Loading Individual Cattle

[Bright Raven]

I loaded out a bull today. 11 months old but a big fellow. Easily 1000 pounds. I haltered him and kept two other bulls with him until the trailer came.

Young stock that have never been on a trailer usually balk at the point of jumping on the trailer. It can be a test of wills when you are alone.

Today, I led the bull on halter, when he balked at the point of jumping in, I had the buyer walk in behind him. It took some patience but he jumped in.

Does anyone have any practices to make it go smooth? I am looking for a discussion of what other folks do.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I run them up the chute and if they balk I encourage them with a hot shot.

But then again my operation is much different than yours. Sounds to me like it went pretty smooth for you. One tip you probably know is that cattle don't particularly like to step up. The more even the transition from ground to trailer is should help a little.

 

[Bright Raven]

I run them up the chute and if they balk I encourage them with a hot shot.

But then again my operation is much different than yours. Sounds to me like it went pretty smooth for you. One tip you probably know is that cattle don't particularly like to step up. The more even the transition from ground to trailer is should help a little.

Thanks Mike. He did well. I have a hot shot. I use it on some of my lazy cows when they stop in the alley and will not go into the chute. I am a little nervous using it loading because I don't want to make them go goofy.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I throw a bunch of cubes in the trailer and usually the olé bull will walk right in.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I run them up the chute and if they balk I encourage them with a hot shot.

But then again my operation is much different than yours. Sounds to me like it went pretty smooth for you. One tip you probably know is that cattle don't particularly like to step up. The more even the transition from ground to trailer is should help a little.

Thanks Mike. He did well. I have a hot shot. I use it on some of my lazy cows when they stop in the alley and will not go into the chute. I am a little nervous using it loading because I don't want to make them go goofy.

Oh yeah. Me too. I use it as a last resort. Especially when I'm working my cows. But when I'm putting them on the wagon, I use it a lot. Some may disagree with me but I personally think the quickest way to get hurt fooling with cattle is when you're loading them. Especially when you're loading the back cut. A trailer confines you. You better move quick and think quicker.

But loading a haltered bovine generally doesn't warrant the use of a hot shot. Time and patience are probably better alternatives.

One more think I've used, especially with sick, injured, or similar cattle is to get them to the back of the trailer and run a rope or ratchet strap, tied to the trailer on one end and looped around the bars/slats on the other end, around behind them and keep applying pressure to the rear end. Generally works pretty good, especially if you're trying to keep them calm.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I throw a bunch of cubes in the trailer and usually the olé bull will walk right in.

Have used this method as well in the middle of a pasture. It worked and I was actually quite surprised that it did.

 

[Mat Man]

I own a hot shot but my cattle have never seen it

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

Cur dogs and stout ponies.

 

[Bright Raven]

I run them up the chute and if they balk I encourage them with a hot shot.

But then again my operation is much different than yours. Sounds to me like it went pretty smooth for you. One tip you probably know is that cattle don't particularly like to step up. The more even the transition from ground to trailer is should help a little.

Thanks Mike. He did well. I have a hot shot. I use it on some of my lazy cows when they stop in the alley and will not go into the chute. I am a little nervous using it loading because I don't want to make them go goofy.

Oh yeah. Me too. I use it as a last resort. Especially when I'm working my cows. But when I'm putting them on the wagon, I use it a lot. Some may disagree with me but I personally think the quickest way to get hurt fooling with cattle is when you're loading them. Especially when you're loading the back cut. A trailer confines you. You better move quick and think quicker.

But loading a haltered bovine generally doesn't warrant the use of a hot shot. Time and patience are probably better alternatives.

One more think I've used, especially with sick, injured, or similar cattle is to get them to the back of the trailer and run a rope or ratchet strap, tied to the trailer on one end and looped around the bars/slats on the other end, around behind them and keep applying pressure to the rear end. Generally works pretty good, especially if you're trying to keep them calm.

I agree. A 1000 pound bull calf could kill you in a minute. I really get nervous when I load out cattle.

 

[M-5]

Quit petting them and they will load. Liberal use of hot shot.

 

[ddd75]

stand there with the trailer open. sometimes it'll take 5 minutes.

don't make a move or sound. they'll look around for a while.. finally they'll step in ..


works good not doing anything, just stand behind a lil ways so they know they can't go back.

 

[Bright Raven]

stand there with the trailer open. sometimes it'll take 5 minutes.

don't make a move or sound. they'll look around for a while.. finally they'll step in ..


works good not doing anything, just stand behind a lil ways so they know they can't go back.

Best suggestion so far. That has worked for me better than anything to this point. I was fishing to see if anyone had some magic dust I could get.

 

[ddd75]

stand there with the trailer open. sometimes it'll take 5 minutes.

don't make a move or sound. they'll look around for a while.. finally they'll step in ..


works good not doing anything, just stand behind a lil ways so they know they can't go back.

Best suggestion so far. That has worked for me better than anything to this point. I was fishing to see if anyone had some magic dust I could get.

i was trained by hard ones in the holler.. :cowboy:

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I agree with ddd, curiosity does tend to get the best of them.

 

[1982vett]

I load on3 the same way I load a trailer full. Down the chute. I guess when the get to the trailer they see a larger space than the one they are in and readily step up into it. I don't know, just hasn't been much of a problem.

 

[skyhightree1]

I loaded out a bull today. 11 months old but a big fellow. Easily 1000 pounds. I haltered him and kept two other bulls with him until the trailer came.

Young stock that have never been on a trailer usually balk at the point of jumping on the trailer. It can be a test of wills when you are alone.

Today, I led the bull on halter, when he balked at the point of jumping in, I had the buyer walk in behind him. It took some patience but he jumped in.

Does anyone have any practices to make it go smooth? I am looking for a discussion of what other folks do.

build a ramp where most trailers will be fairly level and they can just walk in and as what was said a hot shot most of the time they wont back up with one of those behind them.

 

[Bright Raven]

I load on3 the same way I load a trailer full. Down the chute. I guess when the get to the trailer they see a larger space than the one they are in and readily step up into it. I don't know, just hasn't been much of a problem.

I cannot do that. My chute opens opposite of access. I think Sky might have a point. If I had a ramp there, they would go in much easier.

 

[slick4591]

So far, I've not needed magic dust. The headgate of my chute sets a couple feet inside my barn and the door is a little low to back the trailer inside. I just use a couple of 6' panels and chain them to the headgate and the trailer. Seems they make the transition easily.

 

[ddd75]

right now i use the same setup as the stockyards. its working pretty good. just a 12' alley with the trailer at 90 degrees, they make the turn and go in.

soon i'll use my turrent gate to load them and not have to be in there with them.

 

[Nesikep]

I have a high loading chute that's about 6' away from my squeeze, and there's working space between the two.. When I want to load a low trailer they go down to the squeeze and I open the sides so they go in the working area it's about 5x10'.. once they're in I close the squeeze sides and there's no place to go but in the trailer.. works pretty well