Best dehorning Crate

ABitofsense

Whats the best dehorning crate out there for suckler LMx calves?
Some were too strong/big for our old crate (small for dairy calves) at 2-3 weeks old last year so i want to get a good strong crate for this yr. There seems to be a good few different designs out there now

Lime Tree Farm

we have this one - would definitely recommend it, especially the broad plate under the belly.

http://www.d1086930.cp.blacknight.com/osmonds.ie/images/10622_Osmonds_Calf_Dehorning_Crate.pdf

ABitofsense

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

we have this one - would definitely recommend it, especially the broad plate under the belly.

http://www.d1086930.cp.blacknight.com/osmonds.ie/images/10622_Osmonds_Calf_Dehorning_Crate.pdf

Thanks.

Interesting thats the same as the Condons one i was looking at. Must come from the same supplier

Lime Tree Farm

ABitofsense wrote: »

Thanks.

Interesting thats the same as the Condons one i was looking at. Must come from the same supplier

It came with a narrow nose strap which I replaced with a length of safety belt from a scrap car, much more comfortable for the calf, and they cant wriggle out of it.

893bet

How do lads get them into the crate easily and safely.

Ours are often 5 weeks before they have decent buds. They do be.....energetic!

Lime Tree Farm

Place the dehorning crate at back entrance to the crush and push them into it from there. We used to push them through twice, once for the anesthetic and back in again after it had taken effect to debud, but find it easier to inject them at the headlock.

50HX

Go the condon deluxe crate.....some job

Best restraining of a calf i've seen

Dunedin

50HX wrote: »

Go the condon deluxe crate.....some job

Best restraining of a calf i've seen

I’ve heard good things about them. What sort of money are they?

tanko

Dunedin wrote: »

I’ve heard good things about them. What sort of money are they?

They seem to be between €725 - €790.

Snowfire

ABitofsense wrote: »

Thanks.

Interesting thats the same as the Condons one i was looking at. Must come from the same supplier

Yeah, bought one tru osmonds a few years ago, but I could have bought it direct from condrons for €150 less

charolais0153

893bet wrote: »

How do lads get them into the crate easily and safely.

Ours are often 5 weeks before they have decent buds. They do be.....energetic!

Keep them in a small pen , easier catch them, they don’t need to have big buds to do them , in a lot of cases it’s a 2 person job really

Dunedin

charolais0153 wrote: »

Keep them in a small pen , easier catch them, they don’t need to have big buds to do them , in a lot of cases it’s a 2 person job really

+1 on the above. I have done calves as young as 2 days old. Essentially everything gets done on a Saturday with me that has calved within that week. Buds will be small but they will be there in pretty much all of them and it’s limos I have.

Huge difference in grabbing a lad 1 week old versus 2 weeks. 5 weeks would be hard ask.

ABitofsense

Dunedin wrote: »

+1 on the above. I have done calves as young as 2 days old. Essentially everything gets done on a Saturday with me that has calved within that week. Buds will be small but they will be there in pretty much all of them and it’s limos I have.

Huge difference in grabbing a lad 1 week old versus 2 weeks. 5 weeks would be hard ask.

I got caught by a couple of LMx calves last year where they had nothing after 2 weeks but at 5 weeks they had and were too big at that stage to even handle safely, never mind fit in the little crate i have.

Ill go get that Condon one

Dozer1

got the teemore one here, similar to the ones above, works well, though the head height adjusters are a pain to use

https://www.teemoreengineering.com/crushes-handling/dehorning-crate.php

Dunedin

Dozer1 wrote: »

got the teemore one here, similar to the ones above, works well, though the head height adjusters are a pain to use

https://www.teemoreengineering.com/crushes-handling/dehorning-crate.php

How much are these

Dozer1

have it a since 2016 it was €700 plus vat....but I'm not sure what description was on the invoice ...cough cough

Dunedin

ABitofsense wrote: »

I got caught by a couple of LMx calves last year where they had nothing after 2 weeks but at 5 weeks they had and were too big at that stage to even handle safely, never mind fit in the little crate i have.

Ill go get that Condon one

There’ll always be the odd one. I had one calf a few years ago that didn’t put up anything for two months but that’s a rare exception. Generally I’d never have an issue at a week old.

893bet

Dunedin wrote: »

There’ll always be the odd one. I had one calf a few years ago that didn’t put up anything for two months but that’s a rare exception. Generally I’d never have an issue at a week old.

Just checked one there and he is 5 weeks to the day and not a thing showing. Lmx.

tanko

893bet wrote: »

Just checked one there and he is 5 weeks to the day and not a thing showing. Lmx.

He mightn't have any horns, is there a bit of Angus in him?
Had two 7/8 bred Lims here this year that have no horns at all, there would be about 4% Angus in one but no Angus in the other one.

893bet

tanko wrote: »

He mightn't have any horns, is there a bit of Angus in him?
Had two 7/8 bred alums here this year that have no horns at all, there would be about 4% Angus in one but no Angus in the other one.

Had a squint and the dam is 6 percent AA. Might be it. Will keep checking them weekly.

ABitofsense

Bought the Condon today. 650e +vat. Serious step up from the crap flappy sided one which is going on the scrap metal pile. Picked up the Buddex gas dehorner too while I was there so old electric one can go. Hopefully less stress for both man and beast this year now

Dunedin

ABitofsense wrote: »

Bought the Condon today. 650e +vat. Serious step up from the crap flappy sided one which is going on the scrap metal pile. Picked up the Buddex gas dehorner too while I was there so old electric one can go. Hopefully less stress for both man and beast this year now

Best of luck with it.

Say my name

ABitofsense wrote: »

Bought the Condon today. 650e +vat. Serious step up from the crap flappy sided one which is going on the scrap metal pile. Picked up the Buddex gas dehorner too while I was there so old electric one can go. Hopefully less stress for both man and beast this year now

Just if you use the belly support lever.
If the calf puts all it's weight on it after dehorning and it puts its back legs underneath the belly band thingy.
Don't do what we did here and release the lever at the back of the crate that pushes them up and keeps them in position.
That was done here and the full weight was on the belly band, a back leg was underneath the band. The belly band was released and the metal band with the calf's full weight came down on the leg and broke it.

If you use the belly band and the lever at the back. Release the belly band always first before the lever at the back. And watch out for back legs underneath the band when releasing.

Lime Tree Farm

Replacement Noseband Dehorning Crate.JPG

Pic of the replacement noseband

A length of safety belt was used, its anchor tongue secures it to dehorning crate. The other end of the belt is tied off on the right hand side of the crate.

Johnchaff

Thinking of getting a dehorning crate do ye think the Condon is the best on the market or is there a better one out there and apart from lowering the belly plate with the calfs legs under it is there anything else to watch out for?

Bitten & Hisses

Johnchaff wrote: »

Thinking of getting a dehorning crate do ye think the Condon is the best on the market or is there a better one out there and apart from lowering the belly plate with the calfs legs under it is there anything else to watch out for?

I also bought a Condon crate 3 years ago. I did a lot of looking and couldn't find anything else on the market which was worth looking at.
The advice above on operating the belly support is essential, but becomes part of the routine when you get into the swing of it.

K.G.

893bet wrote: »

How do lads get them into the crate easily and safely.

Ours are often 5 weeks before they have decent buds. They do be.....energetic!

I think crates are too slow.back them into the corner andwith your back to them put legand hip up against them rising their front legs off the ground.thenput your arm around their head and onto their nose and pull their nose back and under them and use other hand to work dehorner .this gives you control and the horns easy to get at.

Johnchaff

I think I'd rather the crate you must be a Savage of a man and how many arms do you have?

K.G.

Johnchaff wrote: »

I think I'd rather the crate you must be a Savage of a man and how many arms do you have?

Once the front legs are off the ground they have alot less power.

patsy_mccabe

K.G. wrote: »

I think crates are too slow.back them into the corner andwith your back to them put legand hip up against them rising their front legs off the ground.thenput your arm around their head and onto their nose and pull their nose back and under them and use other hand to work dehorner .this gives you control and the horns easy to get at.

You've never dehorned a lim bull that way. That's for sure. I was grapping one here once and he literally ran up the wall. His back legs were about 18 inches off the ground.

patsy_mccabe

K.G. wrote: »

I think crates are too slow.back them into the corner andwith your back to them put legand hip up against them rising their front legs off the ground.thenput your arm around their head and onto their nose and pull their nose back and under them and use other hand to work dehorner .this gives you control and the horns easy to get at.

You've never dehorned a lim bull that way. That's for sure. I was grabbing one here once and he literally ran up the wall. His back legs were about 18 inches off the ground.

Lime Tree Farm

K.G. wrote: »

I think crates are too slow.back them into the corner andwith your back to them put legand hip up against them rising their front legs off the ground.thenput your arm around their head and onto their nose and pull their nose back and under them and use other hand to work dehorner .this gives you control and the horns easy to get at.

unless they are under 2 weeks age, you couldn't inject them with adrenacaine using that method.

Limestone Cowboy

K.G. wrote: »

I think crates are too slow.back them into the corner andwith your back to them put legand hip up against them rising their front legs off the ground.thenput your arm around their head and onto their nose and pull their nose back and under them and use other hand to work dehorner .this gives you control and the horns easy to get at.

Oh man, we were at that horsing here for years, wresting calves, making them wild, getting the ****e kicked out of yourself and covered in it at the same time. Would make you fine and strong alright but something I won't be returning to all the same.

893bet

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

wresting calves, making them wild,.

A key point. That type of activity (which we currently do) is not good for fostering trust from a young age. Makes the whole thing an ordeal that is hard on man and beast.

patsy_mccabe

I've a short lifting strap here, about 4 foot long. It has a loop at each end. I loop it at one end and throw it over the calves head. Great to get them in the crate.

K.G.

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Oh man, we were at that horsing here for years, wresting calves, making them wild, getting the ****e kicked out of yourself and covered in it at the same time. Would make you fine and strong alright but something I won't be returning to all the same.

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

You've never dehorned a lim bull that way. That's for sure. I was grabbing one here once and he literally ran up the wall. His back legs were about 18 inches off the ground.

You can say that again and never will.i do a few for a neighbour every year and every time i leave the yard i say suckers should be banned

Tig98

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Oh man, we were at that horsing here for years, wresting calves, making them wild, getting the ****e kicked out of yourself and covered in it at the same time. Would make you fine and strong alright but something I won't be returning to all the same.

Same here
Theres enough pulling and dragging as it is, least you can do for yourself is get some good equipment to take the strain off you

Johnchaff

Ya I know I don't want to know about how anyone else does it without a crate i want to know what everyone thinks the best crate is pros and cons of each one

Grueller

Halter, front legs off the ground, tied to a bar of the crush. The auld lad cursing and me getting kicked assunder is the way it was always done here. I had 14 calves to do in December and borrowed a neighbour's condon to do them. Never going back to the old way.

Auto correct tried to turn "borrowed a neighbour's condon" into "borrowed a neighbour's condom". That's reason enough to buy your own new one, borrowing a condom that your neighbour had already used would be going a little bit too far.

Lime Tree Farm

Grueller wrote: »

Halter, front legs off the ground, tied to a bar of the crush. The auld lad cursing and me getting kicked assunder is the way it was always done here. I had 14 calves to do in December and borrowed a neighbour's condon to do them. Never going back to the old way.

Auto correct tried to turn "borrowed a neighbour's condon" into "borrowed a neighbour's condom". That's reason enough to buy your own new one, borrowing a condom that your neighbour had already used would be going a little bit too far.

What to expect when the title of the thread is dehorning.

Dunedin

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

What to expect when the title of the thread is dehorning.

A neighbours condom would dehorn most fellas even those over 5 weeks.....

westlander

Anyone got the O’Neill’s?
Nice and handy to carry and hook it onto a gate or a crush pipe.
Only issue is if the calf goes down but there is a quick release underneath the strap plate:

https://www.oneilleng.ie/index.php/product/oneill-calf-sheep-staller/

charolais0153

westlander wrote: »

Anyone got the O’Neill’s?
Nice and handy to carry and hook it onto a gate or a crush pipe.
Only issue is if the calf goes down but there is a quick release underneath the strap plate:

https://www.oneilleng.ie/index.php/product/oneill-calf-sheep-staller/

First calf that was put in it pulled it off the gate , not fit for sucklers

Gudstock

Some of our calves could be 4 weeks plus and have no buds showing. What would you say that the max age is for a suckler calf to fit in the Condon crate?

Anyone have experience or thoughts on these ones:

https://www.nbe.ie/product/calf-dehorning-cate-standard/

https://www.odonovaneng.ie/product/dehorning-crate/

http://www.d1086930.cp.blacknight.com/osmonds.ie/index.php/products/categories/animal-handling/product/147-osmonds-calf-dehorning-crate

https://www.teemoreengineering.com/crushes-handling/dehorning-crate.php

50HX

westlander wrote: »

Anyone got the O’Neill’s?
Nice and handy to carry and hook it onto a gate or a crush pipe.
Only issue is if the calf goes down but there is a quick release underneath the strap plate:

https://www.oneilleng.ie/index.php/product/oneill-calf-sheep-staller/

And in my experience down they will go:D

whelan2

Our hoof pairing man does dehorning too. Has 2 our 3 crates depending on what size calves he will be doing. He uses the gas dehorner and has them done in the time we would be setting up the stuff. Anytime we did them ourselves it always ends up in a row :rolleyes:

ABitofsense

First time using the condon crate today. The strap to hold the head is useless so I'll need to design something better.
Other thing is it's designed for big calves. I had 2x small 7-10 day old ZAG calves & nightmare to do them. The bigger calves were perfect in it though & work well (except the strap)

Lime Tree Farm

ABitofsense wrote: »

First time using the condon crate today. The strap to hold the head is useless so I'll need to design something better.
Other thing is it's designed for big calves. I had 2x small 7-10 day old ZAG calves & nightmare to do them. The bigger calves were perfect in it though & work well (except the strap)

I replaced the strap with a length of safety belt from a scrap car. Much more comfortable and secure about the calf's nose.

Count Mondego

charolais0153 wrote: »

First calf that was put in it pulled it off the gate , not fit for sucklers

I don't agree. I have one for the last six year and it's a great job. I do Limousin suckers up to six or seven weeks old in it. Have it hanging on the outside of the crush bars, near a corner so you haven't far to bring them into it.

Gudstock

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

I replaced the strap with a length of safety belt from a scrap car. Much more comfortable and secure about the calf's nose.

Can you post a pic of it please?

Lime Tree Farm

Gudstock wrote: »

Can you post a pic of it please?

I did post a pic, post no 24 on this thread, 9 Jan 21