Haltering Head In Chute

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inyati13

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What is the recommended method of controlling a cows head when in a squeeze chute? The youtube clips on the Preifert chutes have a chain to secure the cows head in a down position. Putting a halter on keeps them from swinging their head. I tie it off up high. If you are drenching that also has the advantage of getting the drench down their throat. But in giving shots, is it better to tie it off down low like the Preifert chute does or up high? dun's response on securing a cow which is calving by putting her in the chute, putting on a halter, and walking her out is what generated this question.
 
The only time we restrain the head is when dehorning, then we use a chain across the nose.
 
inyati13":dxfqplm7 said:
What is the recommended method of controlling a cows head when in a squeeze chute? The youtube clips on the Preifert chutes have a chain to secure the cows head in a down position. Putting a halter on keeps them from swinging their head. I tie it off up high. If you are drenching that also has the advantage of getting the drench down their throat. But in giving shots, is it better to tie it off down low like the Preifert chute does or up high? dun's response on securing a cow which is calving by putting her in the chute, putting on a halter, and walking her out is what generated this question.

If you need to restrain the head while vaccinating (giving shots) you are doing something wrong - not required.

One good man can lift the cows head for a drench while the other pours.

Why a drench - have not done one in more than 12 years here.

Bez
 
Thanks, Bez. I seem to have regressed on vaccinating. Lately, when I insert the needle they recoil and I cannot retain my grip on the syringe or the needle gets withdrawn. Frustrating. I have less problem with the IM than the SQ. I think the insertion of the IM is faster and they don't seem to feel it as much. I am guessing on that.

I am using a dewormer on calves three months and older that was recommended in a thread about a month ago by dun. It is synanthis dewormer. I use a drenching/feeding syringe. I work alone so don't have anyone to hold the head for two reasons; personal preference (I like to be independant) and cows don't get as excited because they are use to me.

NOTE: I am sorry, synanthis was not recommended by dun. I went back into my previous posts and found that dun contributed to a thread on the drenching guns/syringes used to administer oral wormers. In that thread, he did name the medication they use but it was not synanthis.
 
is your chute a squeeze chute? Our vet has a squeeze chute and he squeezes the cattle when he vaccinates.
We have a trim chute and tie the head up. If the cow moves too much, someone raises her tail over her back to help immobilize her.
 
chippie":2xwl27m6 said:
is your chute a squeeze chute? Our vet has a squeeze chute and he squeezes the cattle when he vaccinates.
We have a trim chute and tie the head up. If the cow moves too much, someone raises her tail over her back to help immobilize her.
Thanks, chippie. It is a squeeze chute. I do not squeeze them up when doing vaccinations. Sounds like maybe that would help. I am having trouble with them moving just prior to injection and either preventing injection or making me wonder if I got it done like I like it. Everyone knows, I can be anal about these kinda things. :D
 
inyati13":1w309zbq said:
chippie":1w309zbq said:
is your chute a squeeze chute? Our vet has a squeeze chute and he squeezes the cattle when he vaccinates.
We have a trim chute and tie the head up. If the cow moves too much, someone raises her tail over her back to help immobilize her.
Thanks, chippie. It is a squeeze chute. I do not squeeze them up when doing vaccinations. Sounds like maybe that would help. I am having trouble with them moving just prior to injection and either preventing injection or making me wonder if I got it done like I like it. Everyone knows, I can be anal about these kinda things. :D
Since you're working behind the headgate unless they rear up or lay down there isn;t all that much possible movement. The closer to the head the more movement they can have.
 
dun":yrrr8c9w said:
inyati13":yrrr8c9w said:
chippie":yrrr8c9w said:
is your chute a squeeze chute? Our vet has a squeeze chute and he squeezes the cattle when he vaccinates.
We have a trim chute and tie the head up. If the cow moves too much, someone raises her tail over her back to help immobilize her.
Thanks, chippie. It is a squeeze chute. I do not squeeze them up when doing vaccinations. Sounds like maybe that would help. I am having trouble with them moving just prior to injection and either preventing injection or making me wonder if I got it done like I like it. Everyone knows, I can be anal about these kinda things. :D
Since you're working behind the headgate unless they rear up or lay down there isn;t all that much possible movement. The closer to the head the more movement they can have.

dun, let me tell you what happened last week. I got a cow in the chute due to calf on 3/25/13 with her second calf. She is a short simangus girl that goes about 1450. Very, very gentle. I lead her into the chute with a pan of feed. I set the chute for automatic catch and everything goes perfect. I am giving the second Calf Guard shot which is called for within 30 days of calving. In goes the needle. She jerks her head up. Out comes the needle. She does not rear up but she raises her neck high enough and fast enough that I cannot get the job done on the first attempt. I hate having to do it again. I do and all is well but I would like to know if there are tricks to improve my performance. I go into the neck behind the headgate to avoid her hitting me with her head. I let one of the bars down to obtain access. Question: should I be doing this in front of the headgate? I use the BQA approach of forming the tent with the skin but I find my cows are well muscled and fat; the skin does not want to pull out very far. Thanks, I know you have done this a long time, I figure you can offer me something that will help.
 
Squeeze her up real tight, target the triangle close to the shoulder back as far as possible from the neck, slap her hard two or three times in the same spot and hit her fast with the needle - she will likely not even feel it.

Work BEHIND the head gate and in front of the shoulder.

Sub q - hold the needle like you are holding a knife for a downward stab - point the syringe and needle down - slide the needle in parallel to the neck between the skin and the meat - and push the plunger with your thumb - takes about three seconds total. Tenting is a time waster and increases the difficulty.

IM - put the needle between your forefinger and your middle finger with the plunger in your palm.

IM - small dose - use a 3/4 inch needle - go straight in and push the plunger with the palm of your hand - takes about two seconds

IM - big dose - no more than ten cc to a dose - - use a one and a half inch needle - same thing - a couple of additional seconds and you are done - if it is a thick liquid I will change to a stab and stab straight in and then push with my thumb.

Some folks use a longer needle but I do not - choice is yours - movement on a longer needle can cause it to bend.

I tend to use 20 guage for sub q and 18 - 20 for IM

Works for me and I have done as many as a couple hundred a day.

Stay away from the head and work just in front of the shoulder

The trick is the tight squeeze and work back towards the shoulder- she does not like you and does not have any feelings for you - so do it fast - get the job done and kick her out - on to the next one

Bez
 
We added Synanthic to our worming routine last year. We use a drenching gun like this one, http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=34a8b1a1-b519-4de0-a338-607cce3d8723. I found you don't need to hold the cows head up to administer the wormer. Hook into the side of her mouth and pull up as far as you easily can. Squirt it in, unless she has a cud in her mouth you'll get it squirted on the back of her tongue where she can't easily spit it out.
I use gun type syringes for administering IM & SQ injections. I've gone to using 3/4 inch for SQ & 1 to 1.5 for IM, depending on the size of the animal. I can push the 3/4 inch straight in and then back out a fraction to get it SQ. This allows me to use one hand, so when the little buggers reach their back leg forward enough to whack my hand good, I've got a second hand to keep going. :hide:
I like to get the IM deep on the larger animals, proportionately less deep on smaller animals.

Dehorning is the only time we confine the head. We don't have a good chute for that so we pay the vet to bring his. A good table & chain to restrain the head speeds up things so much that we save money by paying him to bring his chute.
 
Chris H":2tqszdy8 said:
We added Synanthic to our worming routine last year. We use a drenching gun like this one, http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=34a8b1a1-b519-4de0-a338-607cce3d8723. I found you don't need to hold the cows head up to administer the wormer. Hook into the side of her mouth and pull up as far as you easily can. Squirt it in, unless she has a cud in her mouth you'll get it squirted on the back of her tongue where she can't easily spit it out.
I use gun type syringes for administering IM & SQ injections. I've gone to using 3/4 inch for SQ & 1 to 1.5 for IM, depending on the size of the animal. I can push the 3/4 inch straight in and then back out a fraction to get it SQ. This allows me to use one hand, so when the little buggers reach their back leg forward enough to whack my hand good, I've got a second hand to keep going. :hide:
I like to get the IM deep on the larger animals, proportionately less deep on smaller animals.

Dehorning is the only time we confine the head. We don't have a good chute for that so we pay the vet to bring his. A good table & chain to restrain the head speeds up things so much that we save money by paying him to bring his chute.
That gun is much like the one dun suggested. Thanks.
 
I always bump em with my hand a couple times before I stick the needle in. They're not moving because it hurts, they move because something is touching them.
 
you can also pinch the spot where you are going to put the injection. not really hard, just enough to desensitize the spot.
Don't hesitate or pause before giving the injection. If you hesitate a little bit the cow will sense it and expect something to happen.
 
chippie":3ekstbvc said:
you can also pinch the spot where you are going to put the injection. not really hard, just enough to desensitize the spot.
Don't hesitate or pause before giving the injection. If you hesitate a little bit the cow will sense it and expect something to happen.

Hey I just gave the 4 open heifers their V5L and it went well. Bez made it so much easier by telling me to go for the triangle just infront of the shoulder at the junction of the neck. It is so much better to access. I was injecting more in the middle of the neck because that was in my head from the BQA. The problem is you are fighting with the headgate. It was causing me to delay and hesitate. That just primes the cow for a reaction. Thanks, chippie and I give credit on this to Bez, his instructions are excellent!!!
 
Interesting point; our vet showed us how to give a sub q shot in the fore flank. There is more skin there and ir seems easier for some reason. They do not seem to respond as much.
 
I give mine a bucket of oats when they get vaccinated. It keeps them still and I can choose head position. I don't have a huge herd anymore and have to run them through for all AI type shots alone so the main goal is having it easy to get them in a chute. Most don't even notice a shot when their head is in a bucket - no recoil.
 

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