warning about pore on wormers

[brimmer X]

I have not posted on cattle today for some time, but had to share an incident. A friend called me the other day, telling me about an problem he had with a cow. He was worming cows and using pore on wormer. He had done a few when one got stubborn and would not move after being wormed. So, he grabbed the hot shot. Bumped her with it, and She caught on fire! He tried to put her out with his hands and could not, got a towel from the shop and got her extinguished. Minor burns, and the cow is fine, but what an adrenaline rush for the cow and my neighbor.

This was a first for me. It could have gone bad so many ways. Word of warning, do not use a hot shot around alcohol based wormers. When you think you have seen it all with cattle, you probably have not seen anything yet.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

LOL - had that happen to a friend that was "torching" the hair off sale cattle. They learned the same lesson. but, I never would have thought about a hot shot igniting it.

 

[Bright Raven]

That is funny but I truly appreciate you sharing that. I use a pour on wormer (Eprinex) and sometimes bump them with a hot shot. However, I use the hotshot only on the way in the chute. My cows sometimes stop to lollygag on the way down the alley.

 

[TCRanch]

Yikes! And I'm glad your neighbors cow is okay!

The batteries are dead in my hot shot - how little I use it. Twist that tail! And I'm not above crawling on the railings and essentially riding the cow (or bull) down the alley. If they refuse to leave the chute, simply open the side latch.

 

[Bright Raven]

Yikes! And I'm glad your neighbors cow is okay!

The batteries are dead in my hot shot - how little I use it. Twist that tail! And I'm not above crawling on the railings and essentially riding the cow (or bull) down the alley. If they refuse to leave the chute, simply open the side latch.

I would rather bump them with a hotshot (you can use weak batteries) than twist tails. A shock does no harm, twisting a tail can.

 

[TCRanch]

Yikes! And I'm glad your neighbors cow is okay!

The batteries are dead in my hot shot - how little I use it. Twist that tail! And I'm not above crawling on the railings and essentially riding the cow (or bull) down the alley. If they refuse to leave the chute, simply open the side latch.

I would rather bump them with a hotshot (you can use weak batteries) than twist tails. A shock does no harm, twisting a tail can.

Betcha that cow that caught on fire would beg to differ! :lol:

 

[Till-Hill]

LOL - had that happen to a friend that was "torching" the hair off sale cattle. They learned the same lesson. but, I never would have thought about a hot shot igniting it.

Been there too! Helped couple buddies torch some Angus bulls. Guy that was feeding forgot to tell us he poured them week before. Burnt up a good Carhartt coat that day putting one out!

 

[Little Cow]

Bet she won't want to go in the chute next time around!

 

[Silver]

Yikes! And I'm glad your neighbors cow is okay!

The batteries are dead in my hot shot - how little I use it. Twist that tail! And I'm not above crawling on the railings and essentially riding the cow (or bull) down the alley. If they refuse to leave the chute, simply open the side latch.

I would rather bump them with a hotshot (you can use weak batteries) than twist tails. A shock does no harm, twisting a tail can.

Never seen it. You'd have to twist pretty hard to break a tail.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Yikes! And I'm glad your neighbors cow is okay!

The batteries are dead in my hot shot - how little I use it. Twist that tail! And I'm not above crawling on the railings and essentially riding the cow (or bull) down the alley. If they refuse to leave the chute, simply open the side latch.

I would rather bump them with a hotshot (you can use weak batteries) than twist tails. A shock does no harm, twisting a tail can.

Never seen it. You'd have to twist pretty hard to break a tail.

There are plenty of lazy show heifers out there with broken tails to prove that it happens fairly easy....

 

[Silver]

I would rather bump them with a hotshot (you can use weak batteries) than twist tails. A shock does no harm, twisting a tail can.

Never seen it. You'd have to twist pretty hard to break a tail.

There are plenty of lazy show heifers out there with broken tails to prove that it happens fairly easy....

Many thousands of non-broken tailed cattle in my area that would argue that point :lol:
I've seen a lot of issues due to hotshots, never with tail twisting. I don't allow a hotshot to be used as a matter of course when working cows, if one is used it's because tail twisting and other options have failed.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I too won't use a hot shot. If it is necessary, it also means I am putting them on the trailer for their final ride.
Breaking a tail is very easy to do, I assure you. More than one of our show heifers have been so lazy, that they are even given caffeine paste to perk them up in the ring and had the messed up tails to show it was a valiant, but useless effort lol!

 

[Nesikep]

LOL - had that happen to a friend that was "torching" the hair off sale cattle. They learned the same lesson. but, I never would have thought about a hot shot igniting it.

Been there too! Helped couple buddies torch some Angus bulls. Guy that was feeding forgot to tell us he poured them week before. Burnt up a good Carhartt coat that day putting one out!

the alcohol would evaporate within the hour of application, the pour-on the previous week had NOTHING to do with that

 

[Nesikep]

I too won't use a hot shot. If it is necessary, it also means I am putting them on the trailer for their final ride.
Breaking a tail is very easy to do, I assure you. More than one of our show heifers have been so lazy, that they are even given caffeine paste to perk them up in the ring and had the messed up tails to show it was a valiant, but useless effort lol!

How are people twisting tails? are they twisting the end of the tail? (that would be a delicate spot) or the base? I always twist the base of the tail, loop it over their back and twist.. even the laziest cow I have will move long before the tail breaks

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I too won't use a hot shot. If it is necessary, it also means I am putting them on the trailer for their final ride.
Breaking a tail is very easy to do, I assure you. More than one of our show heifers have been so lazy, that they are even given caffeine paste to perk them up in the ring and had the messed up tails to show it was a valiant, but useless effort lol!

How are people twisting tails? are they twisting the end of the tail? (that would be a delicate spot) or the base? I always twist the base of the tail, loop it over their back and twist.. even the laziest cow I have will move long before the tail breaks

No, they don't always move. Trust me. And if they do break, it usually break at the top, not anywhere near the switch. It's not a huge deal if one does break, but it does make drawing blood for preg check less than easy in the future...

 

[76 Bar]

Can't help but think the likelihood of igniting a recently poured cow via a hot shot might qualify as an urban myth. Just saying'. ;-) If indeed true, yet another reason savvy stockmen eschew electric prods.

 

[CG1]

I too won't use a hot shot. If it is necessary, it also means I am putting them on the trailer for their final ride.
Breaking a tail is very easy to do, I assure you. More than one of our show heifers have been so lazy, that they are even given caffeine paste to perk them up in the ring and had the messed up tails to show it was a valiant, but useless effort lol!

How are people twisting tails? are they twisting the end of the tail? (that would be a delicate spot) or the base? I always twist the base of the tail, loop it over their back and twist.. even the laziest cow I have will move long before the tail breaks

We do the same. Although. I do have some real bad cows that maybe need a shock. But I was always told around these parts we don't zap our cows. I saw a real good fight between two guys hauling at McClary's last year. One felt one was over using his powers with it. So the guy grabbed his and zapped him

 

[Till-Hill]

LOL - had that happen to a friend that was "torching" the hair off sale cattle. They learned the same lesson. but, I never would have thought about a hot shot igniting it.

Been there too! Helped couple buddies torch some Angus bulls. Guy that was feeding forgot to tell us he poured them week before. Burnt up a good Carhartt coat that day putting one out!

the alcohol would evaporate within the hour of application, the pour-on the previous week had NOTHING to do with that

Ultra Boss and Ulra Sabre will indeed burn for long time after it has been exposed to the air. Seen it lots of times. Buddies of mine clip sale cattle all over the US and see it daily.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

The incident I spoke of was a line of cattle going thru the chute, getting shots, pour on, THEN torching. Not good!!!!
I have a mini-mite hot shot, been hanging on the wall for many, many years. The only time we have ever used it, is if a cow was down and we needed to entice her immediately to get up (like a hard calving). That darn thing hung on the wall for years, and we decided to use it - was AMAZED that it still had strong enough battery to buzz.
We twist tails. Never have broken one, but have been elsewhere and have seen someone break one of their own.

 

[TCRanch]

This is getting interesting. Even my vets (2 in the practice) twist the tails and no tails have ever been broken. Yet. Doesn't always work but I'll also take the sorting stick and poke 'em either on the ball of their foot or between the toes. They don't like it! But usually gets a little momentum going so I can proceed with pushing. Every couple feet, move the bar (I have zero interest in "one step forward, two steps back"). I've even resorted to a large ratchet strap; after it's secured on both sides and the strap is positioned across their rear I start cranking. And I'm not above bribing them with cubes. If I have the time I simply walk away and they'll generally (eventually) go on their own. Clearly I'm not a fan of hot shots but have used one as a last resort.