Immoblizier

Help Support CattleToday:

S

Steve Banks

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Messages
61
Reaction score
0
Location
Southern Indiana
Does anyone have/seen one of these in action? It sounds interesting on the rare occasion that one would need it. It puts a small amount of electric shock in to an animal and causes the muscles to contract, this immoblizies them to be able to work with them. It's advertised to have no negative effects on the animal! Just curious.
You can check it out on ( Immoblizier.com )
 
If you do a search on here for immobilizer you'll get tons of information and discussion

dun
 
I got one after this topic came up last time-- it was right after we lost an idiot in the chute :(

I don't like it unless its needed.
Some talk like they use it regularly- but it seems to stress the calves so we just use it when we have a short sack to fix or when one is just acting a fool. We also used it on one that had wire wrapped around it foot.. Its well worth the money to us in those kinds of situations.
They stand perfectly still -- its great
Hubby even trusts it enough now to let me take a break from tailing the bad boys :) And he gets the kick gate out of the way so he can get his hands free to work on the short sacks.

I think it takes practice to get the settings right- and I found it a little nerve wracking getting thru the trial and error period.
 
I am intrigued. A little horrified, but intrigued. Never heard of this. Did a search on this forum - seems to be more than one manufacturer. Any more comments from folks using them?

Howdyjabo, what are you doing when holding tails? do you mean to keep them stepped forward, just keep the tail out of the way or is this some kind of nerve pinch thing I never heard of either?

We usually castrate cowboy style (with team and roping, working on the ground) or more often in the calf table, but there are those times you miss a big one or need to do some other kind of work on the hind end of a big one, - tell me more.
 
Bring the tail straight up in line with the vertabrae, holding it close to the base so as not to break it.

Firm forward pressure on the tail will indeed pinch the nerve and keep them still.
 
I use clamps to castrate the the bull calves. I have one person hold the tail as MikeC described while I clamp each testicle cord. Works great. I have given thought to buying an Immobilizer, but I havent wanted to invest that much money yet. My thoughts about buying one are that it would help alot in the dehorning and also with the foot work. I am still debating whether to invest in it or not.
 
Tailing helps hold them still-- but it only stops them from being able to kick back. They can still thrash around and jump straight up.
 
I wonder why nobody has invented some kind of tail holding strap? I will expiriment with this soon, but would be great to find a way to do this without a helper - that is the main problem, working alone.

I am really interested in the electronic thing, but haven't found a whole lot of science on it. Why don't they use that on people if it is humane? Tazers hurt big time from what I understand...??? Are they the same thing?
 
Hippie Rancher":1e2tcru1 said:
I wonder why nobody has invented some kind of tail holding strap? I will expiriment with this soon, but would be great to find a way to do this without a helper - that is the main problem, working alone.

I am really interested in the electronic thing, but haven't found a whole lot of science on it. Why don't they use that on people if it is humane? Tazers hurt big time from what I understand...??? Are they the same thing?
Click to expand...

Someone on here was coming up with a chinese finger trap kind of deal to hold tails. Don;t know whatever became of it.

dun
 
Hippie Rancher":2l2nzrf3 said:
Why don't they use that on people if it is humane? Tazers hurt big time from what I understand...??? Are they the same thing?
Click to expand...
For what? If you mean to immobilize criminals, you would probably have to taze them pretty good or beat them unconscious before inserting the thing in their rectum. :shock: :lol:
 
There could be any number of reasons to immobilize a person. But sure, immobilize criminals - is that what a tazer does? I thought it was more of a stunning sort of weapon?

I did find a mention of these things on Temple Grandin'ss site and she says "Electro-immobilization is NOT a humane method of restraint"

"The use of electricity to immobilize animals should be forbidden."

She also cites several behavioral studies showing increased avoidance of these things and one mentioned elevated blood levels of stress chemistry.

I confess to feeling tempted by the easy way out on this - looking for a magic restraint that would allow me to work alone, but on further research, I would say this needs to be a last resort sort of procedure and I don't think I would own one, myself.

A good squeeze still seems the best way to go.
 
It doesn't cause pain..... but I agree that the calves don't like the sensation.
And it gets scarey on a few that are real sensitive.
They kinda go wonky till you turn it down for them.Others it doesn't seem to phase much at all(cept they stand still).

I figure its useful in specific situations where the alternative is dangerous for the calf or the people.
 
I understand that there is another way other than using a probe, I 'm not sure that it will work as well but may be a little easier, it's a clamp that you apply on the fold of skin under the base of the tail.
 
The clamps are unwieldy(for us anyhow).
If I am not mistaken you have to use two clamps--- on the nose and the tail.
It was a pain getting them both on at the same time- get one on and they'd just shake it loose before you could get the other on.
And when we were trying to calm a nut case down it wasn't practicle- I want them quieted fast before something bad happens and they'd try and eat you up getting the nose clamp on making it real slow.

If I just used it a few times a year- I'd hassel with the clamps just to save buying the probe though.
 

Latest posts

Top