Using side exit to get calf on cow

[PPRM]

http://s16.photobucket.com/user/PPRM/media/Nursing%20cow%20in%20chute.jpg.html

A calving pen is ideal. However, a squeeze chute is all I have for this. I used to drop kick panels to access a cows udder for the calf. There can be several issues doing that. The bar above the kick panels may be too low for taller calves. The kick panels may not be removable on some chutes.

A few years ago, I decided to "Tie a cow" into the chute and use a side exit. I ran the rope behind the cow and along her side. By Myself, I tie it off. I then open the side exit and run the calf up along the cows belly towards the udder.

I like this for several reasons.. The Side exit creates a V that helps guide the calf back. It is also pretty open. I've found the calfs nose running along the belly seems to stimulate it more naturally to nursing.

The downside is it isn't without risk and you have less between you and the cow. I have been around ropes enough to get by pretty well though.

 

[PPRM]

I'll danged if I can figure out the picture deal.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I usually use the maternity pen but have used the bottom half gate on my chute when the cow doesn't handle easily to recatch in the Mat pen.

I didn't do it right the first time either. Left click the "Image" to copy at the right of pic on Photobucket.Then paste it on your post,I think

 

[PPRM]

 

[PPRM]

LOL, OK then... An old picture and one of my favorites

 

[George]

I had never thought of that - - - I can see merit !

 

[burnt]

Our chute has a split-level door on the side. Swing the bottom half open and have at it. The side gates are hinged at the back end of the crate. Even the cow's ability to kick out the side is very limited if you adjust the sides in tighter.

And yes, I do have to use it once or twice a year... :-(

 

[Soapweed]

If a calf hasn't sucked after three or four hours, we drench it with powdered colostrum. They usually figure out how to suck their mother when they get hungry the second time. If we have to help a calf suck, the cow is put in the calf pulling pen with her head in the head catch. We first try by just getting the calf into the proper position and putting the teat in its mouth. If the cow doesn't cooperate, one of her hind legs is tied back. We only help a calf suck on rare occasions. A cow doesn't get a second chance. Any habitual cow criminal gets a free ride to town so that the problem doesn't happen with her again.

When I was a youngster, we helped lots of calves suck. Dad's registered Herefords had horns, so we had to rope them and tie them to posts in the corral, and then tie a foot back. It wasn't fun, and even back then it seemed like there had to be a better way. Rigid culling is the ultimate solution.

 

[PPRM]

If a calf hasn't sucked after three or four hours, we drench it with powdered colostrum. They usually figure out how to suck their mother when they get hungry the second time. If we have to help a calf suck, the cow is put in the calf pulling pen with her head in the head catch. We first try by just getting the calf into the proper position and putting the teat in its mouth. If the cow doesn't cooperate, one of her hind legs is tied back. We only help a calf suck on rare occasions. A cow doesn't get a second chance. Any habitual cow criminal gets a free ride to town so that the problem doesn't happen with her again.

When I was a youngster, we helped lots of calves suck. Dad's registered Herefords had horns, so we had to rope them and tie them to posts in the corral, and then tie a foot back. It wasn't fun, and even back then it seemed like there had to be a better way. Rigid culling is the ultimate solution.

I agree. This specific cow is an older one we never had problems with. Her calf got a horrible case of scours. I travel with my fulltime job and the wife ended up taking the calf to the vets. It was there for several days. When it got back, it smelled like vet clinic and she wasn't sure she wanted it.

We ran her in to get her smell into him. We hobbled her to take care of the kicking issue. I used a sedative on her (pretty strong, take 1/2 cc IM to sedate the cow) so she'd not fight and certainly let the milk down. the calf was a few weeks old when he came down with this.

I prefer maternity pens with split gates as well. I've sold likely close to a fifty in the last ten years. Nothing like wishing you had one to make you a better salesman.

I have held off buying one as it is something I would use about once every two or three years. We have fewer than a hundred bred cows and just don't find ourselves pulling calves. I travel with work so am pretty picky on my bull purchases. We also have the vets do a pelvic exam when Bangs vaccinating heifer we think we want. It has helped us cull out potential problems in our replacements to the tune of I can't remember a vet saying, "Don't keep this one, she's got a pretty small pelvic opening" except once in the last 4 years. So, I've learned to use this chute in ways to save that purchase for things I would actually use a lot more.

This is actually the first case of scours I can remember in I don't know how many years. The small group I calve in January, it's usually cold. This year, it rained a ton and the ditches filled and overflowed in our calving pasture. It created ice areas that significantly kept the cows off 2/3rds of the pasture as they wouldn't walk over the ice. I can deal with cold when calving. Well, I had to leave town and it warmed up to about 36 degrees and rained. We had three calves come down with scours. I basically moved everything to a cleaner pasture (Not as ideal as there are fewer trees for shelter). Scours has cleared up on all but this one calf. He seems to be my weak relapse... Actually headed back out to see what I can do again. We try to get these calve sup 4-5 times a day. I'm not a big fan of two "Large milk meals" a day on these little guys...

 

[Faster horses]

Try giving him a probiotic if you haven't already, PPRM. Probiotics work wonders and are often over looked.
Good luck with him!

 

[PPRM]

Try giving him a probiotic if you haven't already, PPRM. Probiotics work wonders and are often over looked.
Good luck with him!

Absolutely doing this. 2 of the 3 calves are out running in the pasture. This guy just can't seem to get over. The night I took the picture I was pretty hopeful. He just can't seem to get strong now.

 

[Faster horses]

We used to be able to get a product called 'etherated camphorated oil' that would bring anything around, even bring a lamb with a cold mouth back to life. Sadly, you can't get it any more. It sure saved a lot of calves for us. It is a stimulant and and expectorant.
We gave 5 ccs in the muscle and in no time you could smell it on the calf's breath....and soon they would be up....used it on a horse that fell in the river and got water in his lungs. He never took a bad breath after that. It was amazing stuff. Dr. Wilson in Sheridan, Wy told us about it many, many moons ago. We could get it out of Canada for awhile, but it's been banned there as well.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

If a calf hasn't sucked after three or four hours, we drench it with powdered colostrum. They usually figure out how to suck their mother when they get hungry the second time. If we have to help a calf suck, the cow is put in the calf pulling pen with her head in the head catch. We first try by just getting the calf into the proper position and putting the teat in its mouth. If the cow doesn't cooperate, one of her hind legs is tied back. We only help a calf suck on rare occasions. A cow doesn't get a second chance. Any habitual cow criminal gets a free ride to town so that the problem doesn't happen with her again.

When I was a youngster, we helped lots of calves suck. Dad's registered Herefords had horns, so we had to rope them and tie them to posts in the corral, and then tie a foot back. It wasn't fun, and even back then it seemed like there had to be a better way. Rigid culling is the ultimate solution.

Rigid Culling

You pretty much culled the RWF out of the herd.

 

[PPRM]

We used to be able to get a product called 'etherated camphorated oil' that would bring anything around, even bring a lamb with a cold mouth back to life. Sadly, you can't get it any more. It sure saved a lot of calves for us. It is a stimulant and and expectorant.
We gave 5 ccs in the muscle and in no time you could smell it on the calf's breath....and soon they would be up....used it on a horse that fell in the river and got water in his lungs. He never took a bad breath after that. It was amazing stuff. Dr. Wilson in Sheridan, Wy told us about it many, many moons ago. We could get it out of Canada for awhile, but it's been banned there as well.

Sometimes it feels like we are doing to good with this calf. I seriously went out once on Monday and he was laid out, that glossied over look to his eye... I started rubbing his neck and I swear he came back to life. The vets gave us a amber colored product that is 5 cc IM... They label it as stimulant as well.

 

[Soapweed]

If a calf hasn't sucked after three or four hours, we drench it with powdered colostrum. They usually figure out how to suck their mother when they get hungry the second time. If we have to help a calf suck, the cow is put in the calf pulling pen with her head in the head catch. We first try by just getting the calf into the proper position and putting the teat in its mouth. If the cow doesn't cooperate, one of her hind legs is tied back. We only help a calf suck on rare occasions. A cow doesn't get a second chance. Any habitual cow criminal gets a free ride to town so that the problem doesn't happen with her again.

When I was a youngster, we helped lots of calves suck. Dad's registered Herefords had horns, so we had to rope them and tie them to posts in the corral, and then tie a foot back. It wasn't fun, and even back then it seemed like there had to be a better way. Rigid culling is the ultimate solution.

Rigid Culling

You pretty much culled the RWF out of the herd.

Shhhh........You might get us both in trouble. :wink:

 

[Faster horses]

We used to be able to get a product called 'etherated camphorated oil' that would bring anything around, even bring a lamb with a cold mouth back to life. Sadly, you can't get it any more. It sure saved a lot of calves for us. It is a stimulant and and expectorant.
We gave 5 ccs in the muscle and in no time you could smell it on the calf's breath....and soon they would be up....used it on a horse that fell in the river and got water in his lungs. He never took a bad breath after that. It was amazing stuff. Dr. Wilson in Sheridan, Wy told us about it many, many moons ago. We could get it out of Canada for awhile, but it's been banned there as well.

Sometimes it feels like we are doing to good with this calf. I seriously went out once on Monday and he was laid out, that glossied over look to his eye... I started rubbing his neck and I swear he came back to life. The vets gave us a amber colored product that is 5 cc IM... They label it as stimulant as well.

Oh good. I hope it works. Let us know.