Cattle testing and work up today and the way it went

[gulfso]

Today was first time to actually “work” herd of 60 cows from 5 months of age to adult. Bought a used squeeze chute, built new pen with everything built secure (except for the stupid gate)
Started out with the vet and 6 people to help. The plan was to ear notch, ear tag, vaccinate for BVD, IBR etc and second vaccine for blackleg (9 way) and possibly worm. Cows have never been through squeeze chute and we have never used squeeze chute prior to today.
Over all in the first 3 hours we did about 18 cows. Vet had to leave, said that they had only planned 2 hours to do whole herd (65). Is this possible? Some squeeze chute problems most caused by mud and rain and “I “ think inexperience on our part. (The rear gates would hang and not open easy because the mud but maybe some worn out pushrods.)
After vet left we were down to 4 people to do everything. We managed to do 36 more in 4 hours with some minor squeeze problems. We also ran out of blackleg so not all had it first time. One of the major problems was two cows getting legs caught in the drop down gates on the side of the squeeze chute. When they got in the chute they were jumping around and trying to climb out. I kept suggesting that we use the squeeze as well as the head gate and when we did this seemed to stop the problem, or either we got lucky. Do most people use the squeeze in conjunction with the headgate? Is squeeze usually used only when cattle are jumping around a lot? Have others had problems with cattle getting their legs caught in drop down (this one has three drop downs on each side. New models have five?) Any suggestions to stop their legs from getting caught in the drop down or have others had this problem?
Wife thinks problem is all squeeze chutes. I think problem is mostly inexperience on us and the cattle. Any suggestions to make it work easier…. other than raising hamsters’? Doing this much on each animal is more than I would have liked to do and I think the next time it will be much EASIER. Pretty much all that will be done next trip is the second BVD and Blackleg shot. Guarantee that I will buy the best gate I can find but I want them to guarantee it will hold a bull or money back (yea right)., Should we trash the squeeze for a new one or will we still have many of the same problems but just a pretty paint job? Any tips or opinions welcome. How long does it take you to work cattle for instance?
:shock:

 

[rockridgecattle]

it will get easier and faster with time and pratice, practice,
practice.
Advice, higher an experienced cattle guy or twoto help the next time. One to work chute side and the other to work the pushing of animals to the chute. Then they can help with the problems, and keep the flow going. Mud always slows things down.
How fast we are depends on everything going right, good weather, goood quiet gentle cow help, and a prayer before starting.
Speed is not always good, then mistakes get made, a calf in anaphalatic (sp) goes un noticed or problem calves go un noticed.
When we first started it took us all day to do 50 (no squeeze, just head gate broken fence) head of cows. Now we can process the herd of near 100 pairs by in about 4 or 5 hours. (with a squeeze and sort of crowding tub and some pens that work) that is if all the animals are already corraled and nothing goes wrong and no extras and 5 people working.

oh yeah, we use the squeeze. that is what it is there for. we just don't use it hard on preg animals.

 

[larryshoat]

Sounds like you had a few growing pains with the new working facilities.I would just try to work on the bottlenecks to get things moving a little faster.From time to time we get one with a leg outside one of the side gates but,we usually don't squeeze every one.One of the best ways to pick up time is to have syringes and tools were you can quickly get to them.
I would not buy a different chute. You did'nt set any speed records but, you got the job done.

Larry

 

[TheBullLady]

The squeeze is specifically designed to help "hold" the cow from moving around so much, so I would definately use it if you have it. Especially when everyone is inexperienced. When you have more practice and are faster, you can give the shots before the cow realizes she's caught.

Sounds like you got the job done, which is the important part! Getting people to help is the key.. more people will help keep the cattle moving, which speeds up the process.

I can't remember ever having a cow get a leg out of the gates, but I think you'll eliminate that problem if you'll use the squeeze.

 

[gulfso]

We forgot the prayer. As they say when something goes wrong it all goes wrong. I want to try a couple of new push rods on the squeeze chute. I think there is too much play in the mechanism but I think we may have thought that it would do more than they actually would and depended on it maybe a bit too much. I saw today that there should ALWAYS be a person on the handles and watching the cattle.

 

[brenda]

The best money we ever spent was on a sweep (this was after our chute). Last time we worked our cattle, we had 31 head, and he and I and one other person had them worked in about 2 hours. Everything fell into place. Sometimes you'll get one down in the shoot or the leg in the drops. That's going to happen.

The one thing I always do, since I work the chute, is always, always spray all the moving parts with WD-40. This is really a time saver, and I don't have to worry about things hanging up on me.

 

[brenda]

that should be "chute", guess I was typing one thing and thinking of another

 

[Jogeephus]

With two helpers, I normally can work one cow in roughly 2-3 minutes. However, the brangus sometimes drop to their knees this sometimes slows things down cause they jam the gate. I like to give each person one job to do. Once the flow is established you can really make some time.

 

[Victoria]

We do our commercial and our registered separately. For the commercial we have 6 of us. One moves them, vet preg tests them, one for runway posts, one for Ivomec, one for shots and one to catch them. It takes about 3-3 minutes a cow but we don't catch all of them, just the ones that are bouncing around. The purebreds we did last year with two of us this year a couple my husband knows wanted to help so they came out. They are done slower because they all get a bucket when they are in the chute. We don't have a great set up so AIing and shots take place in the same chute so they can't be scared of it. Most will follow a bucket up happily and aren't caught in the head gate. It's easier, less stress but takes about 3-4 minutes a cow. I prefer that day though.
I don't know what your set up is but the worse the set up the better move it is to spend your time gentling your cattle and getting them to move easily through what you've got. Not everyone has the money to have the best pens, chutes etc and that is good, just learn to work with your herd, run them through a few times without giving them needles and remember that with cattle, speed doesn't count half as much as getting it done. You got it done, you and your cows will learn together and get better at it.

 

[kscowboy]

I did my first group last week , 20 head and it took me and my son two hours , have really gentle steers and used no squeeze chute , just a narrow chute and head catch , once my son got on to the catch it went very smooth. i was really kind of surprised it went so well , but id still like to get a squeeze when the budget permits !

 

[grannysoo]

I'm by no means a professional at this, but I have seen some guys do it that were GOOD! 6 people working their system and they could run a cow thru every 2 - 3 minutes if all went well. When it went well, it was amazing to watch.

(But you know that all does not always go according to plan!)

Cows can ruin your best laid plans......

 

[rockridgecattle]

we did not spend alot of money on the working system. We did not go out and buy a whole working system. Just a squeeze chute. It took several years to make the system. Slowly each year we would buy a pannel or two or a good deal at a auction sale.
It took some time and extra work but the cows are now less stressed becasue the handling system is a little better.

When we worked on the system and there were many changes each year till we were happy with it, I told my husband to think like a cow and how she behaves. One thing i got him to do and do not laugh this really works....Put something in front of your face like your fist blocking the center of your vision. That is sort of what the cow sees. Plan the working system around that. It works.

 

[gulfso]

My son always tells his brother "you have to be smarter than the cow" so either that cows are really smart or we are not.The fist thing might be a great idea.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

My son always tells his brother "you have to be smarter than the cow" so either that cows are really smart or we are not.The fist thing might be a great idea.

when working cattle you watch em close and try to antisapate all of the tricks and moves they will make. good cattlemen on the ground can work cattle faster and smoother just with a stick and body language. dont have too hollar beat a bang to get a cow where you want it......well maybe a little every now and then

 

[C HOLLAND]

Me and the wife have worked 23 in about 2 hours and that includes shots on both sides and tags and worming. I sure would like a 3rd person though, I let my wife operate the head gate and I push one at a time down the alley. She catches them and has the shots ready and I go out the palp cage door and give shots on one side as she does the other. We have a sort gate at the exit and we can let them go 1 of three ways. We had a steer jump though one of the drop down panels on the side of the chute, I learned to close it each time and only open it when ready to give shots.

We have improved each time we do this and I hope we keep learning more. My biggest concern is always safety, I really keep an eye out for my wife and we work pretty good together. That may have something to do with being married for 30 years though. :lol:

 

[dun]

We worked the cows Tuesday and it was a real circus. All of them have been through the sweep/alley/chute many times before with no real excitement. I installed a scale in a cage type of deal in the alleyway since they were last through it. Some balked because it was something different, some just couldn;t seem to lift their feet the 6 inches required to get on the scale, they;ve never had a problem doing it with the chute though. Every one had to stop and sniff the indicator that was hanging of the side but just high enough to be visible. The calves have only been through it twice before. Once as babys and 3 weeks ago when they got the first round of shots. All of them went htrough it like they'ld been doing it their entire life. One was a turd, but she's been a turd her whole life.

 

[4Dranch]

I have just taken over a herd and am going to work them for the first time ever next week. There has been no record keeping or working of any kind (with the exception of ill/injured animals) for at least 15 years, so I am excited about getting it done!

What records does everyone keep on their cattle? I am having them age tested, preg tested, and vac'ed. What do you guys use to vac them? Suggestions on what to do and when to do it? I am also going to tag every animal, take digital pics of each one, and record age/preg results. I don't have access to a scale yet, still looking to borrow/rent one for the day but nothing yet. Sorry if these are stupid/basic questions, but Im trying to take this herd a long way in a short time! I've sat back and watch NOTHING being done for a long time, and finally I have the reins in MY hands!

 

[rockridgecattle]

if you are going to have the vet out, he/she would be the best to consult with vaccinations. After all it's what they are there for.
HAving said that, some vaccines are not made to be started on preg animals. Like the first shots of ML IBR/ BVD etc. So you might have to go killed which will not provide Fetal protection. Bre breeding is my first choice.
But inorder to do this you have to have a defined breeding season.
Tags a good thing
OUr records include a little calving book which carries all info as well as a herd health book about the same size. There you can input treatments, injection sites, withdrawl (important), drug used, and whether a needle was broken and left in the animal, etc.
We are looking at a software program where you can input all the data and then upload the age verified into the system (canadian).

Good luck today and be safe

RR

 

[Victoria]

I have just taken over a herd and am going to work them for the first time ever next week. There has been no record keeping or working of any kind (with the exception of ill/injured animals) for at least 15 years, so I am excited about getting it done!

What records does everyone keep on their cattle? I am having them age tested, preg tested, and vac'ed. What do you guys use to vac them? Suggestions on what to do and when to do it? I am also going to tag every animal, take digital pics of each one, and record age/preg results. I don't have access to a scale yet, still looking to borrow/rent one for the day but nothing yet. Sorry if these are stupid/basic questions, but Im trying to take this herd a long way in a short time! I've sat back and watch NOTHING being done for a long time, and finally I have the reins in MY hands!

As for vaccinations we do what our vet tells us to do. He is the expert so we just follow his advice.
Records- Actual DOB if possible, if not then the year of birth. Tags- number and rfid number, colour, breeding, any distinguishing features (brands,etc). Then we have the year written with what happened to the cow that year- calf (sex, date, colour, sire, weights etc), any health problems or medications given, a disposition rating determined by how easy it is to tag, weigh the calf etc. We also put down things like how long they take to calve from start to finish or where their favourite spot is, whatever they do.