What to do when a cow wont get in the squeeze?

[Blb515]

I wouldn't bother with inspecting the foot. I also would not shoot her with a dart gun. She gets too shaken up to begin with, I would give shot a wait and see.

Take your time. Don't think she has to be in a chute to give a shot. Use the other cows to crowd her either in the lead up to chute or put them all in a trailer or small pen to the point she can't hardly move and give her the shot.

If your going to keep her after she gets over the foot. Get her in the habit of going through the squeeze. Open it up as wide as it will go, send her with cows in front and back of her with feed outside of the chute. Don't get in a hurry. B

 

[CG1]

I believe these are more PETS than herd cows - that's the owners choice. Pets can get spoiled and misbehave. Bulls can get excited when cows come into heat. Rightfully expected behavior.
Hard to visualize how a cow can get a chute tipped over. Interested in seeing pictures of facilities.

I totally forgot to snap a photo of my set up. I will do it today. I would like your opinion on it. And you are correct. My cows are pets for the most part. They are not "normal" cows. Pretty sure they would not find water if I didn't fill it up each day and show them haha.

I did get a few pictures of my cow. Vet wanted to see the leg but I couldn't get a good enough one. I did manage to get her to eat out of my hands, but the moment I go for the foot she runs. But at least shes running away. I think that's a good sign that her leg may be getting better. She still is very heavy in her step as I can see she is trying to walk lightly on it.

I don't expect you to be able to see anything in this photo but its her front left foot. You can see in her stance how its bothering her. But this is the beast in all her glory.

 

[CG1]

I wouldn't bother with inspecting the foot. I also would not shoot her with a dart gun. She gets too shaken up to begin with, I would give shot a wait and see.

Take your time. Don't think she has to be in a chute to give a shot. Use the other cows to crowd her either in the lead up to chute or put them all in a trailer or small pen to the point she can't hardly move and give her the shot.

If your going to keep her after she gets over the foot. Get her in the habit of going through the squeeze. Open it up as wide as it will go, send her with cows in front and back of her with feed outside of the chute. Don't get in a hurry. B

Thank you that's good advice. I plan to move her over to one of my other farms in a smaller herd. She seems to be rubbing off on some of my other cows. I am hoping getting her around my two incredibly tame pet steer will get her to smarten up.

 

[Lucky]

If she'll eat out of your hand you just need a push pole syringe. Be easy to give her a shot.

 

[CG1]

If she'll eat out of your hand you just need a push pole syringe. Be easy to give her a shot.

My gawd. See this is why I come here haha. I had no idea this existed. I have literally hid inside the round bale feeder in the past and injected a cow when they least expected it. This is a much better and safer method haha. And I think it will work. Assuming its not something stuck in her foot I am going to buy one of these off Amazon right away.

 

[1982vett]

I don't expect you to be able to see anything in this photo but its her front left foot. You can see in her stance how its bothering her. But this is the beast in all her glory.

Once I got the picture large enough to view her foot I see what appears to be a horizontal cut on her toenail. Doesn't look festered or swollen but if it is indeed a cut it may not feel good to walk on. I'd just keep an eye out for an obvious change that it's getting worse keeping in mind I may need to catch her some time soon if it does not get better.

 

[sstterry]

I have literally hid inside the round bale feeder in the past and injected a cow when they least expected it. /quote]

:lol: :lol: :lol: What ever works!

 

[ccr]

we usually put a lame animal in a small pen to keep them from walking on it.

 

[TCRanch]

I have literally hid inside the round bale feeder in the past and injected a cow when they least expected it. /quote]

:lol: :lol: :lol: What ever works!

Thinking outside the box! I generally pull the bulls 4-6 weeks prior to weaning but had to do a quick roundup 7.5 weeks earlier this year because I busted them on a 5 month old heifer. Not cool! Heifer was no where remotely near a corral/pen for a month after her unfortunate gang breeding in order to hit her with a shot of Lutalyse but at least she's all about the cubes so I pulled the Polaris beside heifer & her mama one morning, dumped a pile of cubes and nailed her when she least expected it. 5cc IM, one 'n done.

Well done, Cowgal!

 

[Lucky]

If she'll eat out of your hand you just need a push pole syringe. Be easy to give her a shot.

My gawd. See this is why I come here haha. I had no idea this existed. I have literally hid inside the round bale feeder in the past and injected a cow when they least expected it. This is a much better and safer method haha. And I think it will work. Assuming its not something stuck in her foot I am going to buy one of these off Amazon right away.

I hope the long syringe works out for you. If it doesn't and she still eat out of your hand you can always pitch a Lariat rope around her neck then pull the slack and let her walk off. Once she clams down drive over the tail of the rope with a pickup, bingo she's caught!! I've really just been kidding about the roping her.....sorta LOL. Good luck

 

[CG1]

I believe these are more PETS than herd cows - that's the owners choice. Pets can get spoiled and misbehave. Bulls can get excited when cows come into heat. Rightfully expected behavior.
Hard to visualize how a cow can get a chute tipped over. Interested in seeing pictures of facilities.

Ok. I am back with the photos. And long story short to wrap up this convo, my cow is better.

Here are the pics. I don't know much about squeezes and how they set up (Leave that to my step dad) but he said we have ordered a "crowding tub" to resolve the issues with our set up.

 

[CG1]

If she'll eat out of your hand you just need a push pole syringe. Be easy to give her a shot.

My gawd. See this is why I come here haha. I had no idea this existed. I have literally hid inside the round bale feeder in the past and injected a cow when they least expected it. This is a much better and safer method haha. And I think it will work. Assuming its not something stuck in her foot I am going to buy one of these off Amazon right away.

I hope the long syringe works out for you. If it doesn't and she still eat out of your hand you can always pitch a Lariat rope around her neck then pull the slack and let her walk off. Once she clams down drive over the tail of the rope with a pickup, bingo she's caught!! I've really just been kidding about the roping her.....sorta LOL. Good luck

If you lived near by id offer you $300 just to watch you do it.

 

[gcreekrch]

If I lived closer I would put her in the chute for you. You might take exceptions to the education she got beforehand though.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I believe these are more PETS than herd cows - that's the owners choice. Pets can get spoiled and misbehave. Bulls can get excited when cows come into heat. Rightfully expected behavior.
Hard to visualize how a cow can get a chute tipped over. Interested in seeing pictures of facilities.

LOL - combination of ground squirrels, tall cattle and jumpy dispositions. haven't tipped one all the way over but seen it rock and been pretty nervous. there are some goofy athletic cows out there, they will jump and hang up then just rock a structure apart - gates, fences, chutes, trailers. I have seen it all.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

What to do when a cow wont get in the squeeze?

hot shot if balking in an alley. jumping out and wrecking stuff: rope and throw her. or if she is horned, rope and tie to a post. then off to the sale.

after seeing your pix, I highly recommend putting some kind of solid sides on your alley and the pen leading into it. there are other things you can do in terms of how you handle them that will help as well. google "calm cattle handling" and read things by Temple Grandin, Bud Williams and the like.

 

[chaded]

That isn't a bad looking set-up. For curiosity sake, do you know how wide the alley is? I used something similar to that and it worked. I had just some panels for an alley and the only issue we ran into was the first time we worked the cattle we had some try and turn around or back up but we got it done. The calves definitely turned around lol.

I have an adjustable alley now with back stop and I adjust it to where there is no turning room. Once they are in they have the option of going forward or just lollygag in the alley (they do both lol). My alley panels are designed to accept 2x6 boards to create solid sides, so it creates a "light at the end of the tunnel" with the chute open.

With all that being said, I still can't visualize a cow jumping on top of the chute. Lol.

 

[CG1]

That isn't a bad looking set-up. For curiosity sake, do you know how wide the alley is? I used something similar to that and it worked. I had just some panels for an alley and the only issue we ran into was the first time we worked the cattle we had some try and turn around or back up but we got it done. The calves definitely turned around lol.

I have an adjustable alley now with back stop and I adjust it to where there is no turning room. Once they are in they have the option of going forward or just lollygag in the alley (they do both lol). My alley panels are designed to accept 2x6 boards to create solid sides, so it creates a "light at the end of the tunnel" with the chute open.

With all that being said, I still can't visualize a cow jumping on top of the chute. Lol.

I will measure it but its narrow enough that they can walk through it without rubbing but cant turn around. They would have to back out. Our big bull can walk through it but its more narrow for him. Maybe why he refuses to walk down it haha.

We have another squeeze and the run on that is in the fence line. It was designed by the previous owners. Its quiet wide, the cows and can stop and fully turn around and they do haha.

 

[CG1]

If I lived closer I would put her in the chute for you. You might take exceptions to the education she got beforehand though.

What I need is a good cattle rancher that can help me. Had one, he was fantastic. But we are currently in a fight haha. I am thinking I should make amends.

 

[wbvs58]

I still can't visualize exactly what she did. I can't see a roof on that chute, it seems pretty stout. What part did she get on top of and smash to the ground? Are the photos before or after the incident? If after you made some good repairs.

Ken

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

That looks like great facilities. Sorry, but I cannot imagine not being able to work any cattle with your set up. She may be a pet, but she would have to be bat shizt crazy to knock that chute over. She is way too dangerous to have around for YOUR health and well being. Untamed cattle should be able to be worked with no problem with your set up.