Ideal weight to band

[agcntry]

Been using a knife, but been doing some reading and thinking of banding. Usually when I cut I do it at about 250 and then let them suck on momma for a couple of months before I wean them. When is the ideal weight to band.

 

[flaboy+]

I never really weigh them. It's mostly a crime of opportunity for me. If I happened to have them penned, I band them at just about any weight or age. I think the oldest I ever banded was around 6 months or so. I like to do it as early as possible though.

 

[MikeC]

Been using a knife, but been doing some reading and thinking of banding. Usually when I cut I do it at about 250 and then let them suck on momma for a couple of months before I wean them. When is the ideal weight to band.

We try to get a band on them just before they hit the ground. Never had a problem.

;-)

 

[ALACOWMAN]

some cattlemen now are maximizing the testosterone instead of implants and banding them at heavier weights like around 400 up but you had better grab a bottle of tetanus vaccine when you do

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I try to band at birth or shorly thereafter. That's what works best for my situation.

Katherine

 

[mgman]

Banding shortly after birth works best for me too...very little stress on the calf or me!
Just make sure you count to 2 at least twice after appying the band to make sure you don't end up with a stag!

 

[Farmhand]

Band shortly after birth here too.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Ditto here as well. I let mom lick them clean, nurse their bellies full, and catch them when their eyelids are heavy. I roll them over, band them with no resistance. Then I put an insecticide tag on their ear, which gets their attention a bit. There is no stress or no problem. No swelling either. Just got to be careful and be sure you get both jewels below the band.

Have no problems getting them right off the bat and can tell no difference in their gain or stamina. Mommas continually bathe the naval cord area and everything else in the first couple of weeks too.

I banded some once when they were about 250 and watched the excessive swelling, the decomposition, the flies, and the spraddle legged walk. It went on for a couple of weeks. I decided not to do that again. At that age they are already eating grass and such. It seems they are sluggish when they are all swollen and uncomfortable.

 

[SimmAngus]

We band at 500 to 600 pounds with the Callicrate Smart Bander. Also the recomendation of Tetanus toxoid is critical.

 

[Susie David]

We usually band at two weeks. Never had a problem, count to two and leave alot of sack. We use the four fingured, green cheerio set-up.. Have a pair of small dikes(cutters) handy in case you loose one in the process and have to start over.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

We band at 500 to 600 pounds with the Callicrate Smart Bander. Also the recomendation of Tetanus

• toxoid is critical.

know a vet that learned that the hard way a few years ago killed a couple of cull bulls for a registerd breeder

 

[jaydill]

I banded some once when they were about 250 and watched the excessive swelling, the decomposition, the flies, and the spraddle legged walk. It went on for a couple of weeks. I decided not to do that again. At that age they are already eating grass and such. It seems they are sluggish when they are all swollen and uncomfortable.

Banded my steer at 600 and never had those symptoms...maybe some flies but I kept the pen sprayed.

 

[jcarkie]

i like to do them when they are a day or two old, have waited a month and it still works fine, did one this morning. cheerio mate! band & tag and your done.

 

[Stocker Steve]

We band at 500 to 600 pounds with the Callicrate Smart Bander. Also the recomendation of Tetanus toxoid is critical.

How much of a set back do you see form the banding at that size?

 

[backhoeboogie]

I banded some once when they were about 250 and watched the excessive swelling, the decomposition, the flies, and the spraddle legged walk. It went on for a couple of weeks. I decided not to do that again. At that age they are already eating grass and such. It seems they are sluggish when they are all swollen and uncomfortable.

Banded my steer at 600 and never had those symptoms...maybe some flies but I kept the pen sprayed.

Glad you had success jaydill. I didn't lose any but it drug them down. Mine were in the pastures with the cows so spraying a pen wouldn't have done much for me.

 

[scoot129]

We band at 1 to 2 days and never had a problem. plus easier to get ahold of them when there little.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/lonetreefarms/

 

[Bez!]

agcntry:

If you are still out there.

As per the number of different ideas on the subject I would say the answer to your question is as follows:

There is none. Do what works for you.

Bez!

 

[agcntry]

Thanks Bez
That is about what I had determined from all the variance in opinions.