working calves

[c3]

what is best for calves at branding time? Dragging or calf cradle.

 

[docgraybull]

Don't know what a "calf cradle" is, but do know that dragging calves to the fire has worked for hundreds of years.

 

[dun]

Wouldn't you need to drag them to get them to the calf cradle anyway? Or if you're rnning them through chute and then the cradle, why not just squeeze em tight , throw a strap over the hips or shoulders, wherever you're going to burn them and do it in the chute. Years ago we tried throwing them and holding them down and using the chute. We didn;t get any better or worse brands either way. But we had fewer bruised people.

dun

 

[CattleAnnie]

Honey's dad prefers the calf cradle, less stress on the old folks and don't need as big a crew to process the calves. Just get a couple of us to help run them through the chute to the cradle and "Mom" and "Dad" are happy campers making hay vaccinating, branding, and dehorning. With a crew of five of us we can process two hundred plus calves in an afternoon, but then they have a set-up designed for this.

We prefer roping them, but then we enjoy getting a good crew together and making a good day out of it. Kind of a social event as well as work. Takes longer, but at the end of the day more folks to relax with as we enjoy a good steak and some refreshment.

Links on calf cradles:

http://www.wwmanufacturing.com/calfcradle.html

http://www.rowserakes.com/calf.html

http://gympiewelding.cooloolabusiness.com/calf.htm

Take care.

 

[docgraybull]

Links on calf cradles:

http://www.wwmanufacturing.com/calfcradle.html

http://www.rowserakes.com/calf.html

http://gympiewelding.cooloolabusiness.com/calf.htm

Take care.

Thanks. We always referred to those contraptions as "calf tables" rather than "cradles", and we knew that the vet had one if we needed it. Always figured he needed it because it was hard to swing a rope inside the vet clinic.

 

[Craig-TX]

We always called them calf tables too. It's interesting to hear how different people/areas uses different terms for the same thing.

Craig-TX