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calf tables

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LCP

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We're in the market for a calf table. Been borrowing the neighbors for too long, and I think we run more through their chute than they do :) Theirs is a Big Valley, seems to work pretty well, but I know there are many others on the market. What have you used, did you like it, and what are some important features to look for? We run about 400 through each spring. No brands, just shots and castrating.

This is not intended to debate the merits of tables vs farmer flopping vs roping and dragging. I know that discussion has already taken place. The table works best for our situation, please don't try to convince me otherwise :)
 
I have been around two brands of tables. One is the for-most other is a filson. The for-most has an auto catch headgate everyone has their own oppinion on that. With that headgate they do come out of the chute well when your done with them. It only tips one way, but you can switch the headgate and the tailgate if you prefer calves facing the other way. The filson has a manual headgate. It also has two big rings on each end that roll on rollers and makes it very easy to tip, and it can also go both ways. The for-most you can get in closer to do your work when tiped on its side. I think the filson would handle bigger calves better as far as tipping goes. I don't know the cost of each, but I think if I were to get a new one I would get a for-most for the way we work our calves. I have an older filson right now.
 
I use a Calf Roper made in Canada and I'm not sure if they are sold in the US. My brother in law has a Foremost that he likes but I do 400 calves and he used to do 40.
 
37355836

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1407&dat=19470703&id=-MNkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=joYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=666,1452882

http://www.flickr.com/photos/karbon/37355836/
don't have one, have a priefert , but a johnson works great no bars to move just a couple metal loops over the calf
 
The only one I have ever been around was a Powder River. It worked ok, as long as you remembered where all the levers were when you went to tip it. :oops: Don't ask. It worked for both sides if you swapped the head gate. Manual head catch and it was 30 years ago.
 
This design works pretty well.

http://cmsms.cowcountry.net/index.php?page=calf-tables
 
I have a cow country shute and it serves us well. It clamps the calf down well still gives us excellent access to the calf so we can do our work quickly. I like the powder river shute to and the formost chute looks good to. The ally leading up to the table is impotant to. It should seperate calves and head them straight into the table without any holdups. Mel
 
vidio of a Johnson Table have to get to arounf 1:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zch0cek1E&feature=related
like the easy to use tail gate so calf don't back up when done
 
Formost. Holds week old calves to 3 month old calves with ease. We give shots, brand, band, tag, implant. Has a shield to put on headgate to help hold head. I know the guys that are pushing calves are alot happier by the end of the day since we got it, and have a couple friends that have brought there calves to my place to work because of it.
 
We have a for-most did use a powder river table that flipped a lot of calves in it's day. Really like the for-most nice heavy table go from small calves to 500lb calves.
 
Traveler said:
This design works pretty well.

http://cmsms.cowcountry.net/index.php?page=calf-tables
Click to expand...
a updated johnson table, seen a chain and hook(modified and added) also used, like on my Priefert to hold the top leg when you have a bull calf to cut
 
We're going to give the For-Most a try tomorrow on 150 hd. I fooled around with it a little today. I usually stand facing the calf's belly to castrate, looks like I might need to stand facing his back with the for-most. Looks like a long ways to lean over to reach them otherwise. That is the part I noticed about the cow country or johnson tables, you don't really have a choice - you have to stand facing their back. Might just be something I need to get used to I guess.

Thanks for all the input.
 
We have a formost and just band them standing up, maybe a dumb question but why do people flip them?
 
It is a little bit of a lean with the for-most I stand behind the table to get some things done but you can get colored green by the end of the day doing that. :) How big are the calves you working? Some of the bigger calves you don't need to lean as far over than on the smaller ones from my experience.
 
Used a Powder River calf table all my life here. Good chute, but if I was buying a new one today I would probably go with the For-Most. Old Johnson chute works good to if the calve are all about the right size. No experience with any other brands of chutes.
 
my Preifert , My wife stands at the bottom , she dose shots in the neck ,I will dehorn if needed, and bulls I'll hook and chain up the top leg she cut with a knife then pulls with a all in one tool. I brand from the top, then put bars back in , she put her leg behind to make the calf go forward when I turn it lose. We use ours off the ally way with the preg cage door to swing shut on the ally a panel on the tip side back.
 
Well the for-most got the job done for us today but I cant say I'm sold on it. Not all that impressed with the self-catch head gate. I think I prefer a manual catch. I did like the drop gate behind though. Going to look for a Johnson or cow country chute to try on the next bunch.
 
Can't say I blame you on the headgate. It seems that you love them or hate them. It does seem like you have to push every calf in to catch themselves.
 

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