How to turn them loose

[denoginnizer]

A friend of mine suggested that I add an extra gate in my catch pen area so that the cattle want have to go out the same gate they came in. He says it makes them less leary about entering the trap. It sounds reasonable to me . Is this correct?

 

[Bez]

I have to admit I am not really sure about what you are asking - as referenced to the design and so on.

But ....

I have my system set up so the cattle have to enter the catch pens every day to drink water - that way I have very few problems with getting them caught.

If they enter it every day, they are quite relaxed when we catch them for tagging and such.

Makes life a lot easier when you are constantly working with a crew that have little experience with handling large animals. Not a lot of cattle experience in my neck of the woods and usually my main crew is wife and daughters - good handlers, but not strong enough at times when it comes to manhandling - hence the local strong backs and lack of knowledge crew from the various places around here.

Just my two cents. Perhaps a bit more info?

Regards,

Bez

 

[jw]

I've been letting mine enter and leave through the same gate for five or six years and they are not a bit timid about using the same gate.

 

[G&L Cattle]

I recently put in a new gate. The cows like to come in the new gate and go out the old gate.????hmmmmmm

G&L

 

[Jake]

if nothing else just throw your mineral/salt blocks in there to create traffic to it...

 

[Bama]

I keep the salt and mineral in mine also. I have a 12 yo son that helps out quite a bit but alot of the time I work them alone. I have even went a step futher. I have shut the gates and left them. I leave the chute open and let them find their way out. I don't know if it does any good but at least they have gone through the chute and something bad didn't happen to them.

 

[denoginnizer]

After you work them do you just open the gate and let them run out? I had some guys come by and help me work mine last week. After they were through they rode horses out it front of the cattle before letting them out. We turned the cattle out and they held the cattle up until they started back grazing. They claimed it would make them easier to handle next time. These guys work cattle almost every day, so I figured they knew what they were doing. Speaking of that, they charged 150 per man per day to work cattle. I thought it was kinda pricey but they did a good job.

 

[Farmhand]

Don't know about the trick with an extra gate thing. Seems like a lot of things we try works until they catch on. Sometimes they learn faster than I like. :lol: We have had the best luck with doing like the others. Make it an area they want to come into. Water, mineral, etc. Have heard of people feeding a special treat for a week or so before hand just to get them liking the area. Just a little sweet feed or something.

 

[Texan]

A friend of mine suggested that I add an extra gate in my catch pen area so that the cattle want have to go out the same gate they came in. He says it makes them less leary about entering the trap. It sounds reasonable to me . Is this correct?

Larger groups of cattle are always easier to pen if you can maintain a flow. Best way to do that is with two gates. If cattle think there is another way out, they aren't as likely to turn back on you and disrupt the flow. With only one gate, it is always a challenge to get the tail end of them penned, without the front end smelling a rat and turning back.

 

[Farmhand]

Texan - sounds like good advice.

 

[jerry27150]

mine always go into the barn then go through the chute or out another small gate to another lot

 

[brokenmouth]

A friend of mine suggested that I add an extra gate in my catch pen area so that the cattle want have to go out the same gate they came in. He says it makes them less leary about entering the trap. It sounds reasonable to me . Is this correct?

Larger groups of cattle are always easier to pen if you can maintain a flow. Best way to do that is with two gates. If cattle think there is another way out, they aren't as likely to turn back on you and disrupt the flow. With only one gate, it is always a challenge to get the tail end of them penned, without the front end smelling a rat and turning back.

very true and the worst thing is the hardest cows to catch which of course are either the smartest or the wildest are usually the last cows to come in and the first to shy off

 

[Bama]

Try to picture this. My feed corrals turn into the alley. The alley cuts in to the sweep pens, sweep tud, chute, and then headgate. out of here is back into the alley where they can go into another feed/holding pen. I like to have a treat of something in there for them after they leave the headgate. Its just my way of thinking but I would rather have them remembering the treat than the treatment.