• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Dart Guns- friend or foe

Northern Rancher said:
I had one of those jouster lance deals when Shauna was packing one of the kids around I'd rope them and she'd do the treating-I never liked it all that much and leant it to a neighbor with instructions not to be real quick about returning it. The vet used his dart gun on one of our rodeo heifers-she was kind of in a bad spot to get a rope on her so we darted her and pulled the calf-she took about double the dose he'd thought she would need. I've worked on some outfits that use them and they are a good deal to treat big bulls especially. One time up in The Pas A big Simmy jumped in the river and snoozed off in midstream which didn't work so well but they are easier than stretching out big cattle especially in the bush.
Click to expand...

Why did you rope it if you had that lance deal?
 
We had some calves in a feedlot that used a dart gun to treat. I didn't talk to the guy much about it, but we were concerned that it might get the group riled up going in there and shooting the sick ones. What about accuracy? Can a person give the shot in the neck easily or not? We used a cross bow to give shots one summer and I was not impressed. I put more la-200 in the dirt than in the cattle.
 
I know guys that use them and swear by them. I believe that if you handle your cattle correctly you can doctor cattle with any method without stressing them out. I usually can walk through my cattle and rope whatever I need to doctor with out running them. Then I lay them down and get off and doctor them. When I am done they will usually lay there for a minute, then get up and stand there while I gather my things and ride off. If you are a poor shoot, such as myself, it is much more cost effective to manually give a shot.
 
Extreamly high maintence for mine. One of our farm supply stores is handling some of the equipment for the pistols. If everything is exactly right and one is not to close to the animal they work great. However I spend more time lookiing for the dart than anything else.
 
I still say the easiest and cheapest way is to breed away from the hoof problems- and the eye problems- and the respiratory problems...

Good bulls- good cows- with good feet- and eyes- and left on their own sort the problem ones out....

But if the name of your game is "bigger, better, faster-- and looking for "high numbers"- you better stock up on the dart guns and the Vet supplies !!!!!
 
Even the healthest heard has health issues. Whether it be fot rot, pinkeye, or just a wire cut. If you don't you either have a miniscual number of cattle or you just don't see them. Not picking a fight, just stating the facts. The best operators and best herds have to doctor something at some point.
 
Oldtimer said:
I still say the easiest and cheapest way is to breed away from the hoof problems- and the eye problems- and the respiratory problems...

Good bulls- good cows- with good feet- and eyes- and left on their own sort the problem ones out....

But if the name of your game is "bigger, better, faster-- and looking for "high numbers"- you better stock up on the dart guns and the Vet supplies !!!!!
Click to expand...


WOW its all in to bulls....or OT selection in his ai sires' wow

OT get a break in life
 
Oldtimer said:
I still say the easiest and cheapest way is to breed away from the hoof problems- and the eye problems- and the respiratory problems...

Good bulls- good cows- with good feet- and eyes- and left on their own sort the problem ones out....

But if the name of your game is "bigger, better, faster-- and looking for "high numbers"- you better stock up on the dart guns and the Vet supplies !!!!!
Click to expand...

:roll: :roll: :roll:
 
I had a neighbor dart one of my bulls in his pasture he did'nt want to rope it as the fence was all one wire electric. He got groggy and we loaded him in the trailer before he went down. I had to drag him out of the trailer with the tractor but it was pretty uneventful all the way around.They have their place I can see them as more dependable than a cowboy crew and alot quicker not as much fun though.I'm getting where I depend alot less on other people they are busy with their own projects than to be messing around with mine as is the same for me.
 
Oldtimer said:
I still say the easiest and cheapest way is to breed away from the hoof problems- and the eye problems- and the respiratory problems...

Good bulls- good cows- with good feet- and eyes- and left on their own sort the problem ones out....

But if the name of your game is "bigger, better, faster-- and looking for "high numbers"- you better stock up on the dart guns and the Vet supplies !!!!!
Click to expand...

I can see some of your logic but not all. High quality forage and mineral will do away with alot of problems. Some years it's just pinkeye season no real rime or reason. I've got a bull you'd call (Bigger Better Faster) bred to the type of cow's you would most likely like are making some whoping calves kind of a fire and ice mateing.
 
Hay Feeder said:
Oldtimer said:
I still say the easiest and cheapest way is to breed away from the hoof problems- and the eye problems- and the respiratory problems... Good bulls- good cows- with good feet- and eyes- and lefton theirown sort the problemonesout.... But if the nameof your game is "bigger, better, faster-- and looking for "high numbers"- you better stock upon the dart guns and the Vet supplies !!!!!
Click to expand...
WOW its all in to bulls....orOT selection in his ai sires' wowOT get a break in life
Click to expand...


Well if you don'tor don't want to understand that muchof those problems- especially the foot problems- can be corrected by genetics- than I can't help you...If cattle got bad feet- they are much more susceptible to hoof injuries and hoof rot.... And it won't matter how high the $B isor how big RE numbers are- if you have to spend all summer doctoring those cattle... Been there- done it...

And just to throw another fly in theointment- breeding for fly resistance has beenongoing for years-often using crossbreeding and coming up with breeds like Senepol...

Kit Pharo is now claiming that there are more fly resistant lines within the British breeds too- and is using that trait in his breeding guidelines..I don't know if he'son to somethingor not- but just like some angus cattle won't work in the south becauseof there hair qualities- I'm thinking he may be right and there could be lines that have better fly resistance...
 
Denny said:
Oldtimer said:
I still say the easiest and cheapest way is to breed away from the hoof problems- and the eye problems- and the respiratory problems... Good bulls- good cows- with good feet- and eyes- and lefton theirown sort the problemonesout.... But if the nameof your game is "bigger, better, faster-- and looking for "high numbers"- you better stock upon the dart guns and the Vet supplies !!!!!
Click to expand...

I can see someof your logic but not all. High quality forage and mineral will do away with alotof problems. Some years it's just pinkeye season no real rimeor reason. I've got a bull you'd call (Bigger Better Faster) bred to the typeof cow's you would most likely like are making some whoping calves kindof a fire and ice mateing.
Click to expand...

Yep-- and a guy will never get rid of all these problems...But you can alleviate a lot of the potential with the right genetics-- which seems to be something that was overlooked by many breeders for several past years with their chase for the highest numbers ...
Now as the problems of that period come forward- more are looking at the old basics of good feet- good udders- and cows that can take care of themselves...
 
Denny said:
I had a neighbor dart one of my bulls in his pasture he did'nt want to rope it as the fence was all one wire electric. He got groggy and we loaded him in the trailer before he went down. I had to drag him out of the trailer with the tractor but it was pretty uneventful all the way around.They have their place I can see them as more dependable than a cowboy crew and alot quicker not as much fun though.I'm getting where I depend alot less on other people they are busy with their own projects than to be messing around with mine as is the same for me.
Click to expand...

Yep, it's a pretty fast and easy way to load bulls if they don't want to cooperate, especially if you're working by yourself :D . I also use the tranq pistol in the fall to knock any calves down that need treatment. It never stirs the herd up, and it's an easy way for one person to treat an animal.

Once I get the panels set-up, I wake them up long enough for them to jump into the trailer.
Spring2009165.jpg
 
First time I used my dart gun I learned you gotta make sure they have enough drug in them before you get close, and that it has effected them. If they have an adrenaline rush, all bets are off.

My wife's horse vet mentioned a counter drug to xylazine, don't know anything else about it. I had a cow that was fine one day and limping badly the next. I put a dart in her this morning, had my kit ready to treat anything. As I got close I could hear clicking down in her pastern area. I knew there was nothing I could do, let her go down and made sure she was ok. Came back with the trailer later and loaded her up, still pretty drugged up. Shot her around 10am, she didn't fully come out of it until around 4pm. I used 2.25ccl of Xylazine. Will be calling the butcher shop in the morning, hopefully they can take her, it's only about 15 minutes away.
 
Ben H said:
First time I used my dart gun I learned you gotta make sure they have enough drug in them before you get close, and that it has effected them. If they have an adrenaline rush, all bets are off.
Click to expand...

I agree. Also, I believe there is a difference in drugs... the gold sealed "Quality" like Vedco brand works much better than the others.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top