W and W chute and AI

[Mike]

Do you think it was because they went thru the chute again or just getting accustomed to the whole business of being moved or handled again?

I've always said the more you handle them, the better they handle. Being easy and quiet makes a world of difference too.

Not so with some of the eared cattle down here, though.

 

[Badlands]

Mike,

I don't REALLY know. We did the the thrid year he owned them as we were just completely frustrated by how they worked. It was more out of desperation than anything. I guess they would have been through the chute 4 times before, and we did this with them the 5th and 6th time we had worked them through the same corrals. After running them through after the 5th time, they worked easier the 6th time, then we ran them through after the 6th time. By the 7th time(which would actually have been the 9th if you count for the "extra" time after the 5th and 6th), they just cycled through.

So, I don't know. They were witches the first 5 times, then we made the dry run, worked them again the next fall for the 6th "working" through the chute and gave them another dry run.

Maybe it was just getting used to things, but what would have made it so "magic" after the 5th or 6th time that wasn't working after the 4th?

Maybe we are just justifying the extra couple hours, but I would sure try it again if I ended up with some sour cows.

Badlands

 

[rainie]

The way that our corrals are set up the cattle have to go through the chute to get to the hay when they are getting close to calving time.We've been doing this for about the last 20 years.They lounge around during the day in a separate area but have to go through the chute at night to get the hay. We started doing this years ago when we used to calve early, and still do it now because it makes it so much easier when we have to run them through for shots, AI, etc. They are always calm and cool when going through because they do it so often. We actually have to slow them down when processing instead of fighting them trying to put them through. Sure makes things a lot easier. 1st calf heifers are more leary the first couple of times but will run up ahead of the cows once they catch on to what is at the other end of the chute. We will force them through (the heifers) the first time. After that they are on their own. They are in a little catch pen behind the chute, they know where the grub is. I think it's better for the balky ones to go forward and backward in the chute on their own instead of being forced through. A little cow psychology here. Once they figure out on their own that nothing is going to hurt them they remember this and are better off in the long run,than having something forced on them. We also routinely run the calves or grassers through just prior to shipping. Usually about 3 times. They go through faster each time and are more relaxed each time. When the truck comes, loading them is a piece of cake.