wanted: advice on buying cattle prod

[Anonymous]

It's nice to be able to show the "old timers" that there are "nicer" ways of getting an animal to comply than using a cattle prod.

I sold two 8 month old Jersey bulls the other day, they're going to be gomers. One remembered his training and led right out and up into the trailer, but the other decided to be a little jerk and lay down on us and refuse to move. The "old timer" commented about how the only way we'd get him up would be with a cattle prod. I had him step back and showed him what my great-uncle had shown me years ago. Clamp your palms over the nostrils and your fingers under the chin and cut off their air, they'll get up in a few seconds, and most won't do it again. This one was stubborn and did it 4 times before he decided to remember that he really had been taught to lead. And the nice thing is that they don't hold a grudge over it, like they do when they get "shot".

Heck, my dad has 35 head of Angus and Angus cross cows and he doesn't even have a head gate, but has no problems working them. I am really pushing for that head gate though, I'm supposed to AI those cows this spring and I don't think just being tied to fence post will be enough for me to feel comfortable -- they know HIM, not me.

Ann B
> Cheers to Linda! Patience,
> positive reinforcement (food
> treat, esp. if they haven't been
> fed that morning or evening) will
> work wonders in sorting, working,
> loading cattle. They don't have to
> be pets. However, a touch of
> appropriate animal psychology and
> all goes a long way to easy
> livestock management. Punishment
> gets one only momentary
> compliance; positive reinforcement
> brings long-term behavior change
> in an acceptable format. Being in
> a hurry to work an animal only
> causes frustration to the cowpoke
> and opens the door to mistakes and
> potential punishment paradigms.



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[Anonymous]

I will never use a hotshot again after seeing what it did to our 2,200 pound bundle of joy named Phoo Phoo. She was being mean one day and I borrowed a hotshot from a nasty neighbor. She would not get out of the vegetable garden, no matter how much I talked to her and pleaded with her. I had just given her a bath and was fearful that she might get messy or hurt or something. I just had to get her back in her little stall with the wood chips on the floor. Well, I tapped her with my mean neighbor's hotshot and not only did she knock me so I fell backwards and got my fanny stuck in a bucket, but she ran right thru my white picket fence and shat all over the picnic table where I had just set out fresh lemonade. It taught me a lesson right then and there. I was bad to do that and let me tell you, I felt awful. Phoo Phoo will never see a hotshot again, and I'll sleep better for it.

 

[Anonymous]

My goodness!! A 2,200 pound female bovine? (I assume she is in fact a bovine and not a young hippo) What breed and what have you been feeding her? Sure glad I don't have to pay your feed bill.

 

[Anonymous]

Ann, How about constructing a dark box for AI'ing the cows? We did that a few years ago and it works just great. We work the cows in the head catch for all shots, etc., and only use the dark box for AI'ing. They stay calm and that makes it easy for me to AI them.

> It's nice to be able to show the
> "old timers" that there
> are "nicer" ways of
> getting an animal to comply than
> using a cattle prod.

> I sold two 8 month old Jersey
> bulls the other day, they're going
> to be gomers. One remembered his
> training and led right out and up
> into the trailer, but the other
> decided to be a little jerk and
> lay down on us and refuse to move.
> The "old timer"
> commented about how the only way
> we'd get him up would be with a
> cattle prod. I had him step back
> and showed him what my great-uncle
> had shown me years ago. Clamp your
> palms over the nostrils and your
> fingers under the chin and cut off
> their air, they'll get up in a few
> seconds, and most won't do it
> again. This one was stubborn and
> did it 4 times before he decided
> to remember that he really had
> been taught to lead. And the nice
> thing is that they don't hold a
> grudge over it, like they do when
> they get "shot".

> Heck, my dad has 35 head of Angus
> and Angus cross cows and he
> doesn't even have a head gate, but
> has no problems working them. I am
> really pushing for that head gate
> though, I'm supposed to AI those
> cows this spring and I don't think
> just being tied to fence post will
> be enough for me to feel
> comfortable -- they know HIM, not
> me.

> Ann B

 

[Anonymous]

What are your dimensions on the box?

Ann B

> Ann, How about constructing a dark
> box for AI'ing the cows? We did
> that a few years ago and it works
> just great. We work the cows in
> the head catch for all shots,
> etc., and only use the dark box
> for AI'ing. They stay calm and
> that makes it easy for me to AI
> them.



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[Anonymous]

Ann, I'll have to either measure the box or see if I can find the instructions I used to make it. It's a plywood box, although some make them out of metal. A friend who is an AI rep has one on wheels. He just hauls it to the site and AI's. I have a broken foot right now, so it's a bit hard to get out back to do the measurements. I did put some square metal brackets on the supports inside and can run 2 x 4's horizontally from front to back to narrow the box & keep smaller heifers from turning around once they're inside.

There is an exit door on the far side, but in our situation, I've found it's easier to just let the cow back out. If you were AI'ing any number of cows at one time you would want to use the front exit door.

If you build a dark box, put it where it is convenient for YOU. I almost used an outdoor corral, but my husband mentioned rain and we built it in our hay barn. It can be moved out during the off season. And, we use portable panels to create a temporary alleyway to the box, and slide 2 x 4's behind the cows to keep them from kicking and to keep them from exiting before I'm ready.

Will see what I can come up with for you this weekend.

> What are your dimensions on the
> box?

> Ann B