Equipment to work light calves?

[Stocker Steve]

I have seen two set ups for working light calves:
One auction had a down sized head gate. Not sure who made it.
Another guy used a full sized hyd. squeeze. Seemed a bit spendy for me.

Any tips on a simple lower cost set up for working 30 to 60 calves averaging 200# to 300#?

 

[Isomade]

I use a lariat rope and gloves. It is cheaper.

 

[Aaron]

I use a lariat rope and gloves. It is cheaper.

To much p!ss and vinegar in them at that age to be wrestling with them. I would suggest welding up some simple slider headgate or something out of wood? Don't need much to hold them at bay.

 

[M5farm]

I use a regular head catch with a chain over the head to hold the head low so it won't slip out. And a post behind them.

 

[Chris H]

I just give shots at that age so I don't need a lot. And, I don't have more than about 25-30 at a time, either. I'll use the swing gate in our calving pen, bigger calves can be caught in the headgate, smaller calves I squeeze behind them. I think I need to get some soccer shin guards though.

 

[gcreekrch]

Just line them up in your alley and let the worked ones slip behind you. I do the same thing with weaned calves, it's a lot faster than catching them. When we brand in the spring we use a table. It took the place of 50 people.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

I use a preifert so4 squeeze chute for the peewees all the way up to grown cows. When they get less than 200# it sometimes won't squeeze them quite tight (narrow) enough to keep them from going down on their butt. Other than that it works great. Have considered putting a 2x6 board down 1 side on the inside to make it a little narrower and squeeze them tighter.

After getting the preifert, I gave my calf table to a friend as I never use it.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I use a lariat rope and gloves. It is cheaper.

Got a rope. Not an approach I like with a bigger group.
I now have 2 sheds and 1 barn with corrals. First one has a head gate. Could build a narrow inside ally and perhaps a sick pen in the others.
Anything more than plywood needed for this?

 

[inyati13]

I like this topic. I am only 3 years into a small operation But I have to work calves just like guys who have 100 cows. And I do it alone. I have a full system with the sweep. When they get their first shots or need treatment like a stomach tube, etc., I don't put them in the Squeeze chute. I catch them in the sweep area where I pin them in the "slice of the pie" formed by the closing of the sweep gate. I crowd them head first into the narrow part of the "slice of pie", stand behind them (when I can remember, I do use shin and/ or knee guards), Wait for them to settle, and do anything I need to do. If they push back you can catch the bars of the sweep wall and they usually don't get away. I band them in the first two days after they hit the ground. But I missed doing that on a couple that got up to 200 pounds so I had to tie their legs so I could make sure I got the band where I wanted it. I have also closed off the palpitation cage and done them in the alley to the squeeze chute. When they get to that 300 plus weight, I do them in the squeeze chute. My experience has been that these smaller animals are the ones that complicate using the squeeze chute. But I learned on a thread below to shut the head gate on the chute before letting smaller stuff go in. It works well to prevent hip-locks. Also, my chute is on the small side (one cow will not fit in it and the head gate will not close on the bulls neck, Layne knows, he has the same chute) and I can squeeze up even a 300 lb animal. This don't help you much but I am hoping to hear more techniques here that can help others too. Hope you don't mind me throwing this in.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I just give shots at that age so I don't need a lot. And, I don't have more than about 25-30 at a time, either. I'll use the swing gate in our calving pen, bigger calves can be caught in the head gate, smaller calves I squeeze behind them. I think I need to get some soccer shin guards though.

I looked at some of the wood plans from the 50's and 60's. Folks must have had a lot more time back them.
I have worked calves in an alley w/o catching them. OK for most, but I don't plan to build an alley in each building just yet.
I found a set up with two medina type gates between two pens for working groups.
I think a swing gate in a pen is the simplest inside set up for what I have now. Thanks for the tips.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

A rope is good but not the fastest way for this many. I buy and work alot of these small calves and all i have where they are is a headgate no squeeze, and that is fine, i really would not want to do very many without a alley.

 

[cross_7]

I don't have one yet but I think a calf table would be the best thing

 

[shaz]

I've got a powder river value chute that works great on those size calves all the way up to 1400#

 

[backhoeboogie]

Any tips on a simple lower cost set up for working 30 to 60 calves averaging 200# to 300#?

Medina gates. I am obviously not as good as Isom with a rope. Lowest cost I know of.