maternity pen, head catch

[littlejoe]

After 40 yrs of tieing cows to posts and pickup trucks with lariats, occasionally putting them in squeeze chute, I broke down and bought a maternity pen, with nice pearson headcatch.

A vet---actually dr mortimer, who teaches vets in colo===told me cows can push harder if they're laying down. Usually with a rope, they end up going down---generally on their side, or you could tail them over. With the squeeze chute, I'd stick a pipe under their bag area and that and the taper of the chute would pretty much keep them on their feet.

I like this maternity pen and head catch---about 5 1/2' tall, framed outa oil field tubing and quite well built. Every side of it is a gate.

But---I've pulled calves outa 2 yr olds in it in last few days---they tend to go straight down, on their bellys, hind legs tucked under them. A hell of a position to try to get a calf out of them. Pulled another just now---saw she was gonna go down, opened up the side of pen and released the split gate on the inside. Had the boss lady pull both latches on the head catch---let it open either way. And damned is she still didn't end up in screwed up position, hind legs tucked under. Biggest heifer I got---probably 1200# plus---and I just ain't horse enuf anymore to roll her over. Had the calf out about 2/3, was able to get it rest of the way---I'm ignorant about what I'm doing wrong---and would appreciate some input---Thanks~~ :???:

 

[jodywy]

 Those self locking feed station that dairies use, when the cow puts her head down to eat. Neighbor that has a herd of Charolais . He built one of those self locking head catch only up side down. Those cows got their head down when he put them in a pen. They always stick their head thru the hole lift their head and they are caught.

 

[ranch77rocket]

When I'm pulling a first calf heifers calf, I put a rope halter on the heifer after she's caught in the head catch. Tie the end of the rope to something with a slip knot and after you get everything ready open the head catch and let her back up. Then start pulling. If she goes down it's easy to roll her on her side, plus a quick jerk on the end of the rope and her head is free too.

 

[cure]

I have one of the power rivers version that is a a 10 by10 corral I get them locked in and hook up the chains then turn the cows head loose and start to pulling. Works pretty good because the corral is small enough that I am not chasing her around once loose and as they are going down I just pull to one side and use their momentum to put them one their side.

 

[gcreekrch]

I have one of the power rivers version that is a a 10 by10 corral I get them locked in and hook up the chains then turn the cows head loose and start to pulling. Works pretty good because the corral is small enough that I am not chasing her around once loose and as they are going down I just pull to one side and use their momentum to put them one their side.

I do the same thing only use about 30 ft. of braided poly rope. Turn them loose in the barn alley and dally to a post. Most of them will pull their own calf standing up. Last year was good, 70 heifers and I touched 2 of them.