Handling cattle: Who taught you ?

[Ruark]

I've learned a lot from an old guy in his 70's who grazes some small brahmans at my place. He's a dusty old West Texas feller, been working cattle all his life. His approach is to do as little as possible in the pens. Sometimes he has a fiberglass stick about 4 feet long and as thick as a pencil. Sometimes not. But he'll have half a dozen grown cows in a pen and he just stands there like he's falling asleep. He'll slowly move one leg a couple inches, maybe an arm, and all the cows swoosh over here. And he'll stand there some more, then maybe move the other arm a little bit, and all the cows swoosh over there, or into the trailer, or whatever he wants them to do. It you don't watch closely, you might think he's not doing anything, like he's moving 'em around telepathically or something. I do know he's big on gentling his livestock as much as possible; almost all of them will eat out of his hand. The last thing in the WORLD he wants around is somebody who thinks he has to go in there whoopin' and hollerin'. In any case, there's a lesson to be learned there, and he has influenced me a great deal.

 

[agmantoo]

If I want them to come to me I call then by voice. I never use a bucket and allow the cattle to eat from the container directly. Doing that can train an animal to try to get into the bucket. I have had a purchased bull try to have access into a bucket that I was carrying tools in and he got very pi$$ed because I would not let him. If I am loading cattle I use a show/sorting stick and a calm voice. Here is a pic of me moving the cattle about a quarter mile recently. The weather was wet and I did not want to walk through the mud so I called them to the new location.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I learn about handing cattle from being a walker for all my life and moving calves or cows or a bull once in a while ever saturday. I learn about medicine from my dad and the all important shuck call to get the cow in the pen. One thing that i'm not to luck to learn about is how easy they can break your rips.

 

[Kingfisher]

I learn about handing cattle from being a walker for all my life and moving calves or cows or a bull once in a while ever saturday. I learn about medicine from my dad and the all important shuck call to get the cow in the pen. One thing that i'm not to luck to learn about is how easy they can break your rips.

Well I think it sounds like your doing a good job and you should be rewarded with a really nice gift for your birthday! :cowboy:

 

[Nesikep]

Well, I got my workout on how to work cattle yesterday, I had to take the 2 bulls out from with the cows, in the field, and bring them up in the yard, and into the bullpen... So with the help of my cow Tizia (the "horse" (I didn't ride her)), I got the bulls out, then led her slowly up to the bullpen, occasionally tying her up to a post and chasing the bulls, they'd walk up to her, and i'd lead her anothe r1 or 200 feet,.. She is used to the routine, I've used her for this many times, so by the time we got within 50 feet of the bullpen, she knew what she had to do, I let go of the rope, and she walked in, the bulls followed, and as I was closing the gate, she came up to me and I let her out, then securely fastened the gate and hotwired it too... THAT is why I like halterbroke cattle!

 

[bigbull338]

i knew a guy that used to have an old cow horse that could an would pen cattle with a saddle an bridle on him without a rider.all you have todo is go get him tacked an ready.then take him to the pasture an tell him to pen the cows an turn him loose.an he would put the cows an calves in the corral.i knew an old man that wouldnt ask if he could get the horse he would just go get him.

 

[Nesikep]

my "Horse cow" is a cow I have who's ridable, she's about 1700 lbs and wider than tall, throws 120-140 lb calves without help and is willing to donate milk for morning coffee... if god made all cows like her, he wouldn't have had to make horses

 

[Victoria]

When we had wilder cows we used horses to get them to the corral. Now I open the gate, call them and get out of their way.

When we had wilder cows we used whips to move them and had a hot shot at the chute if needed. Now we have a bunch of calm cows that I need to AI in the chute. Our chute system leaves a lot to be desired. So, it makes my life a lot easier to have them liking the chute. Every cow that goes in the chute gets grain. Most fight each other to get up the chute now, it's a race to the bucket. I think we have 2 cows that I actually have to walk behind. It's not a method that would work if you had hundreds of cows but for a smaller group of cows it really doesn't take anymore time than chasing them. There's practically no stress to them and and the chance of one of them winging out and going after a person is near 0. It's also great when you are alone. I open the gates grab the bucket, meet them at the front of the chute, climb out, put a post behind them and do what I need to do. I can catch them in the head squeeze if necessary alone too.

To bring in one cow now I either call her (with or without the bucket) or walk behind her depending on the cow. Once they know they are going to the corral they beat me to the gate, they know grain is involved. Amazes me what grain addicts cows are. :nod:

Sorting I usually do alone, just calling them and pointing where they are to go, sometimes a push on the butt.

Someone mentioned them wanting in the bucket - I teach mine early that the bucket is not to be touched until it is on the ground. Respect is key.

I have far more physical contact with my cows than a lot of people on here think is good but I have had it both ways and I far prefer taking care of the herd we have now. Of course zero tolerance becomes far more necessary if you have a herd like we have now. A cow that has no fear of you and is also an aggressive type is the one that kills.

 

[B&M Farms]

A bunch of brahma holstien crosses and my grandpa.

 

[Kingfisher]

A bunch of brahma holstien crosses and my grandpa.

What did grandma have to say about all that?

 

[Lon]

i knew a guy that used to have an old cow horse that could an would pen cattle with a saddle an bridle on him without a rider.all you have todo is go get him tacked an ready.then take him to the pasture an tell him to pen the cows an turn him loose.an he would put the cows an calves in the corral.i knew an old man that wouldnt ask if he could get the horse he would just go get him.

we have 2 horses like this. they can teach a new person alot when comes to cattle. they are also good horses for calving on because they will look for calves as well so if ya see them really looking at some buckbrush you can bet if ya ride of there it will have a calf in it. both are getting up there in age though and one is 21 double doc bar bred top and bottom i believe is what my dad said is on his papers. but even at his age he will light ya up in the saddle once in awhile and boy can he do it too. nice thing is it just doesnt last as long any more. he thinks ya enjoy it as much as he does other than that he is best horse you could have. come in a pasture follow ya where ya want you could saddle him in pasture even. work till you stop him. even the buck wouldnt be so bad if he wasnt as quick and get to kicking his legs to both sides so its hard to get squared up.

 

[Nowland Farms]

Years ago when I wanted to get into Cattle, I talked to a couple of elderly guys that I went to church with. Hoyt & Ben were in their late 60s or early 70s at the time and had cattle all their lives. They took me under their wing and became my cattle mentors. I learned alot from those guys over the years. I learned to handle them quietly and slowly. Most of the time by my self.

Hoyt & Ben taught me that a white 5 gallon bucket with a little sweetfeed will make the cows do what you want better than anything. All I have to do is shake the bucket and call them. They come running. Heck, at one time they even knew the sound and sight of my truck. I have seen them down close to the pasture gate and when they saw my truck, they would take off running toward the corral. This made it easy for me cause they left the area where I need to get in the gate and were in the corral waiting on their snack. This way I could look them over and make sure nothing was wrong.

Hoyt & Ben taught me alot the years they were here. They are gone now. RIP Guys, I miss your help.

 

[norris1990]

I have been continually learning from my Papa (grandpa) since I was just a runt and my choice of tool is approx. 4' X 1" wooden handle like off of a broom or hoe. Don't use it really just have it in case because you never know.

 

[Wewild]

I grew up in it with Granddad as the man and then my Dad. There isn't room for more than one boss at those times. We worked mostly on foot in the early days with commercial English bred cattle. Moved on to me and my cousin riding horses at the pastures at home and the others on foot. We moved to motorcycles at first and then only one motorcycle at home and the pastures a distance away. We used hickory sticks about an inch thick at the thickest in the pens and moved on to black water pipe. We moved them slow and easy.

Since I am not my Dad or Granddad, we are back to using horses and cowboys. For now anyway.

 

[dewey]

how to handle cattle? well you will get more opinions on that then you can shake a stick at. most of it depends on the cattle along with common sense. the best cow dog or horse you can have is a bag of cubes with gentle cattle. if you just move them around easy with a sorting stick i like the rattle paddles best. if you want to get hurt and get the cattle shook up use a hot shot (prod) while sorting them. most of the tools are just like any tool they are good when used properly. a hot shot is all right for loading cattle on a trailer or in a chute when needed with proper use.

 

[3waycross]

I never say my Grandpa hit a cow other than just a little poke with a stick. They always went where they were supposed to.

However I did see him shoot a horse(one of a matched team) after it had broke all the gates for about the tenth time. Funny thing was no one in the family ever brought it up. :nod: He was a very serious man.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Bud Williams and the school of hard knocks.

 

[tsmaxx47]

self-taught - slow and easy with a rope, only time they get a buzz is when loading in the chute or trailer. grandsons (9yrs and 11 yrs) had their first experience the other day with some that got through the fence. they told me walkin em back through was a whole lot easier than chasin em back through....

 

[Hippie Rancher]

"don't you kids chouse them cows" - IMPRINTED from my Grampa

spent a few years doing things the force-em yelling and screaming way, then figured out it took LESS time to go slow and quiet. Yes, good facilities help immensely but cruddy pens will also teach you to work slow and gentle

I'm pretty big so don't REALLY need tools to be "wider" , but will pick up a stick or piece of plastic pipe if I need it. Drag panels around. Used some orange construction fence in the manner of somebody above using electric twine.

Kind of depends on what what is being done - I have a great loading chute now and can run them in a trailer fast from the outside, rarely need to do anything but step in and shut the door. (also have the trailer pretty high off the ground - found that to really stop them from running right back out, although with an old weak animal I have to build a step sometimes) Only time I get out the old hot shot is if something goes down in the chute.

I work mostly on foot by myself in the corrals, but sometimes we have a crew for branding and work horseback. Otherwise I just do a few at a time by myself or with somebody to catch heads at the table/chute.

 

[IL cow man]

The absolute best tool is to use your head. Be patient, be patient , be patient!!!!! Worst tools : Hotshots, yelling and 4 wheelers . I do use yelling and 4 wheelers to get baby calves to cross creeks to get to their mama. I don't blame the poor calves from not wanting to dive into muddy creek but I am trying to create an environment that makes it more desirable to get to the other side.