Calf puller

[AC Diesel]

I'm curious what type of puller everyone use's, homemade or manufactured?
I have one of the cheap farm store one's that's always worked but it's kind of a piece of crap! So I'm looking to upgrade, any and all advice would be appreciated and if you have some pic's that would be great!

 

[katrina]

Mine is homemade. It's prolly 40 years old and will never wear out. Just new cable and leather backstrap and you're golden. :hat:

 

[jodywy]

I'll have to get some picture of one that way over 70 years old , it a big square of boards with a hole in the middle . then 2 A frames on back side with a axle at the apex with a steel spoke wheel about a foot round. :shock: tie a rope to the calve chains and turn the wheel ...

 

[tamarack]

A older cow man showed me a trick once and it works great you tie the cow with halter to barn wall, and pass another rope through calf chains hooked to legs of calf to the other wall have the rope about chest high and fairly tight then all you have to do is lean on rope or stand on it pulls the calf down in the natural arch of being born and you can put as much pressure as needed have done it this way a few times and worked good easy on the rancher this way also

 

[gcreekrch]

A older cow man showed me a trick once and it works great you tie the cow with halter to barn wall, and pass another rope through calf chains hooked to legs of calf to the other wall have the rope about chest high and fairly tight then all you have to do is lean on rope or stand on it pulls the calf down in the natural arch of being born and you can put as much pressure as needed have done it this way a few times and worked good easy on the rancher this way also

I do that without haltering the cow. I put the chains on in the maternity chute and then let the cow into the barn alley. Takes a bit for them to settle down but it doesn't matter if they stand or lie down to pull. I can change posts if need be.

Only been chased once!!!

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

A older cow man showed me a trick once and it works great you tie the cow with halter to barn wall, and pass another rope through calf chains hooked to legs of calf to the other wall have the rope about chest high and fairly tight then all you have to do is lean on rope or stand on it pulls the calf down in the natural arch of being born and you can put as much pressure as needed have done it this way a few times and worked good easy on the rancher this way also

I do that without haltering the cow. I put the chains on in the maternity chute and then let the cow into the barn alley. Takes a bit for them to settle down but it doesn't matter if they stand or lie down to pull. I can change posts if need be.

Only been chased once!!!

So did you have the rope to the chains tied off and she pulled it herself?

 

[gcreekrch]

A older cow man showed me a trick once and it works great you tie the cow with halter to barn wall, and pass another rope through calf chains hooked to legs of calf to the other wall have the rope about chest high and fairly tight then all you have to do is lean on rope or stand on it pulls the calf down in the natural arch of being born and you can put as much pressure as needed have done it this way a few times and worked good easy on the rancher this way also

I do that without haltering the cow. I put the chains on in the maternity chute and then let the cow into the barn alley. Takes a bit for them to settle down but it doesn't matter if they stand or lie down to pull. I can change posts if need be.

Only been chased once!!!

So did you have the rope to the chains tied off and she pulled it herself?

I have a long enough rope to go around a post and back through the loop tied to the chain. Sometimes they lean into it hard enough to pull their own if they stay standing.

 

[George]

I have always kept some clean plastic baling twine under the seat of the pick-up. Tie the cow, two half hitches on each of the calves front legs first about as far up as I can reach and the other still above the ankle if at all possible, Wrap around a hammer handle ( always have a hammer in the truck ) if the cows lays down put your feet against her thighs and you can get real good leverage pulling on the hammer handle. If the cow remains standing you have great leverage down and back. I rarely have to use anything else and if I do I probably need help as well.

My son has a fancy set of pullers but I normally have the calf out before he can go get the puller!

 

[Bar M]

I use an old block and tackle outfit 12 feet of pulling distance. I hook it to the bottom of the alley way that way if she wants to lay down she can and I don't have to readjust or worry about the pole knocking me in the head. The only down fall is if you don't hang it back up and the rope gets tangled.

 

[porkchop]

I've got a puller from KC Stone Mfg in Kansas City. I've used it for years trouble free. I probably could have found cheaper but this one has never failed me when needed.

 

[randiliana]

Dr. Franks. They're pretty good ones.

 

[AC Diesel]

Thanks for the input everyone. It sounds like some of you have some really neat technique's, although I'm not sure how they would work in my barn. I've got an open front portable calving barn that I built out of irrigation pipe and it's only 16' deep. A mechanical puller work's well, I'd just like something a little better for the extra calving help this year.
I was thinking I could build something being's I have some down time from surgery and I can't sit around and watch anymore TV or I'll go nut's.

 

[Silver]

Soap has a pretty simple and practical home made puller he has shown on here before. Dr. Franks does make a good puller.
I'm quite surprised anyone on here is admitting to owning one as I was under the impression that everyone's calves were born hitting the ground running at 65 lbs :lol:

 

[George]

Soap has a pretty simple and practical home made puller he has shown on here before. Dr. Franks does make a good puller.
I'm quite surprised anyone on here is admitting to owning one as I was under the impression that everyone's calves were born hitting the ground running at 65 lbs :lol:

I bought my first cows of my own after returning from USMC in 1971 - - - My herd has been as large as 45 head and as small as 15 and other than twine and a hammer I have never owned a puller - - - I think the number of times I have had to call for assistance could be counted on one hand. I used to get called to a neighbors every spring to help him and most of the time I got the job done with twine and a hammer but most of the time the cow should not have been in a breeding herd to start with - - - if they have a pelvis that would have a hard time passing a small cat they should have gone to the feed lot!

I do not try to keep every heifer - - - they are like bulls only keep the best and many of your problems go away!

 

[AC Diesel]

I agree with you George, I've only had to pull a few myself and always a heifer. The problem is I have bought most of my cow's as bred heifer's and I bought some more this year. With their higher purchase price and higher calf prices I've been a little more nervous this year and most reputable breeder's try to select a quality critter.
But then again I didn't breed these so I'm just getting prepared :wink:

 

[Soapweed]

This was built by Sparky in 2010. It works very well.

Showing off our new Sparky-made calf puller

Built heck for stout

Quarter inch cable on a hand crank winch

It swivels, also.

 

[littlejoe]

Good one. I'll give my input, worth exactly what it costs.

I like a heavy strap with buckler off a harness in place of the rope--can adjust it.

The length is great! Some times you have to use a long ob chain or two straps, hook is a little longer from feet than you'd like, you don't want to run outa room.

More cable on winch than needed, this cable is soft, extra gets crushed, tangled up or screwed up.

Don' t need the winch--with it's mechanical advantage---to begin with---pullers are already one of the most abused/misused tools on a ranch. A piece of 1 1/2 inch pipe, run between two mounts you've torched outa some light plate, with a crank welded on the end is plenty. And you don't need the 'latch' on winch that keeps it from slacking off---sometimes--esp when pulling calves from cows that are tied to pickups, trees, posts, etc---you need to be able to slack off fast. Crisco in a stick---like sticks of butter, is super lube, plenty in a stick with some left over to throw away and not worry about cross contaminating.

Sparky's puller is good---everything I ever made, I change something next tme.

 

[AC Diesel]

Thank you very much Soapweed!
That is exactly what I am wanting to make, I hadn't thought of making it swivel though :wink:

 

[Soapweed]

Here are some more thoughts on pulling calves.

Let the heifer or cow decide whether or not to lay down. It is easier to get the chains attached and "assembled" while the critter is standing up. If the subject wants to lay down during the procedure, that is fine. We have one manufactured "calving pen" with swinging gate to encourage the cow into the headcatch. It works fairly well, except it can get a bit cramped for room when the cow lays down. Our old "home-made" preferred system in the other barn uses two twelve-foot parallel gates to get the cow into the headcatch. The beauty of this deal is that, once the cow has her head caught, you can open both gates completely. This gives you 180 degrees to work on the delivery, allowing the critter to easily lay down if she desires.

I like to use a 60 inch chain and put a loop above each ankle and a half hitch below, and then hook to the middle of what is remaining of the chain. This seems to be much easier on the calf's legs. On a backwards calf, we usually tie a knot in the middle of the chain. This takes up a little slack to make sure the puller is long enough to get the calf's nose completely out of the cow, before you run out of winching room. Once again, always make sure that a loop in the chain is not mistakenly over the top of the calf's tongue. On a backwards calf, just because the feet are upside down doesn't necessarily mean the calf is backwards. Always stick your arm up far enough to make sure you feel the calf's hind hocks. Otherwise it could be an abnormal delivery with the calf upside down, the front feet coming through, and the head down and back. In such a case, good luck.

 

[AC Diesel]

Thank's for the advice Soap. I've been very fortunate over the year's , I've never had too many wreck's, a few large calve's and the occasional backwards one.
I do really like the way you hook your chain's and that's what I've always tried to do to.