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Non-Cattle Specific Topics
Tips 'n Tricks
working a headgate single-handed - any ideas?
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<blockquote data-quote="regolith" data-source="post: 675526" data-attributes="member: 9267"><p>The headgate is one of those simple 'v' shaped bar gates where the cow sticks her head through and you push the bar closed before she pulls back.</p><p></p><p>I've worked cows without assistance through these gates for years - without an added rope to allow the bar to be pulled from back at the cow's shoulder. It takes patience, but apart from the odd stubborn cow they pretty much always end up locked.</p><p></p><p>I just put six heifers through the headgate on the new farm for ear-tagging. Three of them put their head straight through and pulled back again because I couldn't close the bar - it would only close if they were standing with the narrow part of the neck in the space; with their shoulders pushing against it you can't move the bar at all (nor can I get it across at the lightning speed required to trap their neck before the head comes back).</p><p>Two of those heifers I then had a helluva wrestle with because they wouldn't put their head back through.</p><p></p><p>So - I had words with the farm owner about the fact his headgate doesn't work when the cows do exactly what they're supposed to (try to push through it).</p><p>Any advice for either a) trapping them first time or b) convincing a heifer that now knows she can't get through the gate to stick her head back in it.</p><p></p><p>Got another 130-odd cows and heifers to tag over the next few weeks... this is going to be fun.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="regolith, post: 675526, member: 9267"] The headgate is one of those simple 'v' shaped bar gates where the cow sticks her head through and you push the bar closed before she pulls back. I've worked cows without assistance through these gates for years - without an added rope to allow the bar to be pulled from back at the cow's shoulder. It takes patience, but apart from the odd stubborn cow they pretty much always end up locked. I just put six heifers through the headgate on the new farm for ear-tagging. Three of them put their head straight through and pulled back again because I couldn't close the bar - it would only close if they were standing with the narrow part of the neck in the space; with their shoulders pushing against it you can't move the bar at all (nor can I get it across at the lightning speed required to trap their neck before the head comes back). Two of those heifers I then had a helluva wrestle with because they wouldn't put their head back through. So - I had words with the farm owner about the fact his headgate doesn't work when the cows do exactly what they're supposed to (try to push through it). Any advice for either a) trapping them first time or b) convincing a heifer that now knows she can't get through the gate to stick her head back in it. Got another 130-odd cows and heifers to tag over the next few weeks... this is going to be fun. [/QUOTE]
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working a headgate single-handed - any ideas?
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