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What calf table do you like?

C

cows101

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
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68
Location
ND
I need a new calf table I have rented a rup hydralic the last few years. I would like to buy one but it is $5000. is it worth it are do any of you have a better brand of chute?
 
Friends of ours just bought a hydraulic calf table and they are excited about it. Until they use it, I
don't know of anyone else that has one. They felt like they deserved it. It would be easier on them
to use as they are getting older, and they wouldn't have to depend on help.

Good luck!
 
How would a formost work with small calves. I calve the heifers through the barn when we get about 25-30 I want to work them and move em out to keep making room. Even the cow herd they start calving the 15 of april and the 15 of may they need to start going to grass. So all the calves are small when they get worked.
 
I always tell my dad that he can buy a lot of ropes and hire day workers cheaper than a buy a calf table! (Just kidding, I understand the reason behind a calf table) I've used a filsons, Priefert, and Powder Rivers. The Filson was by far the best suited for our needs. Im not a fan of the Priefert whatsoever, they seem to fall over, calves crawl out the top when you lay it over no matter how tight you squeeze them. Powder River needs to invest in a grinder and get rid of lots of sharp corners.
I don't know about handling little calves, we generally flank anything to small for the table so I can't say which handled them best.
If I was going to buy one today, I'd get a Filson.
 
I've used Powder River, Preifert, For-Most, and Big Valley. Big Valley is the one I prefer by a wide margin. The PR is a heavy bugger and the headgate doesn't hold small calves. Priefert had the bars too big on the side, as I recall, and I think it only had a one-sided headgate which I didn't fancy. For-Most was my least favorite because of the self-catching headgate. If a calf was pulling back, its front feet would make it hard to get the headgate open. Big Valley might not be perfect but all-around it caused me the least muttering under my breath.
 
James said:
I have a foremost and love it, even my stubborn son thinks it okay less help and just a family affair now.
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I understand the use of calf tables. I'm not here to knock them at all. But what James says here is why the ranching community is dying. Not the calf table or roping or all that, it's the line "just a family affair now." I know everyone has their own way of doing things and running their operations but when did it all start changing to where we didn't need our neighbors to help us. It seems like nowadays we keep to ourselves and do our own thing. BUT when someone in the community is sick or down on there luck we all jump int to help them. Why don't we help them or have them help us when everything is going good? Seems like a good time to strengthen our ties to our community. I just want to say that I'm not picking on James, or trying to make anyone mad just a thought and a question I guess. This probably won't look too good on this post either but not a fan of foremost. Powder River is OK but in my opinion if I have to use a table I like the Johnson.
 
Longrope I dont think we want to take ower neighbor away from there work we all have to much to do anymore.
I was thinking a johnson. Thanks for the link Jody. But there website says they closed the doors last year. So looked at a formost today not sold on it. So back to a hydralic rupp $5700. for a darn calf table. Thank everybody
 
My dad has a Foremost cradle and it works well, but I prefer the Rowse that I have to work smaller calves. Ive heard good things about the Rupp but I haven't been around one yet.

Here's a Rowse http://www.rowserakes.com/calf.html

I don't think there is a thing wrong with making branding a family affair, I'd rather rely on myself and family for help then neighbors who would rather stand around shoot the shirt and drink beer!
 
cows101 said:
Longrope I dont think we want to take ower neighbor away from there work we all have to much to do anymore.
I was thinking a johnson. Thanks for the link Jody. But there website says they closed the doors last year. So looked at a formost today not sold on it. So back to a hydralic rupp $5700. for a darn calf table. Thank everybody
Click to expand...


Place in town has manual Philson's I think those are around $1500 a friend of mine has a priefert and they like it I've never seen it in use as they do theirs in small bunches as why they bought it.
 
We have a Johnson and a Cow Country. They both work pretty good. I would say I like the cow country a little better just because I think the front and back gates are a little better. Those Johnson gates flip up over center and if you don't pay attention they can flop back over and hurt someone. Both good tables. I've been around a Thorson a little too and they seem to be alright. Don't get mad at me Powder River owners but i am not a fan of those.
 
4Diamond said:
Our outfit would just as soon run them thru a normal chute but that's just us.
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wE DON'T NUT ANYTHING HERE UNTIL FALL SO OUR REGULAR CHUTE WORKS FINE BY THEN JUST VACCINATEING BABIES THE CHUTE WORKS GREAT YOU CAN CROWD ABOUT TEN OF THEM IN THE CHUTE AND PALP CAGE THEN JUST DUMP THEM. i USED TO HELP THE NEIGHBORS BUT BULL SALE AND CORN PLANTING GETS IN THE WAY. lAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST i HAVE'NT HELPED AND ALSO THE FIRST WHERE OUR corn was planted on time.
Sorry about the capital letters I looked up and thought no way am I retypeing..
 

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