Safe,cheap handling of cows and calves.

[Yale]

We have a cheap set up in our calving pens which has made a big difference to turning cows and calves out.

I thought I’d share it so it can be copied or suggestions to improve it further.

I was working on my own today turning out 2 cows and calves at a time.

First using a 10 ft gate hinged on the crush I can quietly separate the cows from calves.

Then I can coccidiosis dose the calves and check them over inside the crush.

Then I can load them in the tatty old trailer we have which I’ve fitted a hurdle in the front to keep the calves.

Then open the gate and the cows want to go in the trailer.

And then take them to the field and let them go.

All done as safely as I can on my own.

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

do you treat the calves for cocci every year?

 

[Gulli]

We push calves through the crush and into a dehorning crate cows follow them through and we lock them in the crush. Dehorn/tag/castrate calves and mag bolus cows and then turn out.
Dehorning crush was quite expensive compared to some but it's rock solid and holds the calves still so you arent fighting with them the whole time.

I like what you've done there but do you think it might be an idea to make the dividing gate in the box taller so any over excited cows can't jump it?

 

[Yale]

do you treat the calves for cocci every year?

Started last year with Vecoxan,dose at turn out,2-7 days old as it was the only convenient time to do it.

 

[Cowcalf]

do very similar myself , was looking at putting calves down the side as it pushes cows to back of trailer and on occasions can make uncomfortable ride ( we do 4 cows and calves at a time ) and go 14 miles with them

 

[Yale]

So,just had one sneak a calf out in the cubicles,not ideal,hadn’t scraped yet either.

Didn’t fancy my chances with the hormones racing so in with the Loadall.

She retreated.

Dragged the calf from there,sprayed the navel,tagged and castration ring then through the head yoke to get her number.

And then reunited.

And I didn’t get squashed.

 

[Danllan]

...I like what you've done there but do you think it might be an idea to make the dividing gate in the box taller so any over excited cows can't jump it?

This. A couple of years ago I has a cow do that and, of course, when she was mostly over and kicked back, she got a hock caught in between the top bars of the gate, CRACK! Gate bent, her staggering around limping badly and me feeling sick in the stomach.

Calmed her and got the vet' out, fortunately she's one of tamer ones, we couldn't see / feel anything. A couple of hours later she was weight-bearing. Later I looked over the gate and worked out that the cracking sound was a weld breaking on a vertical.

All this would have been avoided if I'd had my current set up with sheeted hurdles as separators.

 

[AGN76]

I loaded 2 barrens the other day with the bale grab and skidsteer, worked a treat. They weren't wild or aggressive, I just couldn't be doing with any aggro.
@Yale aren't the calves covered from coxxy from their mums colostrum at that age?

 

[Yale]

We push calves through the crush and into a dehorning crate cows follow them through and we lock them in the crush. Dehorn/tag/castrate calves and mag bolus cows and then turn out.
Dehorning crush was quite expensive compared to some but it's rock solid and holds the calves still so you arent fighting with them the whole time.

I like what you've done there but do you think it might be an idea to make the dividing gate in the box taller so any over excited cows can't jump it?

Yes,the trailer is in need of a serious overhaul,I’ve had to patch/botch the floor,I’m looking for a new box.The plan is new floor,new to me box and then make a proper railed division gate.

 

[GTB]

So,just had one sneak a calf out in the cubicles,not ideal,hadn’t scraped yet either.

Didn’t fancy my chances with the hormones racing so in with the Loadall.
View attachment 659772 View attachment 659774
She retreated.
View attachment 659778
Dragged the calf from there,sprayed the navel,tagged and castration ring then through the head yoke to get her number.
View attachment 659786
And then reunited.
View attachment 659790

And I didn’t get squashed.

That's why we calve outside

 

[Yale]

I loaded 2 barrens the other day with the bale grab and skidsteer, worked a treat. They weren't wild or aggressive, I just couldn't be doing with any aggro.
@Yale aren't the calves covered from coxxy from their mums colostrum at that age?

Coccidiosis is a parasite so once there is a build up in the environment the calves are inhabiting steps have to be taken to reduce the burden.

Since we routinely dosed them last year we had no issues with it.......so far.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccidiosis

 

[GTB]

When we had Lim x cows and I was moving a couple with a similar system to yours (calves at front of trailer), after I let the cows out I went in to release the calves and one f**king cow came into the trailer after me! Luckily I managed to open the gate quick enough and the calf ran out. Been doing it the other way since, cows at front, calves on the back.

 

[AGN76]

Coccidiosis is a parasite so once there is a build up in the environment the calves are inhabiting steps have to be taken to reduce the burden.

Since we routinely dosed them last year we had no issues with it.......so far.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccidiosis

We dose all ours at 5 weeks, also no issues !!

 

[Yale]

We dose all ours at 5 weeks, also no issues !!

This makes me think maybe another dose at disbudding in a few weeks may not be a bad idea,not cheap but food for thought.

 

[GTB]

This makes me think maybe another dose at disbudding in a few weeks may not be a bad idea,not cheap but food for thought.

Do you get cocci in the lambs too? We use cocci buckets from Rumenco for the lambs. Saves getting them all in for a cocci drench.

 

[tepapa]

Can't see how vecoxan at 2-7days old is anything but a waste of money. Calves that age won't be ingesting many oocytes unless they were in filthy conditions and the vecoxan will only suppress the cocci in the calf to help build immunity.
Then again what do I know, happy to be proven wrong.

 

[Yale]

Can't see how vecoxan at 2-7days old is anything but a waste of money. Calves that age won't be ingesting many oocytes unless they were in filthy conditions and the vecoxan will only suppress the cocci in the calf to help build immunity.
Then again what do I know, happy to be proven wrong.

The thinking was to flush out anything from the yard sheds.

We’ve had annoying scours in a few from a day or two,just dragging some down.

Recently we’ve started vaccinating for BVD,using rotovec corona and have done lepto for years.

Also the dose for cocci.

Things seem to be settling.

 

[tepapa]

I'm no expert but as I understand it calves need some/low challenge over time to gain immunity and its the ingestion of masses of oocytes when they have no immunity that causes the damage. This is why the younger stock in the group succumb. the older calves gain immunity slowly whilst the numbers in the environment is relatively low. It's the oldest calves multiplying the cocci to dangerous levels which is overload on naïve animals that cause the damage.
If it works I'm not telling you to stop but I would do some investigation to see if it could be used more wisely.

 

[Gulli]

When we had Lim x cows and I was moving a couple with a similar system to yours (calves at front of trailer), after I let the cows out I went in to release the calves and one fudgeing cow came into the trailer after me! Luckily I managed to open the gate quick enough and the calf ran out. Been doing it the other way since, cows at front, calves on the back.

I used to let the calves out the side door first.

Only works if you have a side door though...

 

[Yale]

Do you get cocci in the lambs too? We use cocci buckets from Rumenco for the lambs. Saves getting them all in for a cocci drench.

Do you find the ewes eat the buckets or for whatever reason the lambs mainly go for them?