Strange Habits/Customs

[aussie_cowgirl]

Has anyone got some strange/crazy habits they have when it comes to farming/working with cattle? I said in another post that my friends mum used to make me and the kids run around looking for calves, diving out of cars to catch and tag calves so we knew when they were born.

 

[Tod Dague]

Has anyone got some strange/crazy habits they have when it comes to farming/working with cattle? I said in another post that my friends mum used to make me and the kids run around looking for calves, diving out of cars to catch and tag calves so we knew when they were born.

I don't think there is much that I do that wouldn't be considered strang by my neighbors.


This is a snatch and grab that we had to do a few years ago. The cow was bound and determined to kill my brother and I. Several close calls and we decided to get the truck and separate the calf from the cow. I bailed out of the truck, grabbed the calf, and ran for my life! My sister-in-law enjoyed that just a little too much. :roll:
http://www.ntdredangus.com/Snach&grab.jpg
Couldn't get the pic to work so follow the link.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved :cboy:

 

[Just_a_girl]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved :cboy:

that's a good one. My husband would tell us girls not to make it a habit of yelling at the horses. We don't do it, but I noticed that he does it now, we send him to the house now. The horses stay at the other end of the pasture if they know he is around, and won't come to the barn until the cost is clear. I do have to say that he is getting better. ;-)

 

[dun]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved :cboy:

that's a good one. My husband would tell us girls not to make it a habit of yelling at the horses. We don't do it, but I noticed that he does it now, we send him to the house now. The horses stay at the other end of the pasture if they know he is around, and won't come to the barn until the cost is clear. I do have to say that he is getting better. ;-)

When we weaned the calves and worked the cows last week a friend of ours came over to give us a hand. I never heard him make a sound, get excited or anything. The cows all got seperated out the way we wanted and when we were ready for another there was alwasy one lined up to go in the chute. He only had problems with two old cows that just don;t like walking down the alley. Took him a few minutes and a little tail cranking but they came up and into chute just fine, slowly, but just fine. The best part is that he's a 4-H/FFA advisor and has the kids come over to his place to help work cattle. They're all learning the same easy methods as he uses. I think that bodes well for the future of the cattle working in this area.

dun

 

[HatCreekFan]

We always try to time working cattle so that our neighbors won't drop in and try to 'help'. They (the cows!) are used to us, and we can separate them easily, walking through the group... makes such a difference. Very little hollerin and so forth...

I usually work up by the head chute, getting them on down the alley, giving shots, tags, worming, whatever. One day our really 'helpful' neighbor decided that we needed him. My husband and I were doing fine, and he stepped in to 'take over' moving them down the chute. He turned to me and said, "Just stand over there and look pretty." I didn't stand still long... just kinda ignored him, and he finally decided that he'd helped out enough. The cows reacted differently to him than us - really aggravating!

 

[msscamp]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved :cboy:

Would it be asking to much for you to send step by step instructions on how you did that? I know someone who could really benefit from your accomplishment! ;-)

 

[Dee]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved

If there is a 12 step program you have on video, I'll order. While working cattle, my neighbor will call the cattle and me every name he can think of, and when it's over, he thinks I should act like everything is fine. I am woman...I must hold a grudge! His son says he was worse when he raised hogs :shock: No wonder he's been divorced 3 times!

 

[Medic24]

Learned some time ago to work cattle quietly, and as smoothly as possible....if you run a cow, it too will outpace you by far.......if one or two give ya any problems, let them calm down a bit, and come back to them later.....usually, (but not always) works for us.

We had a young engergetic young man working for us a few years back, loved to get em in on the double, would run and run, yell, scream, kick.....always seemed like to much work for me. When we move cattle, we try to lead them versus pushing them.....we are lucky to have several very gentle older cows that will walk 5 miles behind a grain bucket. :cboy:

 

[msscamp]

We always try to time working cattle so that our neighbors won't drop in and try to 'help'. They (the cows!) are used to us, and we can separate them easily, walking through the group... makes such a difference. Very little hollerin and so forth...

I usually work up by the head chute, getting them on down the alley, giving shots, tags, worming, whatever. One day our really 'helpful' neighbor decided that we needed him. My husband and I were doing fine, and he stepped in to 'take over' moving them down the chute. He turned to me and said, "Just stand over there and look pretty." I didn't stand still long... just kinda ignored him, and he finally decided that he'd helped out enough. The cows reacted differently to him than us - really aggravating!

Yeppers! There is nothing quite like a stranger to cause those heads to pop up, calves (if that season) hunted down, and every sense goes on red alert! I'm lucky, we are set up to where the entire herd can be sorted by one person. I listen closely and take discreet notes when Dad mentions sorting cows. Then I do it while he is otherwise occupied. ;-) :nod:

 

[joe]

try as I may, I am also a yeller. If it's a day of working cattle, you might as well figure sometime the Mrs. will take off for the house in a huff, waving goodbye to me with just one finger. After which I halt the working to go in and express my love and devotion, and BEG her to come back out to help. Not that I would EVER admit it, she is better with the girls than am.

 

[msscamp]

try as I may, I am also a yeller. If it's a day of working cattle, you might as well figure sometime the Mrs. will take off for the house in a huff, waving goodbye to me with just one finger. After which I halt the working to go in and express my love and devotion, and BEG her to come back out to help. Not that I would EVER admit it, she is better with the girls than am.

As she already knows it, you may want to admit it in a nonchalant kind of way and give her her due. Trust me on this!

 

[Anonymous]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved

If there is a 12 step program you have on video, I'll order. While working cattle, my neighbor will call the cattle and me every name he can think of, and when it's over, he thinks I should act like everything is fine. I am woman...I must hold a grudge! His son says he was worse when he raised hogs :shock: No wonder he's been divorced 3 times!

Dee

Time you asked him to not come over and help.

Someone does that to my wife - well, lets just say they would not dare.

Wife and I run them into the big pens - put a bunch in the small pens and then sort in the small pens - usually never say a word - just point with the canes. Slower I move the faster the job gets done. Wife runs gates and I run the chute.

The whole operation is done so quiet that you could not hear a thing unless you listen close.

Bez'

 

[Anonymous]

Has anyone got some strange/crazy habits they have when it comes to farming/working with cattle? I said in another post that my friends mum used to make me and the kids run around looking for calves, diving out of cars to catch and tag calves so we knew when they were born.

We always get behind in keeping the grass in the yard under control during the summer - so we close the gate about once a month and let the cows do the work for us - only thing is you have to watch where you walk if you are in your bare feet.

Flower beds sometimes get a little beat up - but I hate having to mow the lawn.

50 or more head can mow the lawn in about 2 days - but it tends to be annoying to push them out of the way when coming into the yard - especially at night.

Bez'

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

that is a great picture tod i wish i had a few of me running and diving on calves. some of those woulda put jonty rhodes to shame! (cricket player)

 

[ALACOWMAN]

One habit i have broken & still working on is to quit losing my temper when working cattle. the last few times i remained calm. my son ask me whats wrong why aint you making or lives a living hell? its a whole new experiance for all involved

If there is a 12 step program you have on video, I'll order. While working cattle, my neighbor will call the cattle and me every name he can think of, and when it's over, he thinks I should act like everything is fine. I am woman...I must hold a grudge! His son says he was worse when he raised hogs :shock: No wonder he's been divorced 3 times!

Yes there is a 12 step program. it comes in aluminam cans. I find a couple of these before working cattle settles me down pronto :lol:

 

[Sugar Creek]

My contribution to the cattle industry lies chiefly in the development of a linebred stain of leaping cattle.

I have been culling selectively for years. I started with low board fences in the gathering area outside the cattle chute.
It helped that these boards were old, thin and weak so as not to injure my cattle whose leaping ability was not yet up to par.

I only keep heifers from cows who have demonstrated their ability to clear at least three boards. If they break the top board it does not count against them.

I have found this leaping ability to have a strong genetic link. The current generation can now easily clear even my strongest metal gates. Only occasionally do they hang up with hind legs on one side and front on the other. This position makes it real easy to give vaccinations ond pour on wormer ( all without having to use the cumbersome headgate and chute )

Our cattle working is never dull and has expanded my vocabulary in directions I never thought it would go.

 

[Jake]

My contribution to the cattle industry lies chiefly in the development of a linebred stain of leaping cattle.

I have been culling selectively for years. I started with low board fences in the gathering area outside the cattle chute.
It helped that these boards were old, thin and weak so as not to injure my cattle whose leaping ability was not yet up to par.

I only keep heifers from cows who have demonstrated their ability to clear at least three boards. If they break the top board it does not count against them.

I have found this leaping ability to have a strong genetic link. The current generation can now easily clear even my strongest metal gates. Only occasionally do they hang up with hind legs on one side and front on the other. This position makes it real easy to give vaccinations ond pour on wormer ( all without having to use the cumbersome headgate and chute )

Our cattle working is never dull and has expanded my vocabulary in directions I never thought it would go.

You sound like my dad!!!!!

 

[Susie David]

Medic24....like your methods...the grain bucket is our main tool for cattle gathering. Sort on the way to the feed bunk and just a short gate to the crowding pen, squeeze chute and back.
DMc

 

[frenchie]

The whole operation is done so quiet that you could not hear a thing unless you listen close.

Bez'

Bez...sounds like we work cattle in a similar fashion.I sent my brother and nephew packing, as all they did was get the cows worked up with their hollering and cursing.

My wife and I work very well together and quitely as well.