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Barnyard Buddies:  This mornings adventure (a cow story, part II)...  |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 10:43:07 AM
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Oh, girls, it was an adventurous and hectic morning on the ranch. We discovered a new baby bull calf yesterday and decided he'd be our first attempt at castration by banding, similar to the method used with goats. To make a long story short, it wasn't much fun for any of us! Momma cow was "having a cow" (of course), baby boy was bawling his head off with good reason, boyfriend was using every ounce of his strength to hold the little fellow still, and I was searching for those two little walnuts that didn't know if they wanted to come down or stay up. Well, the castrator ring is in place now and we are hoping we did a good job and will be successful. I've done my research and believe this to be a relatively humane way go about it if done early and done well. It's also more practical for us since we don't have a squeeze chute just yet. In the meantime, I'm trying to get the dirt out from my fingernails and clean up enough to head to the office for work. My fingers are crossed that the little guy will be okay...
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
Edited by - Sarah Blue on Apr 24 2007 7:13:51 PM |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 10:51:35 AM
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I sure hope he'll be o.k... someone I know lost a horse to ..well..not doing the procedure properly..and ..sad to say the little guy bled to death..so I really hope that with your little guy that you have success and nothing bad at all.
good luck.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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Love-in-a-Mist
True Blue Farmgirl
367 Posts
Shannon
Independence
Oregon
USA
367 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 1:46:20 PM
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I'm not sure how you did it, but on our farm we put them in the round pen with a rope around the neck and tie it to a panel, lie them on their side and tie another rope around their hind legs streching them out, but not so it is painful and tie the hind feet to another panel. This way they can not fight as much and you can be sure to get all of the testicles. Someone can hold the front legs too, if they have to. It doesn't take long either. As long as you could feel both testicles in there, everything should be just fine.
Your not supposed to do horses this way.
http://love-in-a-mist-shannon.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 2:01:31 PM
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Sarah-
I have seen banding "guns" before that help put the bands on- did you use one of those?
Alee |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 8:50:01 PM
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Yes, we used a banding tool. The calf seems fine and momma is being extra vigilant keeping an eye on him. He's so young we didn't think he'd need to be tied, but even yesterday we noticed how big, strong and coordinated he is. There are four methods of castration for cattle that I know of and there are advantages and disadvantages to each way. All methods are stressful to the animal and involve varying degrees of initial and longer term pain. The best article I've read about it was published by the American Veterinary Medical Association and is titled "Welfare Implications of Castration of Cattle." The Cattle Today forum is also excellent and provided me with a lot of information from more experienced ranchers. It's just unnerving trying something so dramatic for the first time and not having other instances to compare it to. I think it went well though. The bottom line is that castration is stressful no matter what and I want to learn how to minimize that as much as possible.
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4274 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4274 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 04:36:35 AM
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| Sarah, I band our bull calves. I like that method the best. But you have to count to 2. Ha I missed one last year-but we are butchering him for ourselves. It happens. I have one of my boys help me hold the calf, I prefer to have them standing, but that is up to you and what works best. I do know that cattle auction barns do not like the banding method, cause too many get come in with a nut. You just have to make sure you do the job right. good luck and it will get easier. Michele |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 07:50:01 AM
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Thank you, Michele  I just needed a little encouragement. I guess I should have put in his eartag at the same time but I just wanted to let him go back to his mom and be done with it. I haven't put in ear tags before either and I'm not really looking forward to it. I definitely got two below the band. Can I ask at what age you band your bull calves and any tips for holding them steady in a standing position (tail twist)?
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 09:12:56 AM
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Hi Sarah-
I remember helping out with branding calves at my hometown vet office in the summers. The first time I helped I remember being surprised at how strong those little guys are, even when they are pretty new!
Alee
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 5:12:38 PM
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I have banded goats and sheep but no calves yet. That is the method I use. You are smart to do it early...I think as soon as you can be sure the testicles have both dropped it is fine. I always have done my kids and lambs at about 2 or 3 weeks old.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4274 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4274 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 7:09:03 PM
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| Sarah-I do it around a week old more or less. I also tag at the same time. Ouch! But I figure my ears are prieced, so I know what they are going though! One of my boys get a hold of the calf around the head, and behind the front legs. (if you can picture this!) I go to work between the back legs. My dad always had the calf laying down, I just found this easier with them standing. I have the bander opened up, slip it into postion, making sure I have 2, let it close, check again, several times,then slip the band off. As far as tagging, make sure you put the tag between the veins in the ear, squeeze the tool, and you can hear it click, (or whatever you want to call it), and slip the tool off. Then off they go to their momma. The more you do it the easier it is. I have one to do this weekend, and one later in the week. I have a heifer to freshen yet, but she is not bagging much. You can do it!!! Michele |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2007 : 05:51:03 AM
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Oh my Goodness!
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2007 : 10:57:01 AM
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Thank you for the tips. I used to just be the ranch hand, now I'm the ranch boss and needless to say I'm still working on getting the hang of doing all these things myself. I'm gonna go see how everyone is doing out there. I'll take my camera and if I get a picture of the little steer to be, I'll post it for you. He's adorable.
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2007 : 11:43:58 AM
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Both are doing fine but don't want much to do with me right now! Here he is -
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2007 : 12:03:10 PM
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Sarah-
He sure is cute! It's amazing how big they get so fast isn't it?
Alee |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4274 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4274 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2007 : 04:29:55 AM
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| Sarah-he is so cute! Michele |
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Sarah Blue
True Blue Farmgirl
172 Posts
Sierra Mountains
California
USA
172 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2007 : 7:21:33 PM
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Another bull calf was born today For some reason we seem to get way more bulls than heifers, but that's another story. This little guy is all red and quite a bit smaller than the last. Momma got distracted and went for a drink of water, which allowed us to Shanghai the little fellow into the barn without her even noticing. Boyfriend just scooped him up and the calf was so fresh he hardly protested at all. I had an easy time banding him because both testicles were easy to find compared to the first calf. And guess what? I ear tagged him too! He hardly flinched and there was no blood at all  I'm very proud and feel we had a productive, good day. (All the big cows got wormed. That didn't go quite as smoothly, but it's done!)
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2007 : 7:56:35 PM
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Yay! Awesome job Sarah! It sounds like you had an efficient day and I bet the calf already forgot about what you two did!
Alee |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4274 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4274 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2007 : 04:32:13 AM
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| Sarah-sounds like it sure was easier the second time. Good for you. We don't have a squeeze chute yet either. But we did build a real nice corral, on my dad's place, where we summer pasture. We worm, pour on, and vacinate when we put them up on pasture. It is a square corral, made of gates, but we have a chute, with gates on the inside on two sides, so we send them through there and they get their shots. Works anyways. Also when vacinating, I use disposable needles. I used to try to reuse the needles a couple of times, but it just works better to use a different one on each cow. They dull fast. The cows get a 9 way and the calves a 7way shot, or it may be the other way around. A few years ago we had some problems with calving,afterbirth coming out with the calf, or ahead of, and of course the calf was dead. Vacinating has cured that and does not cost much. Michele |
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Barnyard Buddies: This mornings adventure (a cow story, part II)... |
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This mornings adventure (a cow story, part II)...
