Catching calves

[Tomcolvin]

I'm a small 20 -21 head of cows and bull. I have my coral, chute and adjacent catch pens of cattle panels for sorting and feeding. I'm wanting to add a small 10 x 12 calf pen with a smaller chute to catch and control my calves for tagging and banding. What are some ideas that would make life a little easier for a 78 year old. I like to tag and band on day one of birth but that don't happen every time. I have 5 calves right now that need attention and they are about 3-5 months old. I have no problem catching and working the big cows and the bull but if I run calves in their chute they turn around in chute or double up side by side and just not workable as I'd like for it to be. Any suggestion before I add on? Most of the time I cat gou and work by my self. Thanks.
Ps- I know at 78 I don't need to be fooling with cattle. I've been told enough by my wife, children and grand children but I'll tell you the same thing I tell them. "I will quit when I guit" maybe another 10 years or so. I'm just trying to make it a little easier.

 

[Travlr]

I'm a small 20 -21 head of cows and bull. I have my coral, chute and adjacent catch pens of cattle panels for sorting and feeding. I'm wanting to add a small 10 x 12 calf pen with a smaller chute to catch and control my calves for tagging and banding. What are some ideas that would make life a little easier for a 78 year old. I like to tag and band on day one of birth but that don't happen every time. I have 5 calves right now that need attention and they are about 3-5 months old. I have no problem catching and working the big cows and the bull but if I run calves in their chute they turn around in chute or double up side by side and just not workable as I'd like for it to be. Any suggestion before I add on? Most of the time I cat gou and work by my self. Thanks.
Ps- I know at 78 I don't need to be fooling with cattle. I've been told enough by my wife, children and grand children but I'll tell you the same thing I tell them. "I will quit when I guit" maybe another 10 years or so. I'm just trying to make it a little easier.

A couple of wooden pallets wired into the alley will make it more narrow.

 

[M.Magis]

It makes a lot more sense to narrow up what you already have than to add a whole new set up for a handful of calves.

 

[Tomcolvin]

A couple of wooden pallets wired into the alley will make it more narrow.

That's an idea

 

[kenny thomas]

Add a heavy plastic or some type of cover over it to keep them from getting their legs hung in the cracks.

 

[farmerjan]

Agree with both above. We added a pallet inside the chute on one side... can actually put one on each side if the calves are smaller. We have a few that will turn around in the alley going to the chute.. pain in the butt... so they have to turn around again before they get into the actual chute.
Agree, working the cattle keeps you going.... so, just find ways to make it work easier, and safer.... when you give "up" what you enjoy, what is there to live for ???? As long as you can be relatively safe doing it, keep doing it. I hope that they find me dead out in the pasture with my cows, one day. Sure beats sitting in a nursing home just wasting away , unless you have health problems that prevents you from doing the things you love.

 

[Tomcolvin]

Agree with both above. We added a pallet inside the chute on one side... can actually put one on each side if the calves are smaller. We have a few that will turn around in the alley going to the chute.. pain in the butt... so they have to turn around again before they get into the actual chute.
Agree, working the cattle keeps you going.... so, just find ways to make it work easier, and safer.... when you give "up" what you enjoy, what is there to live for ???? As long as you can be relatively safe doing it, keep doing it. I hope that they find me dead out in the pasture with my cows, one day. Sure beats sitting in a nursing home just wasting away , unless you have health problems that prevents you from doing the things you love.

Thanks, my thoughts exactly.

 

[farmerjan]

We have one pallet that is nearly solid... like less than an inch or so between the boards... have no idea where it came from... it's heavier but works good.

 

[kenny thomas]

Thanks, my thoughts exactly.

Im gonna be 68 soon with several health problems. But when i cant do it its going to be a very sad day. I figure i will go down fast.

 

[coachg]

Im gonna be 68 soon with several health problems. But when i cant do it its going to be a very sad day. I figure i will go down fast.

Right there with you Kenny , I'll be 69 in December. When I can't do this any longer I might as well go to the promised land.

 

[kenny thomas]

Right there with you Kenny , I'll be 69 in December. When I can't do this any longer I might as well go to the promised land.

I meet with an orthopedic surgeon in 2 weeks about knee replacement. I have nobody to do the hay or look after the cows. Gonna be a tough decision on what to do.
Plus at the moment i have walking pneumonia.

 

[Travlr]

I hope that they find me dead out in the pasture with my cows, one day. Sure beats sitting in a nursing home just wasting away

Amen to that. Even better... don't find me. I can think of worse ends than decomposing in green grass with cattle munching nearby.

 

[Dave]

I will be 74 in August. I am very lucky in that virtually everyone here in my neighborhood is a full time cattle rancher. When I run into an issue I can make a phone call or two and have plenty of very experienced help. Of course I am always on the lookout for things which I can help them with.

 

[Brute 23]

That's the down side to being a "I can do it all myself person". One day when you can't, you have no one to help.

 

[Travlr]

That's the down side to being a "I can do it all myself person". One day when you can't, you have no one to help.

Hopefully you've trained your kids...

 

[gcreekrch]

I meet with an orthopedic surgeon in 2 weeks about knee replacement. I have nobody to do the hay or look after the cows. Gonna be a tough decision on what to do.
Plus at the moment i have walking pneumonia.

Wish I was closer Kenny. Our crew would have your hay up in a heartbeat.

 

[kenny thomas]

Wish I was closer Kenny. Our crew would have your hay up in a heartbeat.

Thats a half day job for you. Thanks

 

[farmerjan]

I'll be 72 in Sept... so no spring chicken here either... Started some exercises since I have put on more weight than I can stand to look at... got rather sedentary since the knees replaced a couple years ago... past time to get my butt up and out, and get back in a little better shape... doesn't help that family genetics tend to being "heavy" either...

 

[Dave]

I'll be 72 in Sept... so no spring chicken here either... Started some exercises since I have put on more weight than I can stand to look at... got rather sedentary since the knees replaced a couple years ago... past time to get my butt up and out, and get back in a little better shape... doesn't help that family genetics tend to being "heavy" either...

It is amazing how much weight I have been loosing just by elimination sugar from my diet.

 

[Travlr]

It is amazing how much weight I have been loosing just by elimination sugar from my diet.

We've been avoiding bread too. Both of us have lost weight pretty quickly.