Handling cattle: Who taught you ?

[Kingfisher]

The second part of my question would be " What tools do you use to handle your cattle?" By this I mean I have heard over and over hear about folks that use a 2 by 4 ...........maybe that is the tool of choice but I allways seen men using whips. I know they make prods and i suppose some sort of sticks or paddles I see the fellows at the barn with. What is your " pursueder of choice" I know we all do it differently I suppose. I have a hard time keeping my " puppy" from jumping on customers " be nice" xmas clothes so I suppose I could use some training with some cattle...............thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[3waycross]

Fiberglass sorting stick, and as gently as possible.

 

[jkwilson]

I wave my hand mostly or swat them on the rump if they won't go. I'll use a stick if they don't want to go and I can't get up to them. I have a prod, but I haven't used it in 4 or 5 years.

Make where you want them to go look like the way out and you don't have to push them.

 

[Train]

We had a guy come to a 4h meeting to talk to the kids about handling cattle. This guys methods have worked really well for me. Sure there's always one that tries to be difficult but overall things work okay.

My favorite is one of those long buggy whip type of things with a plastic bag tied on the end. It's long, very light, and the bag gets their attention. That in my right hand something as long and light as possible in my left, just to make me look wider usually works pretty good. I've even used one of those aluminum calf calf snares. It extends to about 12 feet and is light enough to wield with one hand.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I use a hot shot too. Most of the time I don't energize it. Just touch them on the rump like you would with a paddle. If you gotta push the button, its there to use.

 

[dun]

I use a fiberglass eletric fence post. 3/8 inch by about 4 foot. As to who taught me. it was a Gert bulls calves that gave me the education.

 

[novatech]

I use a fiberglass eletric fence post. 3/8 inch by about 4 foot. As to who taught me. it was a Gert bulls calves that gave me the education.

I used the same thing. More as a prod or show stick than a whip. Brahman cattle are more likely to turn on you if you hurt them. I do the best I can at making working the catle a pleasurable experiance, for them and me.
As a young man I traveled throughout Texas with my uncle at auction barns. I watched more cattle fight the electric prods than one could imagine. When we got the cattle back to the ranch they were treated about the same way. I grew up across the fence from the J D Hudgins Brahman family and was able to observe the gentle Brahmans they had. I watched and learned how there was a better way. With over 50 years dealing with Brahman I am still learning.

 

[dun]

I use a fiberglass eletric fence post. 3/8 inch by about 4 foot. As to who taught me. it was a Gert bulls calves that gave me the education.

I used the same thing. More as a prod or show stick than a whip. Brahman cattle are more likely to turn on you if you hurt them. I do the best I can at making working the catle a pleasurable experiance, for them and me.
As a young man I traveled throughout Texas with my uncle at auction barns. I watched more cattle fight the electric prods than one could imagine. When we got the cattle back to the ranch they were treated about the same way. I grew up across the fence from the J D Hudgins Brahman family and was able to observe the gentle Brahmans they had. I watched and learned how there was a better way. With over 50 years dealing with Brahman I am still learning.

I usually just wave it in the air next to me to make me look wider.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Self taught - & hubby & I were born & raised in the city.
Learned long time ago not to get them riled. I rarely ever carry anything. If they see me with a cane/stick, they KNOW I'm trying to make them do something. I catch/sort cattle mostly by myself, and I use an unheated real of polywire. Just tie it off to a post & walk around the cattle sorting ones out I don't want. I know Dun does the same. Heck, I've used baling twine a time or two.

When moving from pasture to pasture - that's easy - just call them. We own a hot-shot. One of those maybe 6" ones - strickly for emergency use - like a down cow that we or dog can't get up.

 

[ROCKSPRINGS]

A lot of COMMON SENCE and my little black dog.

 

[TexasBred]

An old man that's now aabout 90 years old and still working cattle taught me all he could. All he ever used and all I ever use is about a 6-7 foot hickory sapling that's about an inch in diameter on the big end and tapers to a point on the small end....just tap tap tap here there and yonder...never hit and never holler..he could put 40 cows n a corral and put the 10 he wanted in each corner with that little stick and never get anybody upset doing it. Never saw a cow kick, hook or so anything to that old man.

 

[ga.prime]

I use a fiberglass eletric fence post. I usually just wave it in the air next to me to make me look wider.

Works like a charm.

 

[kenny thomas]

I learned from a lot of people some good things, some the wrong things. I now work all of them by myself using what I call a pig paddle. It is like a sorting stick with a hollow paddle on it filled with BB's that make a noise when you shake it or touck them with it. Pretty effective.

 

[SRBeef]

I read a couple books and articles for the basics just as I was getting started. Then watched my experienced neighbor (he's been called the "Bull Whisperer"!) and learned from my vet when he comes to work the herd with me twice a year. Also just tried things out on my own.

One of the first books I read on the subject however was very helpful in making the point it is a lot easier to get cattle to come to you than it is to get cattle to go someplace they do not want to go.

When they associate you carrying a bucket with a sweet treat and come barreling out of the woods a 1/4 mile away when called and down the hill to the corral with even the stragglers and calves following to see what the others are excited about it makes life a LOT easier and more fun.

As far as tools, when in the corral I use a thing I bought at a farm show - a fiberglass stick with a plastic paddle on the end of it with something inside that sounds like a baby rattle. Works for looking wide and a gentle nudging slap on the rump.

Usually just grab a white topped Gallagher pigtail step-in post from the back of the ranger. As Dun mentions above and several of the books/articles on handling point out, you want to make yourself look "wide" to them with something visible. With one in each hand they do not try to turn and get past me when I am urging them down a lane etc. fwiw.

Jim

 

[tytower]

Self taught except for castrating and dehorning .
Cattle work on straight lines ,they see something and they go straight there so try to make it a clear straight line to where you want them to be . From behind there are pressure zones to walk cattle to a gate. If you get on the right side and come out to where they can see you they will go left away from you . Same on the left side they will go right if they see you out their left eye. If you wnt them to go straight stay right behind them ,not too close -give them time.

Best to feed molases or something in a bucket and call them . Makes it a darn site easier. I use a 4 foot piece of black 1" irrigation tube if I must in the yards but it is better to set the yards up right and not stir them up . Had a timber floor ramp and had to use a prodder to get them up to the truck at times . Concreted the ramp floor and now they go straight up. They dont trust any hollow sound underfoot.

Agree with most of whats in these posts except the Brahmans , worst cattle I have ever had for temperament , and bloody tough to eat , thats why the Indians treat them as sacred ,they'r too stringy.

 

[msscamp]

The second part of my question would be " What tools do you use to handle your cattle?" By this I mean I have heard over and over hear about folks that use a 2 by 4 ...........maybe that is the tool of choice but I allways seen men using whips. I know they make prods and i suppose some sort of sticks or paddles I see the fellows at the barn with. What is your " pursueder of choice" I know we all do it differently I suppose. I have a hard time keeping my " puppy" from jumping on customers " be nice" xmas clothes so I suppose I could use some training with some cattle...............thanks in advance for your reply.

The vast majority of the time we used no tools except a mooching noise to move them. We just kind of hazed them up and gave them a little time to see where they were supposed to go, and the lead cow took them there. You cannot move cows that are not allowed the time to see the open gate - it just doesn't work. If you pressure them without giving them the opportunity to see where you want them to go, they flip out and make a break for open ground. If we were working them through the chute, we had a sweep tub and they were still given the time to see the way out through the chute. Once the first cow started that way, a sorting stick and the sweep tub gate came into play the instant the first cow saw the way out. I'm sure you already know this, but I'm going to say it again - in front of her shoulder you are putting pressure on her to back up, behind her shoulder you are putting pressure on her to go forward. The closer to her you are, the more pressure you are putting on her. How she handles that pressure depends on how much she trusts you, and how much she has been worked. My Dad taught me how to handle cattle, and I'm nowhere near as good as he is at it.

 

[bigbull338]

i learned how to work cattle from my dad.he would use whatever it took to get them wherever he wanted them no matter what.but ive refined my ways.now i walk the cattle to the pens.i dont yell unless need be.an i use a sorting paddle to move them.an i dont handle the beefmasters roughly because they remember that.so im quiet an easy with them.but i do need to get a hotshot to move them up the chute.

 

[dun]

A frind of ours helps us at spring and fall workup. We used to try to help him do the sorting but it never went as smooth as when he did it by himself. Apparantly the maigc word spoken very softly is "cush". Now I just tell him what order I want them in then go work the squeeze/paperwork/scale. The guy is amazing!

 

[MosesR]

My Dad. A long switch works very well. As gentle as possible. :tiphat:

 

[Kingfisher]

The second part of my question would be " What tools do you use to handle your cattle?" By this I mean I have heard over and over hear about folks that use a 2 by 4 ...........maybe that is the tool of choice but I allways seen men using whips. I know they make prods and i suppose some sort of sticks or paddles I see the fellows at the barn with. What is your " pursueder of choice" I know we all do it differently I suppose. I have a hard time keeping my " puppy" from jumping on customers " be nice" xmas clothes so I suppose I could use some training with some cattle...............thanks in advance for your reply.

The vast majority of the time we used no tools except a mooching noise to move them. We just kind of hazed them up and gave them a little time to see where they were supposed to go, and the lead cow took them there. You cannot move cows that are not allowed the time to see the open gate - it just doesn't work. If you pressure them without giving them the opportunity to see where you want them to go, they flip out and make a break for open ground. If we were working them through the chute, we had a sweep tub and they were still given the time to see the way out through the chute. Once the first cow started that way, a sorting stick and the sweep tub gate came into play the instant the first cow saw the way out. I'm sure you already know this, but I'm going to say it again - in front of her shoulder you are putting pressure on her to back up, behind her shoulder you are putting pressure on her to go forward. The closer to her you are, the more pressure you are putting on her. How she handles that pressure depends on how much she trusts you, and how much she has been worked. My Dad taught me how to handle cattle, and I'm nowhere near as good as he is at it.

Thank you for your response. He just has more practice than you I suppose........ How are your cows doing?