- Location
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
I don't have one Galloway cow in my herd like that. Not one
This farming life
- Thread starter Gedd
- Start date
Knew him through UKBA, a forerunner of all the web forums I guess.
Top chap all round. Didn't he win an award recently??
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
no idea , shame he didn’t contribute here .
livestock 1
Member
The memories of Galloway cows I have were not fond. We used to have byre fulls of them all tied up all around the place and I used to muck them out as a kid with a shovel. Every time you scraped the shovel up the byre grip they would hoof the shovel out of your hands. I can still feel my fingers ringing now. We fed them with little bales of hay and they would stand crossways when you approached them in the stall then kick your shins when you tried to squeeze past
Stw88
Member
- Location
- Northumberland
You musnt have talked to them nicely.
livestock 1
Member
They had the bad tempered look in their eyeYou musnt have talked to them nicely.
Willie adie
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
The whole episode with the bull was exactly what the vegan and animal rights brigade will love,
The bull being wound up on the halter, the stress the bull displayed at the mart, suggesting the mart had something to do with it when it was the owners failings,
And the two of them brandishing alkathene pipe, we all know that is banned, not the finest hour of TV for farming life,
That programme does so much to build bridges and help the industry, a few minutes focusing on that can undo a whole series work
The bull being wound up on the halter, the stress the bull displayed at the mart, suggesting the mart had something to do with it when it was the owners failings,
And the two of them brandishing alkathene pipe, we all know that is banned, not the finest hour of TV for farming life,
That programme does so much to build bridges and help the industry, a few minutes focusing on that can undo a whole series work
ollie989898
Member
I would never class myself as an expert cattle handler but I like to think I know the bulk of the 'what not to do' rules. I believe a length of pipe, a stick or whatever however is near essential on safety grounds as if you raise it and cattle see it they tend to take notice and it might preserve someone's life or limb.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Try blood sampling the buggers in a byre. Ideal job for the new vet
Willie adie
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
A length of Hazel is the preferred weapon of choice!
And a stick is necessity, but alkathene pipe is banned in marts, and abattoirs
- Location
- South Molton
Why Hazel?
- Location
- sw scotland
Alkathene is allowed on farms again. It is all about how you use it. It should be used to guide or poke the beast and it doesn't break like a stick if you are in real danger.
I see drovers and lorry drivers with sticks who just can't help themselves hitting every beast that goes past. Just let it walk round the ring.
I see drovers and lorry drivers with sticks who just can't help themselves hitting every beast that goes past. Just let it walk round the ring.
ollie989898
Member
I agree, for all the times I have seen a sitck or pipe (I see absolutely no difference as they both probably cause a similar level of pain if used improperly) used, the vast majority of the time it is a tap/poke or a rub on the back/hind quarters. Thrashing an animal, in my limited view, would be a good way to get them to panic?
Willie adie
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
The key to droving is knowing when to just stand, and wait, and a poke is far more effective than a lash with a stick.
I learned from a 7 drovers how to use your body, voice and stick to send an animal where you want,
And I learned from far more how not to
I learned from a 7 drovers how to use your body, voice and stick to send an animal where you want,
And I learned from far more how not to
primmiemoo
Member
- Location
- Devon
I was taught to use a stick to make a noise that would guide the animal. A dap against a rail, bush, gate, wellington boot, whatever. In the same way you might carry a whip when riding to dap against your boot, but not use it on the horse's body.
muleman
Member
Blue pipe has magical properties.. a few years ago i remember going into a shed at lambing time that was my fathers department for adopting lambs onto ewes.
There was a ewe penned up that wasnt too fond of her lambs, as soon as i touched the blue pipe it let the lambs suck , you didnt have to lift the pipe up or do anything with it....just touch the pipe!
There was a ewe penned up that wasnt too fond of her lambs, as soon as i touched the blue pipe it let the lambs suck , you didnt have to lift the pipe up or do anything with it....just touch the pipe!
- Location
- North Yorkshire
It sounds a bit like that ewe had already been shown the magical properties of that length of alkathine before you got there!
It's a zen thing mate.
I've got masses of em, and most are as dopey as can be a lot of the time.
(gave up byres decades since mind)
On sticks....
You can handle cattle perfectly well without one, as several very pro drovers now do.
Equally, I rarely get in the crush pen, or go to sort cattle without one.
You use them firstly to prod a nose to turn it, or to make a noise as said.
It's 2nd nature to touch it to an animal who mightn't have seen you, as you speak, to let her know where you are....the kick is less likely to connect if you shock her.
And when something really needs telling - I endeavour to never let a beast barge past me instead of proceeding, to avoid them learning bad habits - or when something starts to get fruity... a smart rap on the snout releases endorphins, or whatever it does, and changes their attitude toot sweet.
If a beast gets nasty.....you're either gonna jump out the way, or educate it. And a soft word seldom does much by then.
For those who don't know it. A poly pipe makes a louder thwack against a legging or such, and indeed, is unlikely to snap.
However, a seasoned hazel stick of a suitable diameter will ....er...focus the attention of a beast far more when the chips are down.
At the end of the day, you would struggle to inflict any actual harm, beyond a skin deep bruise, with a bit of blue pipe...whereas a stiff bit of 30mm hazel, or better yet blackthorn/holly...well, a heavy fella could pretty much crack your head open with it.
I use either, but prefer 22-24mm hazel.
I have written books on the subject, but concede I'm an anorak.