I don't want to start a outright fight on here BUT a little touch with a hotshot would l be a lot more effective than a pitchfork, would do a lot less damage, not near as app to get who ever is behind them with the pitch fork hurt. would not need someone in a trailer or in front of a bull pulling on a nose ring. I guess what ever works for you works but I am not fixing to trade my hotshot in for a pitch fork, and if a pitchfork is all I had when I sold the bull I would go buy a hot shot.NonTypicalCPA":1vleuv2j said:
What is acceptable bull behavior?
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BRYANT":146yakhj said:
Exactly. That was far more dangerous to the animal and people involved than a hot shot. :nod:
NonTypicalCPA
Well-known member
Sounds worse than what it was. Basically we were keeping pressure on the nose and the butt - not excessive, waiting for him to make the decision to move forward. It's what I had to work with at the time.
NonTypicalCPA
Well-known member
So how do you convince an animal to get in a trailer that doesn't want to? He was in a 12x12 pen with the trailer backed right up flush to it. How would you use a prod in this scenario?
I mean this for your safety and for the animals' also... not as a way of putting you down... you do not need to buy another bull or cow until you get some facilities. You should not be operating like that. It doesn't have to be fancy but buy a couple panels or set some posts and make a chute.
I agree with Brute 23 , and I am also not trying to put you down, but you need the right facilities if you are going to have cattle. My facilities all works off of crowding gates and allies where I load I have gates to push/load with and if that does not work a little elec. will make them go. I have worked a lot of cattle in my life and a Hotshot can be one of the best tools you have IF you use it right OR it can be the worst tool when not used right. NEVER - NEVER - NEVER should some one take a Hotshot and burn a cow up with it and you want to see me get mad and tell someone what I think just let me see someone do it. a 12 X12 that a good start now just add a little as you have time and money to invest my next add would be a loading out spot. I did not build all of mine at once just a little here and a little there ,and am going to do some more before long, but I do have one place where I load/unload that I have added to and reworked till I have it now where there is not a Brahman mean enough or wild enough that I don't think I could hold them but even there I still have some things I would like to do to it ,just takes time and money neither one of which I have enough of.NonTypicalCPA":r565gdiy said:
good luck , hope you find the bull you need
NonTypicalCPA
Well-known member
Thanks for the input, just to clarify I used a 8' lead rope on the nose ring, was not holding onto it by hand. And that guy was applying pressure while standing outside the front man door of the trailer. I asked nicely and give him ample time to climb in by himself, with grain as a little treat. It wasn't enough so I helped him from behind. Not sure how this is any less humane or dangerous than using a hotshot. I also have a chute and other facilities so no problem there either. This 12x12 was built as my catch and load out area. How would you improve this to make loading easier?
M-5
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NonTypicalCPA":tdnxq3jt said:
A simple gate added to your pen used to pinch an animal from the rear where they can see stepping forward will offer more space . Your load out gate should only be 4'wide with gate hinged on the inside post
Our main criteria as been you have to feel safe around a bull enough that you don't have to worry about turning your back on him. Granted we're a little spoiled with the dispositions of Herefords but we bought a bull once that we shipped off after just 3 years because we didn't like his temperament plus he turned out to have heavier birth weights than we cared for so those 2 combined were enough to not hesitate sending him off. He wasn't mean but I sure wouldn't take my eye off him because he would start to show off and try to butt you with his head if you weren't careful. Sometimes you can deal with a bull that maybe does something annoying like rub on things and flip over hay rings or bunks when he bored as long as he's not aggressive towards humans to make it unsafe to be around him. We had 1 bull may years back that as soon as they ate down a round bale he'd flip the hay ring and push or roll it all over the lot till you put a new bale out. Would try to put the heaviest hay ring we had in the lot he was in. A local commercial guy bought him off us when we were done using him and he told us he was doing the same thing over the winter in his bull lot but he didn't mind it because otherwise he was the most mild mannered bull he owned and the only one that stayed in the lot when the other bulls broke out one day!
We put a nose ring in every bull we use on the farm just so if we ever have to get him cornered up or in a chute for something we have a way to get some control over him if he won't cooperate. Everyone probably has a certain level of tolerance with a bull's behavior and as long as he's siring good calves and his behavior is enough to tolerate then there isn't a problem though his disposition could be passed down to the cattle he sires too is something to keep in mind.
We put a nose ring in every bull we use on the farm just so if we ever have to get him cornered up or in a chute for something we have a way to get some control over him if he won't cooperate. Everyone probably has a certain level of tolerance with a bull's behavior and as long as he's siring good calves and his behavior is enough to tolerate then there isn't a problem though his disposition could be passed down to the cattle he sires too is something to keep in mind.
SPH":1lok5iun said:
There is no such animal. Your only fooling yourself.
Brute 23":2carhyw7 said:
You are entitled to your opinion on that but I'd say that is in the eye of the beholder. I wouldn't be scared to turn my back on animal in our herd right now including the 2 bulls. I can only remember maybe 2 or 3 Hereford bulls we've ever had on the farm over the years that I couldn't say that about and the only other ones would be some black crossbred cows that had some bad temperaments we used to have a long time ago before we sold off all the remaining crossbreds and went 100% with registered Herefords. We have some cows in the herd today that have never been on a halter that will let you walk right up to them and scratch them. If anything we sometimes have the opposite problem with a few cows not having enough "wild" in them that can sometimes be a pain in the butt to work through the chute because they just want to stand there. My folks are at the age where cows or bulls with poor temperament or are too high headed/high strung aren't worth the hassle so we cull any that consistently give us problems when we work cattle. They just aren't worth the effort if they constantly cause problems or are too wild that you either worry about your safety or how you are going to help them if they are having problems calving or are injured.
texan@heart
Active member
We use a bullwhip when we pick up bulls in the fall. Usually give it a crack and the bulls head to the gate. Occasionally, a bull needs a little more persuasion but not very often. Some practice will be required and I'd suggest earmuffs for a beginner. Bulls are like kids teach them some manners when they are young and with some adjustments along the way everyone will get along fine.
Black and Good
Well-known member
I've had good luck with the flags. They don't like that sound. B&G
Rafter S
Well-known member
NonTypicalCPA":3vjghawf said:
Even if you're only going to be loading out one head every 10 years you need a loading chute. I prefer 28" wide, but in any case not wide enough for them to turn around in.
The exception I can think of might be if your cattle are completely halter broken. I know nothing about that subject.
houstoncutter
Well-known member
Simple, I don't! You may be 6'7 295 and built like JJ Watts. That bull is a ton or better and is 20 times stronger than you. A bull doesn't have to mean or aggressive to do the job you need done.
NonTypicalCPA":32bokwpo said:
first time i loaded a bull we backed into a similar spot.. I was about to go tell the bull to get in.. guy who owned him said.. just wait..
we sat there, didn't say a word or move for 5 minutes.
that bull just stood there.. turned a few times.. then just walked right into the trailer like nothing. I was pretty stunned.
ol guy said.. 'see, that worked better'
Nesikep
Well-known member
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.. Last few bulls except for the Limo just walked right on.. Limo needed a little convincing but wasn't too difficult about it.
It's good if the pen is small.. smaller than the trailer, it seems the bovine mind sees it as "getting out" because the destination is bigger... At least that's my take on it
It's good if the pen is small.. smaller than the trailer, it seems the bovine mind sees it as "getting out" because the destination is bigger... At least that's my take on it
