Ace or Thorazine?

What is everyone's liquid halter of choice?

Tequila

Dusty- you just want to open a can of worms don't you!!!  ;D

Mine is coffee!

Coffee,Water,Beer thats all i drink same order everyday.

I know we have all been through this before, BUT....I have used Ace on my daughter's heifer when we first got her because she was a little "jumpy".  I did not want my daughter to have a bad experience with her the first few times she showed her, and I did not want my daughter to get hurt.  Now that her heifer has chilled out and "knows the ropes" we do not "Ace" her.  I know that some will think that this is wrong, but I stand by my guns on this one.  JMO....Lisa

I've used calf calm. Sometimes it works & other times it doesn't. Main thing is getting it done before the calf gets worked up. Timing is crucial too, one of ours almost fell asleep in ring. Great placebo for kids too, if they think it's been given they don't get as nervous.

I also forgot caffeine free diet Pepsi & iced tea at the Ohio State fair.

Red

thor...my little brother is autistic and has some difficulty in the ring as it is. he has a good heifer this year that isn't very cooperative so thats what we do

ROMAX said:

Coffee,Water,Beer thats all i drink same order everyday.

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Same here.  Except on the weekends then its just coffee, beer.

I'm mainly wanting opinions on how thorazine has worked for people.  I've heard that they won't get that tired look like they can with ace...

The calf calm works great as a placebo for the kids.   My daughter always does better when she 'thinks' her calf has had it.    I keep an empty tube in the back of the show box.

Not that I know from any sort of experience, but I have heard from the best of sources that thorazine is a much better option in most cases. Ace is said to make them fall apart structurally, especially in their top. They say they have to be very strong topped to be able to look good on Ace. Although I have also heard that Thorazine has become much harder to find the last couple of years and there are some folks using more Ace than they used to. Either way, I'd use the least amount possible to get by in your situation, that is of course if I was to use anything, which of course I'd never do   :

Dusty said:

ROMAX said:

Coffee,Water,Beer thats all i drink same order everyday.

Click to expand...

Same here.  Except on the weekends then its just coffee, beer.

I'm mainly wanting opinions on how thorazine has worked for people.  I've heard that they won't get that tired look like they can with ace...

Click to expand...

Watch how you word that....haha....In nursing homes and mental wards they don't call it the "thorazine shuffle" for nothing....

Also you know that very soon a bolt of lightning will hit your computer for even discussing the  forbidden fruit.

It's always been my understanding that thorazine works on the brain, ace works on the muscles as well.  Hence some of the sideffects from ace others have mentioned.  I've always considered Ace to have more a sure effect.

I'm now crouching under my desk to avoid the lightning bolt that is sure to hit any moment

I have had 3 computers completely fried by lightning ( all in one summer nearly 4 years ago) so I am not even going to state my opinion on this topic. Lightning knows where I live!

The first two time my computer got hit, I had turned it off and had not unplugged it. Both times it fried the surge protector and still also fried the mother board. The third time lightning hit, I had turned the computer off and unplugged it as I was going to be away for a few days. Lightning came through the phone line and actually melted some of the components inside and left black sooty marks on the inside of the computer box. My computer guru told me that under the right set of circumstances, it may have burnt my house. This is off the topic at hand.... but you did mention lightning!!

I know alot of people here on SP dont like to use either- I have seen thorazine back fire on some calves and they go absolutely nuts- Ive never seen that reaction using ace-
we use ace alot in clipping if they are really bad- Over the years Ive used ace when the kids are really young- some calves are just not good showers no matter how much you
work on them and ace definately takes the edge off- but it does drop the top, and can affect how they place their feet cause I think it makes them float pretty good sometimes,
we experimented at home before going to a show to see how the calf reacts to the drug.  Id rather have a safe alive kid than a hurt or worse one, I especially worry about other
kids around some of the high strung ones.  We had a steer a few years ago that was mis-treated by his former owner before we got him (thats all we can figure out) and he was
super bad in tight places so we HAD to ace him or he would have flipped his top, on ace he was wondeful- ALSO melatonin (spelling) does also take the edge off a calf if given to them
daily-  I have also heard everclear will take the edge off.  We have also found that injecting the ace in the shall I say rear is better than by mouth for some reason. Ok Chambero Ill join
you under the desk now.  

Typing in the storm cellar with the lightening diverter's activated, I have used both as a veterinary technician, Thorazine works on smooth muscle and brain, i.e., we used to give it to dogs that were vomiting to stop it.  Having used both on cattle, ace will drop a top in a minute and just flat knock them out if you use too much, Thorazine works a little better for just taking an edge off. 

That being said, if the calf is already "excited" when you give it to them you have a strong chance of making them flat out crazy and getting them even more wound up. 

I would use a tube of calf calm 4 hours before the show, if you don't notice an improvement, hit it with another one in a couple of hours.  It is legal and if the calf is that goofy maybe you don't want to be showing it anyway and taking a chance with it.  I personally know someone who gave 3 times the dose and it didn't hurt the calf at all and worked perfectly.

Used Thor once this year on a real heady Angus heifer at Fort Worth.  She would not stand for final fitting and clipping, so we gently helped her relax.  She rewarded my son by laying down as soon as she hit the arena, you got it right in the red dirt.  The boy should have won showmanship for getting her back up and calmly cleaning and combing her back out.  The skies are clear here, so hopefully I will avoid the lightning strike.  We will use it as a last resort, to me it is more humane than some of the beatings I have witnessed from upset fitters and showmen.

I am sitting with a metal collander on my head as I type this.....tempting fate with the wrath of the "I know more about what is right about this world than you do" gods.

Thor works better than ace, but you have to have made the acquaintance of a good old boy vet or Mexican pharmacy to get it.  In my opinion, jmho, there are more cranky 4H mothers and uptight fitters that need thorazine more than the cattle ever will.  Crash, kerwham, let her rip!

Wish I could have snuck some in hubby's coffee at expo! (angel) (lol)

Justme, I've had that same thought a time or two..    ;D