.

I've also thought about using some old concrete culverts to build some bridges. But the past two years we had gully washers that I suspect would have washed them out.

Good luck, wish I had some better ideas for you.