Chute Problems

[Trixie Club Calves]

Hey everyone
I have 10 head of show cattle and recip cows. I bought a brand new Priefert chute back in June. None of my cows will walk through it. Any tips? If I catch all the halter broke cows and individually walk them through they will go through it, but it ends up being a pain. I have 1 non halterbroke cow that will go through after a minute of naging her, and calves will go through. But the others just flat out refuse.

I've tried teasing them through with cakes, building a ramp up to the chute, a hot shot. A stick, a flag. Not sure what else to try? I have a small alley type thing going up to it. It's not the best but the only thing that I have to work with.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

Have you always led them, or do they know what it is to be driven ? Be patient with them. Leave them in there with the head gate open, so the only way out is through the chute. Maybe they will get used to walking through it.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

Have you always led them, or do they know what it is to be driven ? Be patient with them. Leave them in there with the head gate open, so the only way out is through the chute. Maybe they will get used to walking through it.

Yes I've tried getting them through without leading.
I've used a local ranches chute, and most go through easily.

I'm thinking about putting them all in a small pen connected to the chute. And feeding them in the other side and just leaving them?

 

[M.Magis]

Without a flight zone, you'll probably just have to lead them through. They aren't going to go through just because they want to. They need to be forced in some way.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

I always fed them in the "pen" and had them exit through the chute to get out. They are calm about moving through. Two are halterbroke and almost have to pushed through.
Hot shot never worked.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

No flight zone can be frustrating. But I would prefer that to a quarter mile flight zone

 

[puzzled in oregon]

Maybe throw some corral dirt on the floor of the chute and toss some cow poop on it so it smells used.

 

[M.Magis]

I think once they've been led through a number of times, and maybe lock them up and give them some feed as a reward, it'll get much easier. They'll balk at anything until they get used to it.

 

[wbvs58]

The sun not in their eyes at the end of it when you are trying to put them through?

Ken

 

[TCRanch]

What @wbvs58 said. They need to clearly see the exit. And a hot shot is negative reinforcement; they'll associate the hot shot with going in the chute and won't do it.

 

[OBAX]

Is there a lane going into the chute? Or are you just trying to get them to go in it from an open pen? A pinch point with a lane about 24-30" wide should send them right into the chute, if you can make them walk.

 

[gcreekrch]

What @wbvs58 said. They need to clearly see the exit. And a hot shot is negative reinforcement; they'll associate the hot shot with going in the chute and won't do it.

Hot shot works just fine if not overused. Only use when they are backing up, leave them alone when they are in forward motion.

 

[Lucky_P]

This brings back memories of my practice days. We had one client, a chiropractor, who had 'show' Santa Gertrudis cattle. You could not push them up the alley into the chute. Every dadgum one of them had to be haltered and led (pulled) up the lane and into the chute. Took 4 times as long to work his cows as any other herd of the same size.
IMO, The only time to use a hotshot on a cow is if she's going up the chute onto the truck/trailer and never coming back.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

The sun not in their eyes at the end of it when you are trying to put them through?

Ken

It's not

 

[Dave]

A hot shot is a tool and just like any other tool it can be use correctly to get a job done right or incorrectly by someone who doesn't know how to use it. I always wonder about people who use an electric fence but say they would never use a hot shot.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

What @wbvs58 said. They need to clearly see the exit. And a hot shot is negative reinforcement; they'll associate the hot shot with going in the chute and won't do it.

I used the hot shot once and never again. I leave the head catch wide open when trying to get them in.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

Hot shot works just fine if not overused. Only use when they are backing up, leave them alone when they are in forward motion.

Well usually they just stand there. Won't go forwards, and usually not backwards either

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

Is there a lane going into the chute? Or are you just trying to get them to go in it from an open pen? A pinch point with a lane about 24-30" wide should send them right into the chute, if you can make them walk.

Yes there is. it's a panel length lane, and as wide as the chute.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

A hot shot is a tool and just like any other tool it can be use correctly to get a job done right or incorrectly by someone who doesn't know how to use it. I always wonder about people who use an electric fence but say they would never use a hot shot.

I used it once on one cow, only used it when she started going backwards, but it only made her want to keep going backwards.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

This brings back memories of my practice days. We had one client, a chiropractor, who had 'show' Santa Gertrudis cattle. You could not push them up the alley into the chute. Every dadgum one of them had to be haltered and led (pulled) up the lane and into the chute. Took 4 times as long to work his cows as any other herd of the same size.
IMO, The only time to use a hotshot on a cow is if she's going up the chute onto the truck/trailer and never coming back.

It's incredibly frustrating lol. Even my recips won't go through, and none are even halterbroke, or very friendly.