How do ye hold calves for tagging/dehorning?

KatyMac

I spent a frustrating morning with a 'useless' calf crush! Got it in Connacht Gold a couple of years ago and it is driving me mad!
Was trying to tag a 10 day old calf. She was able to pull her head from the head restraint! It wasn't a case that her head is small. I put a halter on her and then she folded at the knees and we had an awful job getting her out again. Anyway, by the end of the job me, OH and calf were bathed in sweat AND I still have to take horns off her when they grow a bit (she has 2 full sisters in the herd and they both had big horns, so I expect she will be the same in another couple of weeks). Most of my cattle are polled thank God, but anybody got idea of what I should be looking for. Also, if ye have any ideas what to do with a useless bit of kit!! My suggestion is to drive the tractor over it!

sh1tstirrer

KatyMac wrote: »

I spent a frustrating morning with a 'useless' calf crush! Got it in Connacht Gold a couple of years ago and it is driving me mad!
Was trying to tag a 10 day old calf. She was able to pull her head from the head restraint! It wasn't a case that her head is small. I put a halter on her and then she folded at the knees and we had an awful job getting her out again. Anyway, by the end of the job me, OH and calf were bathed in sweat AND I still have to take horns off her when they grow a bit (she has 2 full sisters in the herd and they both had big horns, so I expect she will be the same in another couple of weeks). Most of my cattle are polled thank God, but anybody got idea of what I should be looking for. Also, if ye have any ideas what to do with a useless bit of kit!! My suggestion is to drive the tractor over it!

So the two of ye were In a bog of sweat trying to tag a calf. The easy way to do it is to back the calf into a corner stick its head between your legs grab an ear and tag it. There is a trick you can do with Baliing twine to restrain a calf for dehorning but I can't explain it now as I am using the phone.

quadboy

to dehorn we would stick his head out threw crush gate wit a rope tied around him and I would be behind him keeping him in place and holding the rope while the father would grab his head and burn em

20silkcut

http://www.fanevalleystores.com/processed/images/products/500-500---150258.jpg


I have one of these if ya want only used it once. They are good but have to be attached to something solid. cheaper than buying a crate.

redzerologhlen

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

So the two of ye were In a bog of sweat trying to tag a calf. The easy way to do it is to back the calf into a corner stick its head between your legs grab an ear and tag it. There is a trick you can do with Baliing twine to restrain a calf for dehorning but I can't explain it now as I am using the phone.

Above the hocks and over the head, calf won't be able to move. We make a small halter with clothes line sized rope and tie the calfs head to a gate in a corner. I keep him shoved in then while the auld lad takes off the buds. Have used a couple of different crates and didn't like any of them.

blue5000

For eartags I only use the bvd tag the day they are born, second tag goes in when they have the second blackleg shot got in the crush. De horning also done in the cattle crush. Usually put a 16 ft gate in the crush to stop them escaping under the bottom bar.

InchicoreDude

Tagging is not difficult as you can do it when they are young.

For de-horning, We like to leave it til they are 2 weeks old. A crate is definitely the way to go for that - it reduces stress on the calf and on yourself. .

bbam

To dehorn we have additional adjustments on our head hate in the main crush.
It'll hold a two week old calf.

Run them up the crush and catch thee head in the gate.
Have a socket in the shed next to ye crush and extended the lead on the dehorner to reach. Works well but we always do it with a two man job.

KatyMac

Most of ye seem to be going the grab em and hang on while someone else does the job! My problem is my OH isn't an animal person and knows nothing about holding an animal, be it horse, calf, cow or for that matter dog! I end up doing the catching and trying to hang on while doing the job - that's why I got the crate, thought it would turn a rodeo into a one man (or in my case woman!) job. I sorta like the look of that yoke 'silkcut' showed me, so when I'm feeling rich I might go and look for one - in the meantime it's back to the old fashioned rope halter and hog tie the poor beastie.
Thanks for the input lads! Ye can think of me and have a laugh sometime in the next 2 weeks or so, when round 2/dehorning comes around!

Dampintheattic

KatyMac wrote: »

Most of ye seem to be going the grab em and hang on while someone else does the job! My problem is my OH isn't an animal person and knows nothing about holding an animal, be it horse, calf, cow or for that matter dog! I end up doing the catching and trying to hang on while doing the job - that's why I got the crate, thought it would turn a rodeo into a one man (or in my case woman!) job. I sorta like the look of that yoke 'silkcut' showed me, so when I'm feeling rich I might go and look for one - in the meantime it's back to the old fashioned rope halter and hog tie the poor beastie.
Thanks for the input lads! Ye can think of me and have a laugh sometime in the next 2 weeks or so, when round 2/dehorning comes around!

Tag calves at a day old. Half your problem alleviated. No ropes or crush gates or calf crates required.

Good old fashioned dehorning paste within a few days of birth in most cases sorts the second problem out.

Once again, no ropes or crush or crate required.

Difference in strength and resistance between a calf of a day to say four days old and one which is say almost two weeks, is huge.
Boss them when they are handy, or have them boss you when they get strong!

stand on!!

a jourdain crate from teemore is the only job for handling calves

Pacoa

http://www.connachtagri.ie/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_naru.tpl&product_id=204&category_id=14&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6


Anybody here use this yoke and is it any good?

Bizzum

I dehorned a few yesterday. Strong calves. We catch them in the calving gate, not the side the cow puts her head through but other side, tie it shut tight and work away.
I have used a crate in the past, a homemade one and it's a good job too. One or two of the lads on here put up a great crate some time back, I wouldn't mind one! I think a good crate is easier on man (or woman) and beast!

1chippy

Usually use the dehorning crate, but theres often times when you just make sure your in the old clothes and drop the calf to the ground, lean in and hold on while you wait to see if the old man burns you this time.

bbam

1chippy wrote: »

while you wait to see if the old man burns you this time.

never again..
i had a half moon burn mark on my arm for years where I got caught..

It hurts like a b1tch too :eek::eek:

Bizzum

bbam wrote: »

It hurts like a b1tch too :eek::eek:

Make ya think of how the calf feels :-)

Since SCWS had us all pollying calves at 2 or 3 weeks of age, does anyone else notice that at that age there is nothing to Polly. The calves I did yesterday were looked at a month ago and had to be left to grow on.

1chippy

Its rare enough that it wont be there at a forthnight. it might be a bit harder to feel but they are usually there.

ceannfort

Anyone have or use the odonovan calf crate. I like the look of it. Any views?

Bizzum

1chippy wrote: »

Its rare enough that it wont be there at a forthnight. it might be a bit harder to feel but they are usually there.

Maybe it's me but I get it hard to find them a fair bit. I wonder do some breeds not have as strong a horn as others?

The man in red and black

1chippy wrote: »

Its rare enough that it wont be there at a forthnight. it might be a bit harder to feel but they are usually there.

I'd have to agree with this. It's a rare calf you can't feel some sort of horn on by 2 weeks old. They can be tiny, little more than a bump, but they should be there by 14 days unless they're polled. The odd time you'd be able to do a strong one at a few days old.

InchicoreDude

bbam wrote: »

never again..
i had a half moon burn mark on my arm for years where I got caught..

It hurts like a b1tch too :eek::eek:

Theres a reason the calf roars like he does during it.

badshot

a shot of rompun
if they get to strong

Bodacious

stand on!! wrote: »

a jourdain crate from teemore is the only job for handling calves

as red says make loop and put nice thick rope behind hocks and loop it behind neck and they going no where... as they get over 2-3 weeks you'll do your back in and get covered in ****e doing them.

i have the teemore and would never look back but i am on the road dehorning but if i never did a calf for anyone else id have it, best money i ever spent.. i can do my own calves there on my own anytime, no hassle asking someone to help ya

ceannfort

I know someone who has a teemore crate an finds the scoop no use. The calf lyes on it. Front an back legs go under it an you can't get it back down and end up lifting the calf out? Anyone use the odonovan crate? It looks a nice simple design.

hugo29

ceannfort wrote: »

I know someone who has a teemore crate an finds the scoop no use. The calf lyes on it. Front an back legs go under it an you can't get it back down and end up lifting the calf out? Anyone use the odonovan crate? It looks a nice simple design.

tag them when they are couple days old and sleepy, wedge them up against gate wall, only problem i have is usually drop the feckin black spike when changing from bvd to normal'
de horn in the crate, always handy to have someone keep their head down though

Bizzum

hugo29 wrote: »

tag them when they are couple days old and sleepy, wedge them up against gate wall, only problem i have is usually drop the feckin black spike when changing from bvd to normal'
de horn in the crate, always handy to have someone keep their head down though

I load the two taggers, the old and the new and stick one in each ear. No messing about changing the pin!

limiter12

I bought this one a few years ago, seems to be one of the better designs on the market. http://www.odonnellengineering.ie/de-horning-crate.html

bogman_bass

Bizzum wrote: »

Make ya think of how the calf feels :-)

Since SCWS had us all pollying calves at 2 or 3 weeks of age, does anyone else notice that at that age there is nothing to Polly. The calves I did yesterday were looked at a month ago and had to be left to grow on.

The limos definatly put the horns up later. Herefords and part have them a good bit younger

loveta

Well i take it there sucklers calves that your having such trouble, we have dairy stock and one of us holds them "by hand" and the other de buds no sweat.Heading to the inlaws tomorrow to de bud 4 calves there suckler stock sweet jesus you need the crate loads of help there mad as hatters and strong as horses hate the bloody job

pakalasa

I was dehorning / tagging today. At one stage I was lying against a gate winded after wrestling a char bull into the crate. They can be fierce strong at 3 weeks.

Viewtodiefor

pakalasa wrote: »

I was dehorning / tagging today. At one stage I was lying against a gate winded after wrestling a char bull into the crate. They can be fierce strong at 3 weeks.

Just dehorned 21 2mth old bull calves put their head through a gate an hour flat! I need punts now!

redzerologhlen

Viewtodiefor wrote: »

Just dehorned 21 2mth old bull calves put their head through a gate an hour flat! I need punts now!

Did ten yesterday for a neighbour, 3 of them were charolais calfs born in February :eek: I dont know how anyone in their right mind would leave them so long to do them. Did 10 of our own today all under 3 weeks and they were so much easier to handle in comparison.

Damo810

redzerologhlen wrote: »

Did ten yesterday for a neighbour, 3 of them were charolais calfs born in February :eek: I dont know how anyone in their right mind would leave them so long to do them. Did 10 of our own today all under 3 weeks and they were so much easier to handle in comparison.

I was working for a fella the other day, wanted to sell his cattle in a week or two, yearlings, so he decided to wait until Friday to get them cut off. Few of them were 5 inches long, with holes on each side of the animals head. Should all be done asap whiles the animals young..

redzerologhlen

Damo810 wrote: »

I was working for a fella the other day, wanted to sell his cattle in a week or two, yearlings, so he decided to wait until Friday to get them cut off. Few of them were 5 inches long, with holes on each side of the animals head. Should all be done asap whiles the animals young..

Well if your going sawing at that age you have to leave a hole to let any infection/puss out to the best of my knowledge. Its awful blagarding on the cattle to be doing at at that age though, we often had one or two that we missed as calves but that would be all. All the neighbours around used to get my auld lad to cut horns when I was young lad, I often remember coming home covered from head to toe in blood after doing 20 or 30 year and a half bullocks with him. The older generation loved a bit of hardship.

Bodacious

ceannfort wrote: »

I know someone who has a teemore crate an finds the scoop no use. The calf lyes on it. Front an back legs go under it an you can't get it back down and end up lifting the calf out? Anyone use the odonovan crate? It looks a nice simple design.

Yep, the odd calf can sit like a dog with his back legs under the scoop.. but his head or front legs cannot move and scoop still keeping the back straight so no choking/pressure on the neck.

i know what your friend is saying when they do this you let scoop down a click at a time when you are done and pull legs back clear of the scoop nothing is completely faultless i suppose.

farmers are always shouting at me "great yoke that but wheels are too small you should wheelbarrow wheels on it!" but it'd far too unstable then and you wouldnt be able to let her down off of the wheels on flat surface and when travelling in trailer!