- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Now that I've got the latent humour out of my system- what do you do for your own chooks, now that the bugger is cruising around?
Farmer Roy's Random Thoughts - I never said it was easy.
- Thread starter Farmer Roy
- Start date
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
What IS it with NZ Simmentals? What have you upside downies done to them? We've only ever had 2 mean ones out of around 1000!The only thing you have to worry about over here, wild deer, german wasps and simmentalsThe german wasps are the worst , because they will chase you!!!
Perhaps the possums send them over the edge
As for badgers, they can be mean barstewards if cornered. We've had them in the feed shed in the past
Ive never been impressed with hounds on their own for foxes. They have their uses but are much berter flushing to guns. Would be quite fun shooting driven foxes as well! Cant beat a good man with a rifle and a lamp or night vision round here much more effective. Ive seen pictures of how many foxes people over in Australia shoot in a night and they can get a hell of a lot in one night. In a foxing FB group im a member of everyone wants to go to Australia to shoot foxes because there are so many of them!
Not the picture i was looking for but this was welsh footballer and actor vinnie jones bag of foxes 134 over a weekend. Thats a lot of foxes
The picture i was looking for had 1000 foxes in it
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
I'm thinking some of the original blood may have been related to one of the 2 you speak of.What IS it with NZ Simmentals? What have you upside downies done to them? We've only ever had 2 mean ones out of around 1000!
Perhaps the possums send them over the edge
As for badgers, they can be mean barstewards if cornered. We've had them in the feed shed in the past
We had a lovely docile simmy bull "Quercus" when I was a teenager, his progeny though!!!
They were seldom handled, in their defence the cattle at home were only handled a couple of times per year, but wow!
Pasteurise beef!
Needless to say we didn't breed from those, and tried a Murray Grey who was the complete opposite - a fruitloop himself but the calves were like teddy bears.
We had to repair much of the old native timber cattleyard rails after the simmys
FonterraFarmer
Member
- Location
- Waikato, New Zealand
One day I'll ask the pedigree breeder where they came fromWhat IS it with NZ Simmentals? What have you upside downies done to them? We've only ever had 2 mean ones out of around 1000!
Perhaps the possums send them over the edge
As for badgers, they can be mean barstewards if cornered. We've had them in the feed shed in the past
Only three were nutters out of the three that we had on the farm
FonterraFarmer
Member
- Location
- Waikato, New Zealand
The neighbours cattle yard will handle just about anything, including the "Mercury Island"cattleI'm thinking some of the original blood may have been related to one of the 2 you speak of.
We had a lovely docile simmy bull "Quercus" when I was a teenager, his progeny though!!!
They were seldom handled, in their defence the cattle at home were only handled a couple of times per year, but wow!
Pasteurise beef!
Needless to say we didn't breed from those, and tried a Murray Grey who was the complete opposite - a fruitloop himself but the calves were like teddy bears.
We had to repair much of the old native timber cattleyard rails after the simmys
yet the only bull that I've ever seen escape was one of my Friesian crossbreeds!!! Long legs and a jumper
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
We obviously exported the cattle with "character" to NZ, like the people with it to Aus.I'm thinking some of the original blood may have been related to one of the 2 you speak of.
We had a lovely docile simmy bull "Quercus" when I was a teenager, his progeny though!!!
They were seldom handled, in their defence the cattle at home were only handled a couple of times per year, but wow!
Pasteurise beef!
Needless to say we didn't breed from those, and tried a Murray Grey who was the complete opposite - a fruitloop himself but the calves were like teddy bears.
We had to repair much of the old native timber cattleyard rails after the simmys
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Far out.
Love cattle, I do, but some are just mentalists
Our young bulls used to get a scrap going and then all pick on one and throw him clear over the rails, a good 2.1m I suppose they'd have been.
Small wonder uncle always remembered he had GST to do, or jobs in town, when the cattle came in... it always meant days off school for me, loved every moment of it
Love cattle, I do, but some are just mentalists
Our young bulls used to get a scrap going and then all pick on one and throw him clear over the rails, a good 2.1m I suppose they'd have been.
Small wonder uncle always remembered he had GST to do, or jobs in town, when the cattle came in... it always meant days off school for me, loved every moment of it
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Are Worksafe NZ making the same noises our dear Health & Safety Executive do about cattle handling safety?
http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/topics/livestock.htm
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
I do definitely appreciate these ones though.
7 is an extrovert, will pronk around beside you as you walk, and blow goobers at you... but these are kiddy cattle compared to the eejits I grew up with. (You can tell he's a favourite as I've worn out the top of his head with pats)
They were only tame over winter thanks to lots of crap hay which they appreciated - rest of the time it was "approach with caution" as they'd actually aim to intimidate.
Much like big stags, you didn't need told to get out!
I do miss those days of my youth, the ground wasn't nearly as far away, or as hard when you hit it
7 is an extrovert, will pronk around beside you as you walk, and blow goobers at you... but these are kiddy cattle compared to the eejits I grew up with. (You can tell he's a favourite as I've worn out the top of his head with pats
)They were only tame over winter thanks to lots of crap hay which they appreciated - rest of the time it was "approach with caution" as they'd actually aim to intimidate.
Much like big stags, you didn't need told to get out!
I do miss those days of my youth, the ground wasn't nearly as far away, or as hard when you hit it
- Location
- southern riverina Australia
We had a friesian bull like that onceThe neighbours cattle yard will handle just about anything, including the "Mercury Island"cattle
He was out of the quietest cow we've ever had, but reared on a cow rather than a bucket. He was alright in the herd. The problem started when you had to seperate him and move him on his own. Threw my motorbike in the air one day when trying to get him out of the dry cows and then cleared a 5 ft gate He would go out of his way to chase you. Nearly destroyed the new cattle crush when the old man tried to dehorn him Ended up going to market before he killed one of us. Apparently he chased every single worker in the sale yards over the rails
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Oh yes.... common sense be gone!!
Simple fact is - stock people are just born to it.
Many farm staff these days have never been on a farm until they get a job on one, and simply cannot hide the fact from the cattle or deer that they don't know how to handle them.
The boss is easy to trick by comparison.....
I think I've mentioned my time on the trophy stag farm, where the job interview was conducted by 120 large stags in hard antler?
The interview consisted of me testing the voltage on the far fence, and moving them quietly through an open gate, on foot.
When I'd done so, I was given a cold beer, a handshake, and the job!
As Adam said later, only about 1 in 50 can do that with his stags, he sat in the Landcruiser ready to attempt a rescue if it didn't go well
Love deer
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
these ' low stress stock handling ' schools are getting popular here
https://www.lss.net.au/
About Low Stress Stockhandling
Stockmanship has re-emerged as an important ingredient for successful livestock businesses. Human - livestock interaction has been changing. Over the past 20-30 years most grazing operations have to varying degrees substituted the need for high levels of stockmanship by changing yard design and facilities. Unfortunately our human nature has focused more on what we want and less on what animals want.
Low Stress Stockhandling places the emphasis is on mutually beneficial outcomes for stock and handlers regardless of yard design.
The foundation for Low Stress Stockhandling is 4 Basic Animal Instincts that explain what animals want and why they behave the way they do. In addition there are 7 Principles that guide how we can interact with the animals to work with those natural instincts and produce low stress outcomes. If the right methods are implemented, livestock will move with less stress through most facilities. Moving stock can be a low stress, painless activity for the livestock and the handlers.
The business benefits of training people in animal handling are enormous as it leads to improved production gains, better meat quality and higher economic return for the livestock industry.
Research shows that one of the major causes for losses in meat quality (bruises, mortality, meat downgrades) is from poor handling by the stock handlers. Animals can be moved through the entire system with minimal force from people or mechanisms.
Meat quality defects can be caused by poor transport and preslaughter handling (more bruising, higher DFD, PSE and carcass downgrades). Dark cutting meat is a result of the failure of muscle to produce enough lactic acid to reduce its pH after death from about 7.2 to 5.7 or less. The failure is because of a lack of glycogen in the muscle as a result of either poor nutrition, not allowing for it to build up or stress in handling causing too much to be used up before the animal is slaughtered.
Jim Lindsay founder of LSS believes that a person's attitude is the key to obtaining benefits for both people and livestock. The right attitude promotes harmony between man and animal in the work environment. We can put ourselves in a position to be able to consider the situation from an animal's point of view and therefore have an obligation to do so. When we have knowledge of how an animal reacts to different situations we can use that information to effect. Being an effective stockhandler is about knowledge, understanding, attitude and patience.
https://www.lss.net.au/
About Low Stress Stockhandling
Stockmanship has re-emerged as an important ingredient for successful livestock businesses. Human - livestock interaction has been changing. Over the past 20-30 years most grazing operations have to varying degrees substituted the need for high levels of stockmanship by changing yard design and facilities. Unfortunately our human nature has focused more on what we want and less on what animals want.
Low Stress Stockhandling places the emphasis is on mutually beneficial outcomes for stock and handlers regardless of yard design.
The foundation for Low Stress Stockhandling is 4 Basic Animal Instincts that explain what animals want and why they behave the way they do. In addition there are 7 Principles that guide how we can interact with the animals to work with those natural instincts and produce low stress outcomes. If the right methods are implemented, livestock will move with less stress through most facilities. Moving stock can be a low stress, painless activity for the livestock and the handlers.
The business benefits of training people in animal handling are enormous as it leads to improved production gains, better meat quality and higher economic return for the livestock industry.
Research shows that one of the major causes for losses in meat quality (bruises, mortality, meat downgrades) is from poor handling by the stock handlers. Animals can be moved through the entire system with minimal force from people or mechanisms.
Meat quality defects can be caused by poor transport and preslaughter handling (more bruising, higher DFD, PSE and carcass downgrades). Dark cutting meat is a result of the failure of muscle to produce enough lactic acid to reduce its pH after death from about 7.2 to 5.7 or less. The failure is because of a lack of glycogen in the muscle as a result of either poor nutrition, not allowing for it to build up or stress in handling causing too much to be used up before the animal is slaughtered.
Jim Lindsay founder of LSS believes that a person's attitude is the key to obtaining benefits for both people and livestock. The right attitude promotes harmony between man and animal in the work environment. We can put ourselves in a position to be able to consider the situation from an animal's point of view and therefore have an obligation to do so. When we have knowledge of how an animal reacts to different situations we can use that information to effect. Being an effective stockhandler is about knowledge, understanding, attitude and patience.
Last edited:
suffolksmallholder
Member
- Location
- Suffolk
Interesting & a probably a very good course from what I read on their introduction page.
SS
suffolksmallholder
Member
- Location
- Suffolk
@hendrebc. On the fox post. In West Wales live trapped foxes are released by certain city councils. I was told Birmingham was one but I was never able to confirm this as a fact. These urban creatures were totally unable to fend for themselves out of the city, probably just like city humans & went for the easy prey; The dustbin as they'd never seen a lamb!
They were dying a slow death by starvation.
Those who sanctioned the live trapping practice should really have taken their responsibility a little further & ended these animals suffering the moment they were caught!
I'm only hoping that with the numbers shot on view relates to the number of shots fired from the rifle equating to a 100 percent kill rate. This is where hounds are useful to hunt for wounded, a bit like the picking-up crew behind the guns on a high number pheasant shoot looking for those pricked birds.
Where I used to work & live the average fox kills always hoovered round the 75 per annum (going into my fathers time as well so 50+ years of records). I'd be interested to drop in on the current keeper & ask, particularly as urbanisation is forever creeping into this part of the world.
SS
They were dying a slow death by starvation.
Those who sanctioned the live trapping practice should really have taken their responsibility a little further & ended these animals suffering the moment they were caught!
I'm only hoping that with the numbers shot on view relates to the number of shots fired from the rifle equating to a 100 percent kill rate. This is where hounds are useful to hunt for wounded, a bit like the picking-up crew behind the guns on a high number pheasant shoot looking for those pricked birds.
Where I used to work & live the average fox kills always hoovered round the 75 per annum (going into my fathers time as well so 50+ years of records). I'd be interested to drop in on the current keeper & ask, particularly as urbanisation is forever creeping into this part of the world.
SS
Hounds defiletly have their uses. mopping up foxes not killed by a rifle is one of them. The person who shoots foxes at mine uses a 243 they dont move very far after that even if not shot in an ideal place.
Im lucky no foxes are released here but i know it does happen. Best thing for them is a bullet. Or say in the cities they csn keep them! Maybe we should catch some of ours and dump them in birmingham i bet they wouldnt like it the other way around. All their pets would be eaten! Our foxes might even eat the pathetic city foxes and cure their fox problem
Im lucky no foxes are released here but i know it does happen. Best thing for them is a bullet. Or say in the cities they csn keep them! Maybe we should catch some of ours and dump them in birmingham i bet they wouldnt like it the other way around. All their pets would be eaten! Our foxes might even eat the pathetic city foxes and cure their fox problem
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Spot on.these ' low stress stock handling ' schools are getting popular here
https://www.lss.net.au/
About Low Stress Stockhandling
Stockmanship has re-emerged as an important ingredient for successful livestock businesses. Human - livestock interaction has been changing. Over the past 20-30 years most grazing operations have to varying degrees substituted the need for high levels of stockmanship by changing yard design and facilities. Unfortunately our human nature has focused more on what we want and less on what animals want.
Low Stress Stockhandling places the emphasis is on mutually beneficial outcomes for stock and handlers regardless of yard design.
The foundation for Low Stress Stockhandling is 4 Basic Animal Instincts that explain what animals want and why they behave the way they do. In addition there are 7 Principles that guide how we can interact with the animals to work with those natural instincts and produce low stress outcomes. If the right methods are implemented, livestock will move with less stress through most facilities. Moving stock can be a low stress, painless activity for the livestock and the handlers.
The business benefits of training people in animal handling are enormous as it leads to improved production gains, better meat quality and higher economic return for the livestock industry.
Research shows that one of the major causes for losses in meat quality (bruises, mortality, meat downgrades) is from poor handling by the stock handlers. Animals can be moved through the entire system with minimal force from people or mechanisms.
Meat quality defects can be caused by poor transport and preslaughter handling (more bruising, higher DFD, PSE and carcass downgrades). Dark cutting meat is a result of the failure of muscle to produce enough lactic acid to reduce its pH after death from about 7.2 to 5.7 or less. The failure is because of a lack of glycogen in the muscle as a result of either poor nutrition, not allowing for it to build up or stress in handling causing too much to be used up before the animal is slaughtered.
Jim Lindsay founder of LSS believes that a person's attitude is the key to obtaining benefits for both people and livestock. The right attitude promotes harmony between man and animal in the work environment. We can put ourselves in a position to be able to consider the situation from an animal's point of view and therefore have an obligation to do so. When we have knowledge of how an animal reacts to different situations we can use that information to effect. Being an effective stockhandler is about knowledge, understanding, attitude and patience.
1 skilled stockman (really skilled, not one who THINKS they are skilled) is worth 50 unskilled ones when moving cattle. I suspect it's even more important with deer.
- Location
- Cornwall
Friend of my is a part time game keeper on a small shoot back home. He caught an unmarked van with a bloke releasing 3 foxes into a field next to the shoot late one night. When he confronted the bloke he was told in no uncertain terms to fudge off!
Next night he went out and shot all three. They happily walked towards the lamp, presumably thinking it was someone putting their bins out!! All three had been neutered. Urban foxes don’t stand a chance in the countryside!
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
In an effort to escape the heat today I elected to do bookwork in air conditioned comfort. By about 2.00pm ( the heat of the day ) boredom overtook me so decided to take the Whippet for a ride
Quick lap up to Coolah Tops National Park via Pandoras Pass
Love that part of the world & that ride. We are very lucky to have such great locations so close
Quick lap up to Coolah Tops National Park via Pandoras Pass
Love that part of the world & that ride. We are very lucky to have such great locations so close