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Calf Sled?

I have a sun tag one and swear by it has a loop to hook the calf's back leg into it and easy to dump calf out. I do need to modify it a bit as cows tend to step on the last 6" of it. The fact that you can hook the bak leg of the calf to the front with the calfs head to the back meant cow looks at calf instead at pilot. I don't have to drag many but with an aluminum shepherd's hook and this I don't have any issues getting a calf where I want.
 
We're using the sun tag - like the leg hold, skids better than the smaller version we had been using. Cow still manages to step on the back occasionally but it beats the alternative of chasing a mama that won't follow. I watched our son use it 3 times this afternoon while we were sorting to pens under the cameras :) :P It may sound stupid but those higher sides make me feel a bit braver - that will change when the first cows clears it :? knock on wood!
 
I would go with cage type to keep them from stepping on the little ones. I built one, in couple hrs out of old scrap, can get you a picture or two of it if you want, I don't like handling the slimy little bastards when I don't have too. I made gate on the back of mine ( nice to drag them in instead of lifting them) with cut up hog panel for sides so they can see them, wide and long enough not to tip on uneven ground and expansion metal on the bottom to let the goods out that they seem to get rid of while you are handling them. good luck with you purchase, not everything works for everyone that is why there are options, just my 2 cents and that is what it is worth. Brent.
PS only thing I would change is to make larger runners on the bottom like 2 inch muffler pipe would work well and not real heavy to drag.
 
thank's for the replies Battle T and S.S.A.P. i will pass on your comments to my neighbor,told him to just buy one and give us the reveiw :lol:
 
Sandhills boy said:
I would go with cage type to keep them from stepping on the little ones. I built one, in couple hrs out of old scrap, can get you a picture or two of it if you want, I don't like handling the slimy little bastards when I don't have too. I made gate on the back of mine ( nice to drag them in instead of lifting them) with cut up hog panel for sides so they can see them, wide and long enough not to tip on uneven ground and expansion metal on the bottom to let the goods out that they seem to get rid of while you are handling them. good luck with you purchase, not everything works for everyone that is why there are options, just my 2 cents and that is what it is worth. Brent.
PS only thing I would change is to make larger runners on the bottom like 2 inch muffler pipe would work well and not real heavy to drag.
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sound's like a well built sled, PIC'S would be most welcome
 
although i appreciate stuff home made out of steel and the scrap pile, I'm wondering that with these temp's( well,well below freezing on any scale) that a sled would be better made out of plastic/wood /rubber. as stated they are slimy wet little ba$$turds and could freeze to cold metal in second's creating a whole new set of problems.
 
We use a half of dog crate, twine to hook it to the 4 wheeler, and netting made for a atv to keep them from flopping out. Easy to pull on the snow, so so in the mud. On snow it's plenty easy to pull on foot if necessary. Easy to drag them in it and easy to dump out.
 
Nicky said:
We use a half of dog crate, twine to hook it to the 4 wheeler, and netting made for a atv to keep them from flopping out. Easy to pull on the snow, so so in the mud. On snow it's plenty easy to pull on foot if necessary. Easy to drag them in it and easy to dump out.
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Where can I buy half a dog crate? :wink: :lol: :lol:
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
Nicky said:
We use a half of dog crate, twine to hook it to the 4 wheeler, and netting made for a atv to keep them from flopping out. Easy to pull on the snow, so so in the mud. On snow it's plenty easy to pull on foot if necessary. Easy to drag them in it and easy to dump out.
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Where can I buy half a dog crate? :wink: :lol: :lol:
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When one breaks you have another one ready!
 
So far Soapweed has first place for the best answer. I liked the helpful comment about not making them out of metal so the slimey guys don't freeze down. Just an observation from a recovering winter calver.
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
Nicky said:
We use a half of dog crate, twine to hook it to the 4 wheeler, and netting made for a atv to keep them from flopping out. Easy to pull on the snow, so so in the mud. On snow it's plenty easy to pull on foot if necessary. Easy to drag them in it and easy to dump out.
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Where can I buy half a dog crate? :wink: :lol: :lol:
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Shouldn't have to buy one. Wouldn't that come gratis when you buy a half breed dog? :wink:
 
Good point, Soapweed!

Having been moving toward later calving, with a step backward for this spring due to others owning the heifers at breeding time, I understand it well! Maybe you are far enough 'south' not to share our experiences with even 'later' calving. We are too fearful of hot weather in June to go much later than our current 'end of May/end of calving' goal.

With a BIG "however" on this 122 year old ranch, April and May blizzards have caused us the biggest cattle losses, usually newborn calves, but not limited to those! A late spring blizzard not many years ago killed LOTS of yearling steers, turned out on pasture, they went into creeks full of water and snow, which normally would have been the best sheltered of pastures.

Those spring blizzards with wet, heavy snow can also 'stall out' everything from the shod horses to the tractor and pickups. Horses don't walk well on six inch 'stilts' of snow!

Good luck to all, especially fir the ingenuity demonstrated in some of the home made contraptions!

mrj

We do have some of the black sleds mentioned, and they have been used on rare occasions.
 
I am a late calver by some standards I start the 10th of April and no matter how nice the weather is it seems a sled always comes in handy. To be honest the sun tags sled looks slicker then snot in fact I showed Mrs. Bar M the link and before I knew it she had one ordered.
We do also have a cage that is ATV mounted and don't get me wrong I wouldn't be with out it but there are just times when a sled would work better and having used other sleds and calf carriers. I like the idea of not having to lift the baby into the sled. Sure makes for a long mourning when you are covered in calf slime.
 
jodywy said:
Justin said:
Soapweed said:
If we'd just learn to calve in April and May, no sled would be needed. :wink:
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:wink: :D
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I seen winter snow cover clear thru May here a couple years ago, !st of June still had snow on the north side of buildings and stackyards
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we've seen snow here in May as well. not saying you wouldn't have to still use your calf sled, just saying you probably won't wear it out. :)
 
JF Ranch said:
For many years we've used a home built sled to move a newborn calf, with the anxious mother trotting along behind. It has worked well either attached to a saddle horn or behind a 4-wheeler.

Unfortunately the years have taken it's toll on it. It has been upset, bent up and broken up so many times, it is hardly worth fixing again.

I did a quick search and found a couple available but am not sure what to think of either of them:

1. Koehn Kozy Kalf Sled http://www.koehnmarketing.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=57

2. Sun-Tag Sled http://www.suntagsled.com/

Has anyone used either of these? Or do you know of any others that work well for you?
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Did you ever find a calf sled?
 
C Thompson said:
So far Soapweed has first place for the best answer. I liked the helpful comment about not making them out of metal so the slimey guys don't freeze down. Just an observation from a recovering winter calver.
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Friends don't let their friends calve in the winter.
 

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