Cattle handling

[Anonymous]

Well,

I am a woman, so many old fart cowboys, think I don't know much. But recently my neighbor who has a few hundred truely goofy cattle needed to sort off and cull some old bulls, my neighbor is older and partly crippled, so I put in a gate that would facilitate getting his cattle in (mine too, if they happen to get out, after two days of allowing ding bats on horse back and with dogs ticking his cattle off to the point that they went after the riders on their horses. My husband and I chose to ask them not to come back and used our method to bring in a fraction of his herd, using large feed pots several yards out into the pasture I put pelleted feet out to bait the wild cattle, after a few days the cattle associated the sound of an aguar with food, so within a week his herd came up daily, then I pulled the pots, drew them allong the catch lane, let the cows see me fill the pots and opened the gate. A herd of goofy cows trained through positive reinforcement, and very little cost in terms of feed, and we didn't run pounds off them. Positive reinforcement works.

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[Anonymous]

Way to go Michelle. I use that method with wild cattle. For the calmer cattle, I still use my horses.

> Well,

> I am a woman, so many old fart
> cowboys, think I don't know much.
> But recently my neighbor who has a
> few hundred truely goofy cattle
> needed to sort off and cull some
> old bulls, my neighbor is older
> and partly crippled, so I put in a
> gate that would facilitate getting
> his cattle in (mine too, if they
> happen to get out, after two days
> of allowing ding bats on horse
> back and with dogs ticking his
> cattle off to the point that they
> went after the riders on their
> horses. My husband and I chose to
> ask them not to come back and used
> our method to bring in a fraction
> of his herd, using large feed pots
> several yards out into the pasture
> I put pelleted feet out to bait
> the wild cattle, after a few days
> the cattle associated the sound of
> an aguar with food, so within a
> week his herd came up daily, then
> I pulled the pots, drew them
> allong the catch lane, let the
> cows see me fill the pots and
> opened the gate. A herd of goofy
> cows trained through positive
> reinforcement, and very little
> cost in terms of feed, and we
> didn't run pounds off them.
> Positive reinforcement works.

 

[Anonymous]

There is definitely a time and place for a good horse. But in general, the best horse comes in a 50# sack.

Craig-TX

 

[Anonymous]

The best horse comes with a gas tank.

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[Anonymous]

We have had very limited luck with ATV's. We use them to observe, move feeders, and other chores but have great dificulties when we gather. The terrain in some parts of our Florida pastures is just too much. I can't get comfortable on an ATV when 1300# cows and 2000# bulls are the objective. It's right back to a couple sacks of feed or horses.

> The best horse comes with a gas
> tank.

 

[Anonymous]

you don't have to shovel up behind a vehicle and they only eat when they're working. But I prefer to have them come to me, getting old(er) and lazier. We use a white stick. The cows are so used to being moved from pasture to pasture that when they see the stick they figure I've set up a new pasture. I feel like a drum major walking along with them following.

dun

> We have had very limited luck with
> ATV's. We use them to observe,
> move feeders, and other chores but
> have great dificulties when we
> gather. The terrain in some parts
> of our Florida pastures is just
> too much. I can't get comfortable
> on an ATV when 1300# cows and
> 2000# bulls are the objective.
> It's right back to a couple sacks
> of feed or horses.



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[Anonymous]

Dun that sounds like a sight to see!

> you don't have to shovel up behind
> a vehicle and they only eat when
> they're working. But I prefer to
> have them come to me, getting
> old(er) and lazier. We use a white
> stick. The cows are so used to
> being moved from pasture to
> pasture that when they see the
> stick they figure I've set up a
> new pasture. I feel like a drum
> major walking along with them
> following.

> dun

 

[Anonymous]

Very true! Thanks for your "reinforcement" of the "Positive Reinforcement" concept. We use it regularly with excellent results. And, it is seriously discussed in my pamphlet which I have available. Email me for more information, anyone.

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[Anonymous]

When I go out to the pasture or corral my cows and bulls look to see if I have a sorting stick in my hand. If I do, they start looking around for an open fence gate or stock trailer gate, as they expect to be moved. If I don't have a sorting stick in my hand, they put their heads back down and go back to eating.

> you don't have to shovel up behind
> a vehicle and they only eat when
> they're working. But I prefer to
> have them come to me, getting
> old(er) and lazier. We use a white
> stick. The cows are so used to
> being moved from pasture to
> pasture that when they see the
> stick they figure I've set up a
> new pasture. I feel like a drum
> major walking along with them
> following.

> dun