head scoops - feedback on yours

oldsmokey · 07-05-2015 5:11pm #1

With the lovely money rolling out for the Safety scheme, would appreciate feedback on the headscoop you use - theres a lot of them-O Donovans, O Neills, Teemore, Condon, Connachagri, Nugent, O Donnells...how is yours for ease of fitting, strength, does it fold away when out of use, ease of use.? Prices from $360 + vat I hate buying something sh*t then having to put up with it for years. Ta

Count Mondego · 07-05-2015 9:46pm

I have one from Barrett Engineering in Galway.

Pros:

1) Brilliant device for dosing store cattle or suckler cows. Some of my cows would be impossible to dose or bolus without one of these.

2) The Barrett one is cheap, around 450 all in which is good for head scoops.

3) Simple enough design and can be removed very easily, just 2 pins, but at the same time is secure when using.

Cons:

1) The scoop part is a wide V shape rather than the U shaped ones. Can allow a bit too much movement

2) No quick release latch, so if a cow goes down you'll have to belt the lever to release.

Final verdict: Good value for money but could do with slight improvements. All said, I'd buy it again.

annubis · 08-05-2015 7:18am

another vote for barrett scoop, dont think I paid anything like 450 for it , cant rightly remember, very handy to ring bull or manage a awkward cow for dosing or soar eye, not something that gets a huge amount of use but still handy tool to have, can be attached onto side bars of crush without welding

50HX · 08-05-2015 8:29am

the Barrett one looks good enough..the only thing i don't like about it is the scoop is very wide

would ye think this one is a better job???

http://www.connachtagri.ie/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_naru.tpl&product_id=200&category_id=2&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

oldsmokey · 14-05-2015 12:42pm

50HX wrote: »

the Barrett one looks good enough..the only thing i don't like about it is the scoop is very wide

would ye think this one is a better job???

http://www.connachtagri.ie/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_naru.tpl&product_id=200&category_id=2&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

any experience of Condon engineering type..360 +vat?..and the Teemore one looks good, 440 +vat tho...

tomieen jones · 22-10-2015 9:09am

oldsmokey wrote: »

any experience of Condon engineering type..360 +vat?..and the Teemore one looks good, 440 +vat tho...

Anyone using a condon made scoop? Any feed back

lab man · 04-12-2015 4:20pm

Well lads I'm on the verge of buying a iae headscoop as was recommended on here or a similar thread
After a quote of 740euro Inc vat fair steep I think or wat do ye think got a fair shock

It's from o Donovan eng in cork

FarmerDougal · 04-12-2015 8:27pm

lab man wrote: »

Well lads I'm on the verge of buying a iae headscoop as was recommended on here or a similar thread
After a quote of 740euro Inc vat fair steep I think or wat do ye think got a fair shock

It's from o Donovan eng in cork

That's sounds a bit steep. I bought two of gibney head scoops. 300 each, way easier to use compared to lever type. Geared reel/clutch system

patsy_mccabe · 04-12-2015 8:45pm

I like the Gibney stuff.

http://www.gibneysteel.com/index.php/productlisting/agricultural-products/item/119-head-scoop-ko-dose

Mad4simmental · 04-12-2015 9:38pm

Put this in lately. Best thing we ever got, it makes light work of bolus or tagging ect. Gibiny €415+ very easy to move as there is only 4 bolts. The ratchet is easy to use and tidy. Sum of the other makes have more brackets than scoop.

barnaman · 04-12-2015 10:23pm

lab man wrote: »

Well lads I'm on the verge of buying a iae headscoop as was recommended on here or a similar thread
After a quote of 740euro Inc vat fair steep I think or wat do ye think got a fair shock

It's from o Donovan eng in cork

Not have one myself but that O Donavan scoop is used by Kildalton Agri College. Been at Kildalton a bit for Green Cert and used scoop and all can say is I found it easy to use and asked the lad who runs the herd and who really knows his stuff alround what he thought of it, thinking getting a scoop myself, and he recommended. all I can say on top is seemed very good build quality type stuff last decades.

Capercaillie · 04-12-2015 10:55pm

Local vet hates them. Hard to get the vein and useless skulling cattle.

Muckit · 04-12-2015 11:24pm

l was wondering that. l use a halter when sculling or tagging. A quick release knot and pull if they are getting in trouble. The head scoop seems to totally go against the reason modern crush gates were designed with vertical bars.

l haven't used a white drench in years but if cattle were packed in tight with heads overhead l found them easy to them down along the crush, easier again now l hear with the dosing hook.

You are bet working at the front because you haven't the height - no step.

angusangus · 04-12-2015 11:39pm

Got a head scoop last year and would never be without one now! Even if not working with the head it still restrains the welder suckler cows
anyone that has one does not regret buying it so that in its self says it all

caseman · 04-12-2015 11:53pm

Dosed alot of cows and cattle today ,my two arms and back are sore tonight.
Next job to do is put in a morris head gate and a head scoop.
In another tread about diet feeders someone made a comment every cripple has his own way to walk.

Deepsouthwest · 05-12-2015 12:33am

Capercaillie wrote: »

Local vet hates them. Hard to get the vein and useless skulling cattle.

Sounds like an open minded guy, He could just not use if it's such a pain in the ass!

Deepsouthwest · 05-12-2015 12:38am

caseman wrote: »

Dosed alot of cows and cattle today ,my two arms and back are sore tonight.
Next job to do is put in a morris head gate and a head scoop.
In another tread about diet feeders someone made a comment every cripple has his own way to walk.

When dosing cows I still do most of them along the crush, only use the headscoop to catch the real awkward ones, and it's priceless for putting manners on them. V handy for injecting in the neck as well, stop them moving back and ahead in the headgate

FarmerDougal · 05-12-2015 12:53am

Only yoke for ibr up nose

Mad4simmental · 05-12-2015 12:53am

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

When dosing cows I still do most of them along the crush, only use the headscoop to catch the real awkward ones, and it's priceless for putting manners on them. V handy for injecting in the neck as well, stop them moving back and ahead in the headgate

+1
I rarely inject into the neck anymore. Local vet always injects into the muscle beside the tail bone far easier on man and beast. He said it was the same thing for an injection that requires into the muscle. Saves allot of fcuks ect.

greysides · 05-12-2015 12:56am

I wouldn't recommend injecting in the 'plate' for animals going to the factory shortly or for calves without enough muscle mass there to shield the sciatic nerve.

lab man · 05-12-2015 4:25am

If the scoop was 500 I'd have said fine but at 740 having second thoughts ... in the gibney type is there much to putting it on to the head gate. ..

angusangus · 05-12-2015 8:19am

lab man wrote: »

If the scoop was 500 I'd have said fine but at 740 having second thoughts ... in the gibney type is there much to putting it on to the head gate. ..

I got mine for 450 and is the u type scoop ! Simple lever type ! I was looking at the ratchet and steel rope type and taught it would be fine first year but after that rope could rust and ratchet stiff ! I don't have an indoor crush

Capercaillie · 05-12-2015 9:06am

Muckit wrote: »

l was wondering that. l use a halter when sculling or tagging. A quick release knot and pull if they are getting in trouble. The head scoop seems to totally go against the reason modern crush gates were designed with vertical bars.

l haven't used a white drench in years but if cattle were packed in tight with heads overhead l found them easy to them down along the crush, easier again now l hear with the dosing hook.

You are bet working at the front because you haven't the height - no step.

No room for saw and the beast can move head a small bit. Hard to pull veins as well. Vet got us to remove the scoop and worked away with head gate, halter made from sea rope, nose tongs and lad on tail. He was like a rocket going through them. Easier on man and beast.

Deepsouthwest · 05-12-2015 10:13am

Mad4simmental wrote: »

+1
I rarely inject into the neck anymore. Local vet always injects into the muscle beside the tail bone far easier on man and beast. He said it was the same thing for an injection that requires into the muscle. Saves allot of fcuks ect.

Rarely inject an animal in the muscle near the tail head, seems to be a v sensitive area, it's not uncommon to see the whole muscle there getting swollen especially after getting a shot of tylon.
A lazy man's injection site imo

Grueller · 05-12-2015 10:40am

Mad4simmental wrote: »

+1
I rarely inject into the neck anymore. Local vet always injects into the muscle beside the tail bone far easier on man and beast. He said it was the same thing for an injection that requires into the muscle. Saves allot of fcuks ect.

Vet here says neck is better cos if infection sets in at the site it can drain down away into the neck. She says she has seen whole hind quarters rot off with infection.

patsy_mccabe · 05-12-2015 11:14am

In fairness you can appreciate how the scoop would get in the way when skulling or looking for a neck vein. For both these, you have to pull the head to one side. Maybe the next generation of scoops will do this.
I'm a big fan of the head halter. You have full control too and you can tie the head in any direction. I wouldn't like to be doing 100 cows with it though. Very slow.

Mad4simmental · 05-12-2015 1:18pm

Better stop injecting them at the tail so. To be fair the day of skulling should be long gone. Once you have a scoop you'll never be with out just ask anyone that has one.

Deepsouthwest · 05-12-2015 1:52pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

In fairness you can appreciate how the scoop would get in the way when skulling or looking for a neck vein. For both these, you have to pull the head to one side. Maybe the next generation of scoops will do this.
I'm a big fan of the head halter. You have full control too and you can tie the head in any direction. I wouldn't like to be doing 100 cows with it though. Very slow.

No easier way of getting on a head halter than in a scoop though!

barnaman · 05-12-2015 2:03pm

greysides wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend injecting in the 'plate' for animals going to the factory shortly or for calves without enough muscle mass there to shield the sciatic nerve.

What is the "plate" on back, how far up? Where is the recommended/better area? On cert showed us both. With neck told try and inject on opposite side to where you TB test to avoid lumps etc. No mention at all of sciatic nerve but when you say it makes sense. Sorry taking off topic but good to know. Thanks.

Sculling on course by way seen as massive no no.

Muckit · 05-12-2015 2:29pm

All im wondering is can they be got for the side of a high chair? His snouth is too small for a halter to be effective!

boggerman1 · 05-12-2015 4:44pm

Best piece of equipment I have bought.i bought it about 4yrs ago at the ploughing from some guy from Ballinasloe.delivered to mid Tipp for about €370

greysides · 05-12-2015 8:24pm

barnaman wrote: »

What is the "plate" on back, how far up? Where is the recommended/better area?

The 'plate', as I know it, is the area on either side of the tail-head/sacrum on top.

Neck would be the recommended area for an IM injection.

Greengrass1 · 05-12-2015 10:02pm

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Rarely inject an animal in the muscle near the tail head, seems to be a v sensitive area, it's not uncommon to see the whole muscle there getting swollen especially after getting a shot of tylon.
A lazy man's injection site imo

Which muscle do you use to inject in? Muscle beside tail bone was what I was thought in college

Deepsouthwest · 05-12-2015 10:24pm

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Which muscle do you use to inject in? Muscle beside tail bone was what I was thought in college

Really, that's sounds crazy. Always high in the neck when it's intramuscular, cows, calves everything

barnaman · 05-12-2015 11:03pm

College show both seem to favour back if I recall corrctly. Less chance of injury to man and each to stick in needle first and then put in syringe. Cannot do that injecting on the neck.

greysides · 05-12-2015 11:16pm

patsy_mccabe · 07-10-2018 8:49pm

A true to life video at last.

https://www.donedeal.ie/otherfarmmachinery-for-sale/ko-headscoop/20022752

visatorro · 07-10-2018 9:09pm

patsy_mccabe wrote:

A true to life video at last.

She's never going into a crush again!!

tractorporn · 08-10-2018 9:47am

visatorro wrote:

She's never going into a crush again!!

I'd say the camera man was turned upside down 5 seconds after filming stopped

High bike · 08-10-2018 10:12am

Would have been great craic without the head scoop

ABitofsense · 06-04-2020 2:01pm

Sorry to be resurrecting an old thread but interested in peoples opinion.

I am about to put in a new Nugent Beef head gate and wondering is it worth the money to buy a head scoop and install it now while i'm at it. There is a huge difference in price too so what have people installed? Barretts one looks decent and i see recommended a bit

Sacrolyte · 06-04-2020 2:10pm

€ ?

ABitofsense · 06-04-2020 2:26pm

Sacrolyte wrote: »

€ ?

The barrett is ~500e & Nugent is ~600e. Just that if im doing the work on the crush now is it worth it a scoop

dohc turbo2 · 06-04-2020 2:31pm

ABitofsense wrote: »

Sorry to be resurrecting an old thread but interested in peoples opinion.

I am about to put in a new Nugent Beef head gate and wondering is it worth the money to buy a head scoop and install it now while i'm at it. There is a huge difference in price too so what have people installed? Barretts one looks decent and i see recommended a bit

I’m doing a new crush myself at the moment and it’s a nugent beef gate day m using too with head scoop it’s the iae scoop that comes with it ,

ABitofsense · 06-04-2020 4:12pm

When you say comes with it, does it attach directly to the gate? Would you recommend it?

john mayo 10 · 06-04-2020 4:46pm

ABitofsense wrote: »

Sorry to be resurrecting an old thread but interested in peoples opinion.

I am about to put in a new Nugent Beef head gate and wondering is it worth the money to buy a head scoop and install it now while i'm at it. There is a huge difference in price too so what have people installed? Barretts one looks decent and i see recommended a bit

We made our own one here. It's a great help for dosing, bolusing etc. It's far safer than trying to hold a beasts head. Don't worry about the cost. I installed a calving gate with headlock this year. Cost a few quid but I now regard it as the best money I have spent on the farm in years

zetor 4911 · 06-04-2020 5:54pm

john mayo 10 wrote: »

We made our own one here. It's a great help for dosing, bolusing etc. It's far safer than trying to hold a beasts head. Don't worry about the cost. I installed a calving gate with headlock this year. Cost a few quid but I now regard it as the best money I have spent on the farm in years

Maybe you could put up a picture of the one you made was thinking of doing the same.

tanko · 06-04-2020 6:23pm

john mayo 10 wrote: »

We made our own one here. It's a great help for dosing, bolusing etc. It's far safer than trying to hold a beasts head. Don't worry about the cost. I installed a calving gate with headlock this year. Cost a few quid but I now regard it as the best money I have spent on the farm in years

Very true.
Proper handling facilities are never expensive, do it once and do it right, you'll never regret it.
What price do you put on getting seriously injured or even worse.

dohc turbo2 · 06-04-2020 6:38pm

ABitofsense wrote: »

When you say comes with it, does it attach directly to the gate? Would you recommend it?

Sorry no this is the set up that the dealer I’m buying off has , it’s larry o Connor in Duagh I’m getting it off , it’s two brackets that bolts on the head scoop , nugent make the gate and the likes of condon and teemore put there own sticker on that particular gate . I’m only on the digging out part at moment but spent good bit looking at different gates and this one I like

john mayo 10 · 06-04-2020 6:43pm

zetor 4911 wrote: »

Maybe you could put up a picture of the one you made was thinking of doing the same.

I will take a few pictures later and upload them

john mayo 10 · 06-04-2020 7:24pm

Pic of head scoop

head scoops - feedback on yours

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