Head Catch

[Brookman]

Good morning from the crisp MO Ozarks! Ist post, but been reading lots of great info here. We've got a chance to buy a used automatic head catch w/ 5'X5" steel pipe welded to it for concrete. Don't yet know the make of it, but the guy wants $350 OBO. Sound like a good buy to you? We don't have any way of holding the mammas yet, & looking to buy 2nd hand (good stuff) if possible.
We brought 10 bred CharX grannies home last week, dog-gentle,and need to do the usual-fly tag,mouth them, shots etc. Hopefully no calving problems-. With my milk cows years ago, we just clipped them up to the hay rack & they stood for "whatever". Figure it might be a little different story with beef cows. Hey, thanks,
Steve & Kerry

 

[frenchie]

Good morning from the crisp MO Ozarks! Ist post, but been reading lots of great info here. We've got a chance to buy a used automatic head catch w/ 5'X5" steel pipe welded to it for concrete. Don't yet know the make of it, but the guy wants $350 OBO. Sound like a good buy to you? We don't have any way of holding the mammas yet, & looking to buy 2nd hand (good stuff) if possible.
We brought 10 bred CharX grannies home last week, dog-gentle,and need to do the usual-fly tag,mouth them, shots etc. Hopefully no calving problems-. With my milk cows years ago, we just clipped them up to the hay rack & they stood for "whatever". Figure it might be a little different story with beef cows. Hey, thanks,
Steve & Kerry

Good morning and welcome to the boards Nice avatar

 

[dun]

If they're in good working condition, not bent or too rusty that sounds like a decent price. Just make sure they're of a semi-modern manufacture. A friend has one that must be 50 years old and is a poor excuse for a headgate.
Your beef cows may stand for anything, but there will always be one that just isn;t going to stand for what you want to do at that particular time. One cow acting goofy will get the others spun up to various degrees.
Couldn't be too crisp now. It atarted at 16 this morning and it's already shot up to 25. I'm expecting it to hit freezing by 9. What a reliefe.

dun

 

[John Mc.]

We've had a mild winter here in Oklahoma. No prolonged cold spells. I work a day job and have only had to break ice twice this winter so far. The pastures are starting to green up. Cows are starting to pick the green and leave the hay alone. I love spring! Of course we often have a heavy snow in March but it usually melts in about a day. With that said, I'm sure a long hard freeze is in store for me.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Brookman, welcome. That is not too bad a price for a used headgate/head catch. Look it over very closely. If you can, have someone/something "hold" it so you can try it out. See if it operates properly. If it suits you make the man an offer. I got really lucky and picked up a used Priefert for $50.00. The paint was chipped, not the prettiest, but is in excellent working condition. As dun said, make sure it is a fairly modern one. Most of what I have, I purchased used.
Beef cattle are not always as "easy" as dairy. Being that you have older cows, they may not be as difficult as younger stock. A head catcher will be something you are very glad to have. A necessity, not a luxury. Good luck and have fun.

Katherine

 

[Brookman]

Hey, brought it home and a bunch of cattle panels/pipe gates etc. from what was the guy's catch pen & alley. That brought the price of the head catch to around $250. Ha! Looked different mfg's up online, and we think it's a W-W Beefmaster. Thanks for the help, & replies...

Are we having fun yet?? Not til it's minus 5 and calving time ;-)

 

[Medic24]

Welcome to the boards Brookman!

To all you spring enjoying farmers and ranchers out there.
I am looking at about 10 inches of snow still, and single digit nites, likely for the next several weeks anyway. I'm tired of it, my cattle are tired of it. Just plain tired of it.