denoginnizer
Well-known member
Will ATV's work for penning cattle? Any disadvantages or advantages as compared to horses?
Penning cattle with ATV's
- Thread starter denoginnizer
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jerry27150
Well-known member
you don't have to feed the four-wheeler every day or try to catch it & saddle it. we use two & can round up most anytime. they soon learn they cannot out run one
preston39
Well-known member
ATV's are great.But, I don't like running cows...sometimes one will be challenging.
We train the cows to come up by always feeding them in the pre- corral area which has a lane to the corrals... barns. When we want 'em we just close the gate and move them down the fenced shute. Running animals is not good..possible breakdown with udders swinging....getting the animal hot/sweaty can conribute to breathing conditions...not to mention possible injury to the little ones caused by moms being upset. They get excited and and stress is not good.
We train the cows to come up by always feeding them in the pre- corral area which has a lane to the corrals... barns. When we want 'em we just close the gate and move them down the fenced shute. Running animals is not good..possible breakdown with udders swinging....getting the animal hot/sweaty can conribute to breathing conditions...not to mention possible injury to the little ones caused by moms being upset. They get excited and and stress is not good.
bigbull338
Well-known member
wanna bet i got cows that can an will dodge a 4-wheeler all day long and after you bring them up close to the pens you have to walk them in scott
stocky
Well-known member
the 4 wheeler has been a wonderful invention for the cattle for me. the first thing is to get the cattle use to the 4 wheeler by feeding grain when it is around and by slowly driving through the cattle often with the 4 wheeler when you are checking them. if the cattle are afraid of the 4 wheeler, you will never be successful because they will get excited and not cooperate when you try to round them up.
use the 4 wheeler just like you would if you were walking or riding a horse. all my cattle come to the 4 wheeler because they know something good is going to happen when it comes in the field.
you have to remember that a 4 wheeler is much faster than a cow and it is easy to get the cows moving too fast or get them too excited if you start yelling and going real fast. there is never anything good going to happen when you get the cows excited. so, the most important rule is: if you cannot control your emotions on the 4 wheeler, leave the 4 wheeler outside the gate---but that is the same rule anytime with the cattle, whether it is with a hot-shot or stick or any tool
use the 4 wheeler just like you would if you were walking or riding a horse. all my cattle come to the 4 wheeler because they know something good is going to happen when it comes in the field.
you have to remember that a 4 wheeler is much faster than a cow and it is easy to get the cows moving too fast or get them too excited if you start yelling and going real fast. there is never anything good going to happen when you get the cows excited. so, the most important rule is: if you cannot control your emotions on the 4 wheeler, leave the 4 wheeler outside the gate---but that is the same rule anytime with the cattle, whether it is with a hot-shot or stick or any tool
denoginnizer
Well-known member
During periods of wet weather, I check my cows on a 4 wheeler. They are so used to me riding around and through them that they dont even stop grazing. How do I get them to realize that they are to go get into the catch pen?
flbullrider
Well-known member
I also thought using the ATV would be a great idea. At the time it seemed to have some advantages, not havin to saddle up the horse, not worryin' about gettin the horse all lathered up, and an ATV *always* goes where you direct it.
The main downsides/considerations turned out to be:
- Make sure ya have a *FAST* ATV. Not a little 250. TRUST me. I'd recommend the Kawasaki Prarie 600 - good and fast, with full time 4x4.
- Real noisy - tends to freak the cows out and they loose their minds, running every which way.
- Don't try and turn real sudden - you'll flip. Then the cows will get all over you and stomp ya till yer breakfast pancakes come out yer ears. Plus the ATV's on top of ya.
- No way to rope one from an ATV. At least that I've figured out. How the heck are ya gonna take a dallie on an ATV? And it wouldn't weigh enough to stop a cow anyway. I finally wound up giving up on the foolish idea of tryin' to rope off an ATV.
Mike Bishop - http://www.flbullrider.com
The main downsides/considerations turned out to be:
- Make sure ya have a *FAST* ATV. Not a little 250. TRUST me. I'd recommend the Kawasaki Prarie 600 - good and fast, with full time 4x4.
- Real noisy - tends to freak the cows out and they loose their minds, running every which way.
- Don't try and turn real sudden - you'll flip. Then the cows will get all over you and stomp ya till yer breakfast pancakes come out yer ears. Plus the ATV's on top of ya.
- No way to rope one from an ATV. At least that I've figured out. How the heck are ya gonna take a dallie on an ATV? And it wouldn't weigh enough to stop a cow anyway. I finally wound up giving up on the foolish idea of tryin' to rope off an ATV.
Mike Bishop - http://www.flbullrider.com
We've used a motorcycle (s) since the early 70's when we quit using horses. Never had many problems with the cows ... just the bike.
Twice recently we have had to get in the cowboys to rope a few since our facilities are in such bad shape. That will be fixed in another year or so.
Twice recently we have had to get in the cowboys to rope a few since our facilities are in such bad shape. That will be fixed in another year or so.
LegacyBreeder
Well-known member
We've used ATVs to move and work our cattle for over fifteen years. Once the animals get used to them you should be fine. Plus, once you have driven around them a bit you can cut and move cattle with no problems or fear of accident. Of course, that's assuming that the person on the ATV doesn't feel the need to screw around or show off. 
We use a 4-wheeler and a Kawasaki Mule. The cows have learned that more often than not the Mule is used to bring them hay, mineral buckets, feed or something like that, and the 4-wheeler is usually used to move them. I have started to notice if i am going into the pasture, just to check the cows and fence, that if I am on the Mule they will continue to graze or to come towards me hoping for something to eat, but if i am just checking and use the 4-wheeler they tend to head for the trees. We have always used a 4-wheeler and I love using both of those to round up the cattle. Sometimes we just stick a bale of hay in the back of the mule and get the cows to follow, but usually a few of them get distracted before we get them where we want them.
jt
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i've used a 4 wheeler a few times, and the key is getting them used to it... like someone said they will sometimes freak out and go all different directions if they are not used to it. and a 250 is really too small unless they are used to being corralled with it. if you have one that tries to dodge, etc you will run yourself silly on a 250, and wind up running them more than i like to.
i found out a dirt bike seems to work great :lol: lots of acceleration when you need it and it was easier to keep them in a group.
jmo
jt
i found out a dirt bike seems to work great :lol: lots of acceleration when you need it and it was easier to keep them in a group.
jmo
jt
jerry27150
Well-known member
we use arctic cat 250's. never seen one i could not head off. but we rarely go faster than walking any how. if you get excited then cows will get excited. always have to be smarter than the cow. in time you should know what a cow will do before she does. if you get a big one & tip it over on you you will know it then
preston39
Well-known member
jerry,
How true. We just had a neighbor turn a 4 wheeler over on him with a major chest injury. Guess he was trying to head a runner off and hit a low area and the machine went into a bucking horse fit and got him. He was 86...ranched by himself...a very good minister at a local church...long successful life...died May 5, 2005. A big loss for the community.
I like them for running around the place ...but like a motorcycle and a boat..I am a little scared of 'em. :roll:
How true. We just had a neighbor turn a 4 wheeler over on him with a major chest injury. Guess he was trying to head a runner off and hit a low area and the machine went into a bucking horse fit and got him. He was 86...ranched by himself...a very good minister at a local church...long successful life...died May 5, 2005. A big loss for the community.
I like them for running around the place ...but like a motorcycle and a boat..I am a little scared of 'em. :roll:
Bama
Well-known member
The only time I use a 4 wheeler is to check on em. Everonce in a while I would WALK them to the barn with it. A good stock dog comes in handy at this time. Penning a wild one you can forget about it without a good dog. A calf can cut much shorter than a four wheeler.
Have always used a 4 wheeler here. We start out far enough behind them that they don't pay any attention to us. Then we start slowly working in. Use a little back and forth work like a cow dog would do. This keeps the whole herd moving and they don't try to break to the sides. When the cows start movin', we stop movin'. When they almost stop movin', we start movin' again. Makes for an easy move to the barns. Our cattle are not use to the 4 wheeler as we only go out a couple times a year on it. We haven't had an problems using this start and stop method.
samm
Well-known member
we use our 4 wheelers to go down and check on them...to me its hard to drive any animal with a four wheeler, i am sure that some do though
but our cattle are pretty tame and we ride in amoungst them all the time so they dont think they have to move out of the way,..... ....but i can sure make em follow me with a bucket of cubes and a 4 wheeler. or in a golf cart, they will follow us right on up to the pens.
like giving candy to babies :lol:
but our cattle are pretty tame and we ride in amoungst them all the time so they dont think they have to move out of the way,..... ....but i can sure make em follow me with a bucket of cubes and a 4 wheeler. or in a golf cart, they will follow us right on up to the pens.
like giving candy to babies :lol:
preston39
Well-known member
Bama,
I am looking at a dog also...what kind do you have?
I am looking at a dog also...what kind do you have?
preston39
Well-known member
========samm":1mg3pgda said:
samm,
I keep sweet feed..pears...apples..cut up pumpkins turnips...and anything else in season/available and as I drive around thru them I give some to one here and there ..getting different ones each time....we have no problems getting 'em to come in...and an excellent way to see them up close. The biggest problem with our approach is keeping 'em from breaking parts on the trucks. Just this week one butted another and the head came up and broke a big horn mirror on one of the new 2500.s. Doubt that is covered by warranty. :roll:
