Cattle sticks

Muckit

You know the ones you see the boys selling at shows etc. Does anyone ever buy them?

I couldn't imagine them being any good.

I'd be a wavin man myself.

Arrow in the Knee

Father bought a few of those sticks years ago and there still around.

But if I can find a nice straight thin ash branch that is sturdy but with some flex it is hard to beat.

charolais0153

Muckit wrote: »

You know the ones you see the boys selling at shows etc. Does anyone ever buy them?

I couldn't imagine them being any good.

I'd be a wavin man myself.

Heavy wavin is alright . but the sticks are better IMO. Light waving is useless

_Brian

Muckit wrote: »

You know the ones you see the boys selling at shows etc. Does anyone ever buy them?

I couldn't imagine them being any good.

I'd be a wavin man myself.

Use them here, they're fine

Reggie.

_Brian wrote: »

Use them here, they're fine

Same as that

Noveight

Worth putting silage tape around the ends to spare them splitting, once they do they go to tatters fairly quick.

Coolfresian

Don't like using them with cattle. Need to be careful if the end splits when your using it. An ash plant is much better imo.

Charlie Charolais

2inch wavin, v little flex, for guidance more than striking, don’t like striking
Had the fancy stick but tips cracked
Has anyone read the temple grandin books, interesting re animal behaviour?

kollegeknight

Use the bought sticks here. But rarely use them at all. Only for guidance. I very rarely hit.

Father used to hit and drive cattle all over the place I used spend my childhood running everywhere. They are quieter cattle now and I'm fatter.

I do have difficulty when I get help from brothers as they follow the old regime.

All my cattle are "wild limousins"

MfMan

kollegeknight wrote: »

Use the bought sticks here. But rarely use them at all. Only for guidance. I very rarely hit.

Father used to hit and drive cattle all over the place I used spend my childhood running everywhere. They are quieter cattle now and I'm fatter.

I do have difficulty when I get help from brothers as they follow the old regime.

All my cattle are "wild limousins"

Exactly. Only time I use a stick is for loading onto a trailer or pushing up the crush, and then along the broad of the spine as much as possible. Tend to use hazel myself.

Parishlad

MfMan wrote: »

Exactly. Only time I use a stick is for loading onto a trailer or pushing up the crush, and then along the broad of the spine as much as possible. Tend to use hazel myself.

Same as that....will only hit an animal if absolutely necessary and, like above, it is usually only when trying to get the last one up on to a trailer or moving them up the crush. Drives me mad to see lads tearing in to cattle with a stick at the first opportunity.....without any cause!

Have a couple of those cattle sticks around the place but will use whatever comes to hand as it's normally just to direct.

bogman_bass

I dont like using a stick ab all. Use a hurl for dividing cattle in the yard and that's about it

L1985

Find them great for getting calves into houses.use them more for guidance then anything. We had one lazy bull I'd be walking behind who I'd tap on the back to keep moving. The brat used to wrap his tail around the stick and fire it away usually over a ditch!It meant he could mosey along the road at his own time picking at the grass at the side of the road!!

Sam Kade

Jaysus lads pipe down about the sticks will ye, ye don't want people thinking that ye bate cattle with them.

Salrub

Them plastic ones split at the bottom. A ba***rd if a splinter from one of them gets stuck in your hand!!

Reggie.

Salrub wrote: »

Them plastic ones split at the bottom. A ba***rd if a splinter from one of them gets stuck in your hand!!

Never had it happen

Cattlepen

Seen the chap in the factory lairage with along narrow stick with a paddle on the end . Looked the job as the cattle moved from it but it didn't seem to sting them.
I use a shepherds crook meself but just to guide. The crook part of it is shocking handy for catching gates at a distance and bringing them to your hand

nhg

Someone told my oh to get a chimney rod, he got one & put a rubber walking stick end on it to cover the brass fitting - brilliant job & hasn't broken so far anyway. Only used for guidance & loading into trailer, before that he had those sticks from the shows which would split at the ends especially as kids love playing with them.

Sam Kade

nhg wrote: »

Someone told my oh to get a chimney rod, he got one & put a rubber walking stick end on it to cover the brass fitting - brilliant job & hasn't broken so far anyway. Only used for guidance & loading into trailer, before that he had those sticks from the shows which would split at the ends especially as kids love playing with them.

Thats what I use as well, great job.

I witnessed a man working in the local mart around 20 years ago beating the ****e out of cattle going into the chute because he wasn't happy with the way they were going :mad: A townie man at that.

patsy_mccabe

I'd agree with not beating cattle. No point, you'll only make them harder to handle. A real sign of inexperience, if you ask me.
I prefer the plastic sticks. I like the length of them. Great for loading cattle as you can easily prod the cattle, not hit them, from a safe distance. If the cattle ever kick back, you'll be well back. Know of a few that got right nasty kicks loading cattle.
Easy to seperate cattle with them too. You can lean in and turn one back with a gentle tip on the head.

Muckit

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

IGreat for loading cattle as you can easily prod the cattle, not hit them, from a safe distance. If the cattle ever kick back, you'll be well back. Know of a few that got right nasty kicks loading cattle.

That's one advantage of the tractor trailer or lorry. They can't kick with slope of the ramp. Funny keeping back and poking is when they are sure to let fly.

Oul lads are unbelievable in marts the way they can go in to a pen of weanlings right up behind their rump and turn out the ones they want.

Limestone Cowboy

Muckit wrote: »

That's one advantage of the tractor trailer or lorry. They can't kick with slope of the ramp. Funny keeping back and poking is when they are sure to let fly.

Oul lads are unbelievable in marts the way they can go in to a pen of weanlings right up behind their rump and turn out the ones they want.

If your going to get a kick your better off to be close to take the sting out of it, use a good long ash or hazel plant here. No beating them, just an odd poke to encourage them in the right direction.

Muckit

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

But if I can find a nice straight thin ash branch that is sturdy but with some flex it is hard to beat.

The knowledge and old ways are sadly being lost. A branch is useless. An ash plant is what you want. They are the small saplings or suckers growing on a ditch. Cut just below the soil.

Then you have to know how to hold it. You hold the top lighter end, with the heavier bulbous end furthest from you.

A fancy cattle stick or an ash plant.... l know what I'd like to be holding and using in self defence.

whelan2

My dad gave me the handle of a brush as a stick this morning. Broke on the first cows head I hit. Cow was coming at me as i was going to tag her calf

_Brian

Had a guy from a farming background "helping" with a test a few years ago as I was laid up with my back and could only stand round.. To my horror he was useless with stock, nervous and jumpy... At one stage the vet told him to put the stick down, I could have died with embarrassment

tancoman

A nice hazel is your man,properly cut and trimmed and oiled, for guiding purposes and maybe sometimes, a slight tap. Failing that, a nice ash. You can pick out the good stockman by his choice of stick. One should last for years.