Buying a certain breed

[Farmer Kitty]

jhm47, your right in your situation and many others. A chute would work for a small operation too. I can see an in between solution that would work for a small operation. Here our cows are in stantions or tie stalls. We bring our heifers in to be bred in a stantion. This would work well for someone with only a few head. One or a few stantions in the corner of a barn or shed to use for milkings, breedings, or vet care would do well for someone with only a few animals especially if they are in where they are handled on a regular basis. I wouldn't want to take one of your cattle off range and put into a stantion though!

 

[Quail]

Are you using a stantion for tame cows? Or does anyone here have tame cows? I don't mean to sound dumb here. DH and I have never used a stantion, and he's not here for me to ask him (he'd know more than me).

We had a cow so tame we pet her like a dog. DH liked for all our cows to be that tame. We've had 8 head at the most at any one time. Sadly, they were sold to cover funeral costs when MIL passed away.

But, the way we worked our set up, we had ours tamed from the bottle and could do just about anything we wanted to them.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

We have a dairy farm so yes, we are using stantions and tie stalls. It's different than if you have a few. Milking time we go right down the walk milking them. If I had to go round each one up on a halter and walk them in to be milked I would never get done. That is just not a luxury for me. Not that some of them aren't spoiled or wouldn't lead with the halter.

Some here have highlanders and go out and brush them in the pasture every day so others have very tame cows too.

The suggestion for the stantions was for when work needs to be done. Even with tame cows some breeders or vets prefer them locked up. Then sometimes it's just the best option depending on what needs to be done. Example: I can't imagine doing a twisted stomach surgery or an episodomy or a c-section on a cow not restrained more than someone holding a halter.

 

[Imissmygirls]

jmh, you don't need a chute, you need a whole corral system!!
I was just referring to those who only have a couple cows. Anyone approaching half a dozen really needs facilities to confine single animals.
I grew up with a setup like FarmerKitty's and I truly think it's the best setup. IN loose housing like a lot of dairymen have gone to ( due to large herds) you just don't have the contact with the individual animals and .. they become a number
Unfortunately, it's a lot more labor intensive to use stantions and these big farms can't afford the labor.
* getting off the soapbox*

It is so interesting hearing from different parts of the country!

 

[wynedot55]

most all of the big dairies today use locking stanchions to feed the cows.an also to preg check an dr cows.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Not here. It's freestalls in a shed and a milking parlor they push them through. They usually have several hands that push the cows they separated ahead into freestalls for vet checks. I have no clue on surgeries.

 

[wynedot55]

if i had a big dairy id have the locking stanchions.because its to dangerious to work cows in the freestalls.unless you have a long working ally an chute.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I've always said they left behind some of the very things that would make their life easier and safer but, what do I know.

I just can't see working with cows on a large scale. You don't get a chance for the individual care of each cow. So many things show in little ways that if you know your cows you may be to catch them earlier. Doesn't always happen but, you have a better chance on a small scale.

 

[wynedot55]

even with 90 to 100 cows.i knew most cows indvidully.an i could spot sick cows pretty quick.you really have to have a good an feel to spot sick cows.no matter if its 50 or 5000 online.

 

[kstaven]

I've always said they left behind some of the very things that would make their life easier and safer but, what do I know.

I just can't see working with cows on a large scale. You don't get a chance for the individual care of each cow. So many things show in little ways that if you know your cows you may be to catch them earlier. Doesn't always happen but, you have a better chance on a small scale.

I agree! Also, when dairy settings just see just a commodity, rather than the individual animal and start to cut corners that is when things go wrong.