Squeeze chute and other equipment recommendations

[novatech]

I have a calf table someone gave me and I use it. I put it over a stump to keep it from re-sprouting.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I have a calf table someone gave me and I use it. I put it over a stump to keep it from re-sprouting.

Someone gave me an old squeeze. It is all apart and vines are growing all through it. I'll go get it sometime this spring and see if I can get it back together.

 

[Caustic Burno]

With all the stuff people buy for a cow I don't see how they ever make a profit.
I have a working pen with a head gate, nose tongs, and calf chains which haven't been used in years.
If I have to assist the cow she is a cull in my book no exceptions, her and her calf are salebarn bound.
I dehorn at conception. She had better deliver a healthy calf, raise and defend it every 12 months or she is fired.
I have had them kill the calf stepping on it fighting off dogs which is a free pass once.
I cull cows with calfing difficulties and only buy bulls with low birth weight C/E Numbers, I want to see the bulls progeny on the ground as numbers can lie. I want a calf to get here the size of a house cat and grow like a rabbit I can't sell dead calfs and calfs stressed at birth seldom do as well in growth all cost money.
I sell pounds at the salebarn, a cow that can't wean a calf at 50 % her weight on grass only reduce profits.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Needling improperly restrained animals is one of the major reasons we still have broken needles showing up in beef.
I used to wonder who the idiots were who wouldn't take advantage of the equipment available to do the job properly.

Mystery solved.

( Now we will hear how wonderfully expert they are at needling and they have never broken a needle, yadda yadda yadda because they are so much better than the regular cattle folks yadda yadda BS BS BS ).

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

The new Trich testing laws in Texas may make them proven bulls harder to come by CB.

 

[Caustic Burno]

The new Trich testing laws in Texas may make them proven bulls harder to come by CB.

Amen on that.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Needling improperly restrained animals is one of the major reasons we still have broken needles showing up in beef.
I used to wonder who the idiots were who wouldn't take advantage of the equipment available to do the job properly.

Mystery solved.

( Now we will hear how wonderfully expert they are at needling and they have never broken a needle, yadda yadda yadda because they are so much better than the regular cattle folks yadda yadda BS BS BS ).

When they are just being sprayed for flies or treated with pour on, there are no needles involved of any kind.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Needling improperly restrained animals is one of the major reasons we still have broken needles showing up in beef.
I used to wonder who the idiots were who wouldn't take advantage of the equipment available to do the job properly.

Mystery solved.

( Now we will hear how wonderfully expert they are at needling and they have never broken a needle, yadda yadda yadda because they are so much better than the regular cattle folks yadda yadda BS BS BS ).

When they are just being sprayed for flies or treated with pour on, there are no needles involved of any kind.

Thats why the big boys do those things in the alley before they get to the chute.

 

[novatech]

Needling improperly restrained animals is one of the major reasons we still have broken needles showing up in beef.
I used to wonder who the idiots were who wouldn't take advantage of the equipment available to do the job properly.

Mystery solved.

( Now we will hear how wonderfully expert they are at needling and they have never broken a needle, yadda yadda yadda because they are so much better than the regular cattle folks yadda yadda BS BS BS ).

The only thing I can gather from your statements is your total lack of knowledge and experience in handling cattle. The more you talk the more this is evident.
The more docile the cattle the easier they work in a squeeze. The wilder the cattle the easier method is to work them in a chute because they get less excited, that is if you know how to get them there without getting them excited first. It is quite obvious you do not.
Come on down and I will show you how to do it, and properly administer a shot. I will also show you what happens with a normally docile cow after going through the squeeze. You may even get the chance to help get the cows legs or head untangled from the pipe. Or figure out how to keep the cow from choking to death after going down. Afterward I will let you stand in the corral with it. Then I will get some help to carry your expert azz out. :nod: Then I will spend the next few months training her that it is OK to come back into the corral.
If you cannot give a shot in the chute I sure wouldn't let you touch them in a squeeze.

 

[TexasBred]

Guess we all have our opinions and preferences in "how to do" just about everything. I've never used anything but a chute and a head gate and probably 75% of the time never even attempt to catch their head in the headgate. Just put a pipe behind them and let them stand in the chute.That also was all that was necessary with 700 dairy cows. Can't remember ever breaking a needle either but don't use disposable syringes and cheap needles either. A fellow can make the job easy or hard. Seems the folks working the cattle are usually a bigger cause of problems than the cattle.

 

[novatech]

Seems the folks working the cattle are usually a bigger cause of problems than the cattle.

Very well said. :clap:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Guess we all have our opinions and preferences in "how to do" just about everything. I've never used anything but a chute and a head gate and probably 75% of the time never even attempt to catch their head in the headgate. Just put a pipe behind them and let them stand in the chute.That also was all that was necessary with 700 dairy cows. Can't remember ever breaking a needle either but don't use disposable syringes and cheap needles either. A fellow can make the job easy or hard. Seems the folks working the cattle are usually a bigger cause of problems than the cattle.

very well put - At some point you need a headgate (not necessary a SQUEEZE chute). If you will need a headgate at some point, why not have just the one facility to handle your cattle??
If you buy a good headgate, you don't have cattle going down & choking - you get straight sided headlocks - not scissor shaped. You can have a straight chute or a squeeze - whatever you want or can afford. Cornell Univ has a squeeze chute, and I can see where it is really handy with inexperienced calves. Our cows know the program, they may not like it, but they tolerate it, none of them JUMP around & fight - never. Calves, well yes, they sure can, so a squeeze might be handy.
We don't tattoo at birth, so we definately need a headlock for that process. Also, cows lose eartags, and you need a headlock for that. Cows/calves might need eyes treated - you need a headlock for that. Why have more than 1 facility? more $$$

 

[backhoeboogie]

Mine get sprayed or wormed about 4 times a year. They only get a needle once a year.

Posted a pic of a bull once and everyone talked about the flies on him. Yep. That's why they get sprayed for flies. It doesn't take a squeeze to do that.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

backhoe - that's correct - there are lots of managements that you can "get by" with an alleyway - but for the once a year (or in most cases several times a year) that you need a headgate, why bother having more than 1 facility? unless of course you have cattle in several locations and can't utilize just one facility. In any case, we don't all use SQUEEZE chutes.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I've got two squeeze chutes and a portable unit with a head gate. And as you surmised I am indeed spread out.

There is a time a squeeze is needed or it is the safest way.

All I have maintained all along in this thread is that a squeeze is not mandatory. We worked hundreds for years back in the 60's without one.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Needling improperly restrained animals is one of the major reasons we still have broken needles showing up in beef.
I used to wonder who the idiots were who wouldn't take advantage of the equipment available to do the job properly.

Mystery solved.

( Now we will hear how wonderfully expert they are at needling and they have never broken a needle, yadda yadda yadda because they are so much better than the regular cattle folks yadda yadda BS BS BS ).

The only thing I can gather from your statements is your total lack of knowledge and experience in handling cattle. The more you talk the more this is evident.
The more docile the cattle the easier they work in a squeeze. The wilder the cattle the easier method is to work them in a chute because they get less excited, that is if you know how to get them there without getting them excited first. It is quite obvious you do not.
Come on down and I will show you how to do it, and properly administer a shot. I will also show you what happens with a normally docile cow after going through the squeeze. You may even get the chance to help get the cows legs or head untangled from the pipe. Or figure out how to keep the cow from choking to death after going down. Afterward I will let you stand in the corral with it. Then I will get some help to carry your expert azz out. :nod: Then I will spend the next few months training her that it is OK to come back into the corral.
If you cannot give a shot in the chute I sure wouldn't let you touch them in a squeeze.

Have I hurt your feelings so badly you have to imagine some pathetic scenario where you are giving instructions?
You gave crap advice trying to make yourself look like an old hand, for self esteem reasons or whatever - and you got called on it.
I have given thousands of shots, many with just my knee across their neck, thousands in just a headgate and thousands with the squeeze. Depended on the situation and the animal, but it was my choice because I do have the equipment to do it.
The only bent needle I have seen was a vet needling a gated calf that wasn't squeezed. She has fancy needlin stuff too. If that needle had broke it would have cost me money if we couldn't recover it.

There is a price to be paid if you want to play with cattle , canoetrpr already realized that and was looking for some advice. I doubt he cares how wonderful you think you are. So stop being a waste of bandwidth and offer something useful as others have.

 

[backhoeboogie]

backhoe - that's correct - there are lots of managements that you can "get by" with an alleyway - but for the once a year (or in most cases several times a year) that you need a headgate, why bother having more than 1 facility? unless of course you have cattle in several locations and can't utilize just one facility. In any case, we don't all use SQUEEZE chutes.

And please don't take my response to you incorrectly. You very much have my respect.

Bulls fight across fences and sometimes get tangled. Cows can lay down and not be able to get up - especially if they are on a grade. Heifers or cows hips can get disjointed. I can list more and you could too. Squeeze chutes can be across 3 pastures from the incident. I have tongs. I hope I never have to use them but I have them just the same. I have a medina gate at most all facilities too.

I have never broken a needle off in an animal. I've bent many and also bent them when animals were in a squeeze. I have been skinned up several times too.

 

[AngusLimoX]

I have tongs. I hope I never have to use them but I have them just the same. I have a medina gate at most all facilities too.

I have never broken a needle off in an animal. I've bent many and also bent them when animals were in a squeeze. I have been skinned up several times too.

My vet requires the tongs and squeeze for certain procedures, especially with calves. If it is something I am doing myself ( Tattoing, eyes etc.. ) I prefer a rope halter, tongs are just NASTY. :lol:

 

[novatech]

Guess we all have our opinions and preferences in "how to do" just about everything. I've never used anything but a chute and a head gate and probably 75% of the time never even attempt to catch their head in the headgate. Just put a pipe behind them and let them stand in the chute.That also was all that was necessary with 700 dairy cows. Can't remember ever breaking a needle either but don't use disposable syringes and cheap needles either. A fellow can make the job easy or hard. Seems the folks working the cattle are usually a bigger cause of problems than the cattle.

very well put - At some point you need a headgate (not necessary a SQUEEZE chute). If you will need a headgate at some point, why not have just the one facility to handle your cattle??
If you buy a good headgate, you don't have cattle going down & choking - you get straight sided headlocks - not scissor shaped. You can have a straight chute or a squeeze - whatever you want or can afford. Cornell Univ has a squeeze chute, and I can see where it is really handy with inexperienced calves. Our cows know the program, they may not like it, but they tolerate it, none of them JUMP around & fight - never. Calves, well yes, they sure can, so a squeeze might be handy.
We don't tattoo at birth, so we definitely need a headlock for that process. Also, cows lose eartags, and you need a headlock for that. Cows/calves might need eyes treated - you need a headlock for that. Why have more than 1 facility? more $$$

There are some cattle that work very well in a squeeze and the training is important. I have 2 squeeze chutes. One at each location. I consider them necessary evils only to be used when necessary. That is on my cattle. However when used it is only for purposes that I have the knowledge to address. All others go to the vet.
This brings us back to the man who originally posted. Working his way up to 8 head and not having any experience. At this point cattle selection for temperament is his most important criteria.
I think what I hate more than anything is an extremely docile animal that will not enter the squeeze.

 

[TexasBred]

think what I hate more than anything is an extremely docile animal that will not enter the squeeze.

If they are that docile a good twists of the tail will usually move them along.