BP’s halter came apart and is currently hanging around her neck like a necklace. I tried to take it off, but I couldn’t get it back over her head so it may need to be cut off. She keeps walking away from me while I’m messing around with it, so I’m not sure. Glory Bee is STILL WEARING HER CALF HALTER, which has been let out as far as it can go and needs to be changed out for an adult cow halter. I haven’t figured out yet how I’m accomplishing that, either. I thought about putting her in the milk stand, but it’s built into a corner and while it’s perfect for milking, giving shots, preg testing, etc, it would be difficult to get to her head.
Step 1. Buy new cow halters (finally).
Step 2. Figure out how they go on.
Step 3. Wait for Morgan to come home and tell me how they go on.
That’s as far as I’ve gotten.
HomesteadJen says:
Can you put her in the cross restraints you use for the horses?
Jen
On December 6, 2012 at 10:26 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
She would probably break out of the cross ties. Cows are pretty strong. Horses are trained to stand in them and do so pretty willingly, but I don’t think she would have the same attitude. I have breakaway snaps on the cross ties, so she wouldn’t hurt the barn, but it would be pretty wild, I’m afraid.
On December 6, 2012 at 10:30 am
HomesteadJen says:
Shucks. I was so sure there was as simple solution! (says the woman who only has chickens)
On December 6, 2012 at 11:18 am
KentuckyFarmGirl says:
If I have one that’s hungry, I get a bucket of feed and casually slip the halter on her nose as she sticks her head in the bucket to get a bite. Once they start eating they usually keep right on doing so and I fasten the buckle. Gotta be kinda sneaky but it usually works.
On December 6, 2012 at 1:42 pm
SwissMiss says:
I’d go the food route too. Heck if you got some food treat that she likes and that is easily held in a hand, you could probably have GB put her head right in the halter for you. They look like straight forward halters, smaller loop around the nose, buckle loop around the chin/ears. If the nose part has a buckle too, let it out to the last spot and adjust after you have the halter on the cow. Get Morgan to help, one hold the food, one in charge of halter application. You can slide the new halter over the old one and then remove the old one and tighten the new one up to fit right. Do you ever tie Glory Bee up with the lead and she stays? You need some way of controlling her but being to access her head/mouth. Sometimes you may need to dose her with pills or a drench and you will need to have her that she can’t escape you but you can access her mouth. If you have never had to give a cow pills, wait til you see the size of the pill pusher.
On December 6, 2012 at 4:22 pm
BuckeyeGirl says:
Whatever you do, do it in an enclosed stall/barn!
On December 6, 2012 at 5:19 pm