Squeeze chute and other equipment recommendations

[novatech]

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.

That will work most of the time.
On some of them they turn and look at me like I'm nuts. I've twisted hard enough that I think it will break. Poked them in the flank, etc. I have a 10 ft pipe I use for a pry bar under their butt. That works sometimes and others sit on it. As much as I hate hotshots I have to admit that I have reverted to it with a quick pop which usually will move them in. With the more excitable ones a hotshot makes them worse. I'm sure you have seen that at the auction barn.

 

[AngusLimoX]

On some of them they turn and look at me like I'm nuts. I've twisted hard enough that I think it will break. Poked them in the flank, etc. I have a 10 ft pipe I use for a pry bar under their butt. That works sometimes and others sit on it. As much as I hate hotshots I have to admit that I have reverted to it with a quick pop which usually will move them in. With the more excitable ones a hotshot makes them worse. I'm sure you have seen that at the auction barn.

I assume this is you alone with the headgate closed? Not many won't make for the daylight of an open headgate, but that requires 2 ( depending on your system ). Pain in the butt working alone sometimes, and a little juice is helpful.

Anyone tried the auto headgates?? I haven't heard much good about them.

Brisket bars? ( I'd like to try them )

Is a palp cage necessary or desireable?

Neck extenders would keep your hands out of the chute but would be in the way for other things if not removeable. Never used em myself.

 

[novatech]

On some of them they turn and look at me like I'm nuts. I've twisted hard enough that I think it will break. Poked them in the flank, etc. I have a 10 ft pipe I use for a pry bar under their butt. That works sometimes and others sit on it. As much as I hate hotshots I have to admit that I have reverted to it with a quick pop which usually will move them in. With the more excitable ones a hotshot makes them worse. I'm sure you have seen that at the auction barn.

I assume this is you alone with the headgate closed? Not many won't make for the daylight of an open headgate, but that requires 2 ( depending on your system ). Pain in the butt working alone sometimes, and a little juice is helpful.

Anyone tried the auto headgates?? I haven't heard much good about them.

Brisket bars? ( I'd like to try them )

Is a palp cage necessary or desireable?

Neck extenders would keep your hands out of the chute but would be in the way for other things if not removeable. Never used em myself.

My headgate is self catching. I work alone. Due to a bad experiance, cow caught at the flank, I no longer trust it.
PS You have my apology for letting this become personal.
I do however stand by my original post as to what the man should in his particular situation.

 

[dun]

I always use the automatic on our chute. Only recall once using the squeeze.

 

[canoetrpr]

Without a doubt I will be looking for tame cows.

It looks like I might have the opportunity to acquire cows from a herd that is being dispersed though. They are not wild - you can touch them etc. however they are not completely tame puppy dogs either i.e. they do have a flight zone I will have to get what is available.

Something interesting that I just encountered is that I spoke with my neighbours vet - who takes care of her horses (where I live everyone has horses. I just assumed that he would do cattle as well and figured I might ask him what he expects on a farm to care for cattle. To my surprise he says he does not do cattle any more since around the 80s people moved from cattle to horses in this area. I only know of two or three herds of cattle in my vicinity so I better drop by and find out who they use as a vet. I'm not about to do this without a vet to rely on!

Anyway - he said he had a strong preference that a farm have a squeeze chute so that it if it was necessary an animal could be properly restrained in it.

I will introduce myself to the owners of the herds nearby (one is a Highland herd) and seek some mentorship and information about a local vet that will treat cattle.

 

[KMacGinley]

My opinion is that you need a way to restrain your cattle. I have a headgate with split gates attached to it at one pasture. I built the split gates myself in the shop. This is essentially a squeeze chute. Cost $600. That pasture is where I calve. I have a yellow squeeze chute at home in the barn where I work weaned calves after weaning (foremost maybe?). It has an automatic headgate which works very well and I love, especially if I have no help. Cost $1700 delivered with palpation cage. State fair special Dun. At another pasture I have an old ranger chute which is backed up to an alleyway coming out of the barn. Cost $100. This is a break glass in case of emergency chute. The outside corral here at home has a very old chute in it that you have to push it shut with a rod. Cost Free to haul away. Also Break glass in case of emergency. At the last pasture I have a headgate hooked to a 12 foot alleyway that I built with a swing gate on the end to crowd a calf or cow into. Not fancy, cost $300.

A rule that I have is that everywhere that I have cattle, I have a way to restrain them and that includes their head. Period. That is an investment that pays off. Doctor bills for you are not cheap. You are more likely to do something about a problem earlier when it counts if you can get the animal in with confidence. Saving cattle early usually pays for that chute pretty darn quick. You do not have to spend a fortune to do it if you put the word out and look for good used equipment and or bargains on new stuff.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Due to a bad experiance, cow caught at the flank, I no longer trust it.
PS You have my apology for letting this become personal.
I do however stand by my original post as to what the man should in his particular situation.

I have never had a cow caught like that , but rest assured, I can hear it , see it and feel what it must of been like. You able to back her up?

None of this is personal novatech, I would argue with anyone ( surprise , surprise!) that having basic handling equipment is a necessity.Quiet cattle or not. I look forward to discussing cattle topics from different/or the same points of view for some time to come. You are good people.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Something interesting that I just encountered is that I spoke with my neighbours vet - who takes care of her horses (where I live everyone has horses. I just assumed that he would do cattle as well and figured I might ask him what he expects on a farm to care for cattle. To my surprise he says he does not do cattle any more since around the 80s people moved from cattle to horses in this area. I only know of two or three herds of cattle in my vicinity so I better drop by and find out who they use as a vet. I'm not about to do this without a vet to rely on!

Let me translate what this vet said to you = beef guys don't pay their bills - they wait until the last second to call you and they don't have proper facilities. Dairies are supply managed and almost as lucrative as small animal practise, as are the rich horsey folks.

Word of mouth is the best way to find a beef vet locally, but let me know if you get stymied.

 

[canoetrpr]

I figured as much AngusLimoX. Will ask around and see how it goes.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I figured as much AngusLimoX. Will ask around and see how it goes.

I didn't read it exactly like that but it doesn't matter either way. It seems to me a vet coming to your place would prefer a $30K fully automated hydraulic unit. I get to play on one of those about 6 times a year but it aint with my cows or in my pasture.

 

[AngusLimoX]

I figured as much AngusLimoX. Will ask around and see how it goes.

I didn't read it exactly like that but it doesn't matter either way. It seems to me a vet coming to your place would prefer a $30K fully automated hydraulic unit. I get to play on one of those about 6 times a year but it aint with my cows or in my pasture.

It's actually political bhb, dairy is supply managed, lottsa power play stuff, even amongst vets.

 

[novatech]

Due to a bad experiance, cow caught at the flank, I no longer trust it.
PS You have my apology for letting this become personal.
I do however stand by my original post as to what the man should in his particular situation.

I have never had a cow caught like that , but rest assured, I can hear it , see it and feel what it must of been like. You able to back her up?

None of this is personal novatech, I would argue with anyone ( surprise , surprise!) that having basic handling equipment is a necessity.Quiet cattle or not. I look forward to discussing cattle topics from different/or the same points of view for some time to come. You are good people.

She aventually backed out.
By the way. When I went to the farm yesterday I took a bucket of old needles. Stabed them into a post. Every single one bent. You need to buy better needles.

 

[TexasBred]

I figured as much AngusLimoX. Will ask around and see how it goes.

I didn't read it exactly like that but it doesn't matter either way. It seems to me a vet coming to your place would prefer a $30K fully automated hydraulic unit. I get to play on one of those about 6 times a year but it aint with my cows or in my pasture.

It's actually political bhb, dairy is supply managed, lottsa power play stuff, even amongst vets.

You can scratch dairies from that list. They call vets only in extreme emergencies. Most have learned over the years to recognize and treat most problems themselves and anything you'd normally need a vet for like C-section ect, your survival rate is not that good anyway. Most will spend considerable amounts on prescription drugs however.

 

[dun]

You can scratch dairies from that list. They call vets only in extreme emergencies. Most have learned over the years to recognize and treat most problems themselves and anything you'd normally need a vet for like C-section ect, your survival rate is not that good anyway. Most will spend considerable amounts on prescription drugs however.

Must be different there any any other place I;ve been. The well mamanaged dairys I've worked with a a set healthprogram with a vet visiting at least every other month as part of it. There are a lot of FLN dairys that don;t but they also tend to buy cows from the sale barn, milk them till they either die or go dry then either haul them off to the back 40 or haul them to the sale barn.

 

[AngusLimoX]

You can scratch dairies from that list. They call vets only in extreme emergencies. Most have learned over the years to recognize and treat most problems themselves and anything you'd normally need a vet for like C-section ect, your survival rate is not that good anyway. Most will spend considerable amounts on prescription drugs however.

Part of the deal with supply management TB is that to ship milk you have to conform to a strict herd health protocol, and that means at least monthly vet visits. And a lot of these cows are $25,000 units so the boys don't waste any time getting someone in if they get a snotty nose.

 

[AngusLimoX]

By the way. When I went to the farm yesterday I took a bucket of old needles. Stabed them into a post. Every single one bent. You need to buy better needles.

I will get me some of those good ones next time I am fixin to needle a post! :lol:

Had a vet once say on a livestock health course that he liked the cheap ones with the plastic hubs because if an animal did jerk and snap one it would snap at the hub and give you a much greater chance of recovering it.