Cool Room - Tie or Loose Calves

[savaged]

Last year we kept our calves tied in the cool room during the day with fans behind them.  Used panels to keep them from turning sideways. 


I've seen a few people stress that the calves be allowed to be loose in the cool room.


Is there a clear way to go with this?  And if they are loose does it still make sense to run fans?

 

[Cattledog]

When I ran a cooler I mounted my fans and didn't tie up the calves.  I just thought that it would be less stressful for them and would allow them to relax better.  I just show heifers now so I just run fans and misters and I don't tie them up in that scenario either. 

I noticed better disposition when I did this.

 

[Six Mile]

IMHO, this depends on how much time you can spend with the calves. If you, or someone, is there to tie them for a few hours a day AND blow them out multiple times daily, I would say it would be alright to leave them loose.
However, if you can't be there much then I would leave them tied so that their hair is always being blown forward.
{off subject} So how about John Rich on Hannity?

 

[kfacres]

buddy of mine's boss had a steer in coolor tied up..  40.000 steer got his foot tangled in rope, ended up broke his leg and had to be shot...  Blood was everywhere, the entire room was covered, even had blood seeping out fromunder the doors and dripping off cealing..

 

[Cattledog]

buddy of mine's boss had a steer in coolor tied up..  40.000 steer got his foot tangled in rope, ended up broke his leg and had to be shot...  Blood was everywhere, the entire room was covered, even had blood seeping out fromunder the doors and dripping off cealing..

Yeah  guess that's another reason why I like to leave them loose.  These cattle find enough ways to hurt themselves that they don't need a halter causing more of a problem.  There are pros and cons for both.  I guess just pick the one that you are more comfortable with.

 

[dsfarms]

I agree with cattledog. There's pros and cons to either. Just have to try both ways and see what works best. If you don't have a lot of time to check on them a lot don't tie!

 

[Jill]

We have always tied them, they are up for around 4 hours then tied down for the remainder of the time and have never had an accident or injury

 

[jallen]

I let mine looses we had one get spooked and she almost killed her self and she had been in there for months before she got hurt. but if you do turn them looses just put a fan in front of the panels and still run fans.

 

[farmboy]

one calf - loose
two calves - tied

when they are lose they probably will lay against each other and actually warm each other up.

 

[shortyjock89]

That's why I'd say have them in separate pens.  Our calves usually don't lay against each other though, and we have them loose in a pen with fans on them all day every day in the spring and fall when we're at school.  They either get tied up, or are in separate pens in the summer.

 

[Cattledog]

That's why I'd say have them in separate pens.  Our calves usually don't lay against each other though, and we have them loose in a pen with fans on them all day every day in the spring and fall when we're at school.  They either get tied up, or are in separate pens in the summer.

We always keep ours in separate pens.  We have one big pen that we put our babies that we are showing.

 

[jason]

buddy of mine's boss had a steer in coolor tied up..  40.000 steer got his foot tangled in rope, ended up broke his leg and had to be shot...  Blood was everywhere, the entire room was covered, even had blood seeping out fromunder the doors and dripping off cealing..

That reminds me of my sisters dog, a great dane.  The big giant would sleep with her every night, one way or another he had injured his tail earlier in the week by smacking it against something.  Well a dog will constantly chew on the injury at night and he hit an artery, and started spraying blood all over her room.  She awoke to a room covered in blood, dog almost passed out, she ran the dog to the vet clinic, soaking her jeep in blood, but they saved him after lopping off some of his tail.

She is a 2nd year vet student, so the blood didn't scare her, but one hell of a mess to clean.  Had professional carpet cleaners in and had to repaint the walls.

 

[yousesteers]

We tie down for about 2 hours in AM up rest of day then down about 1 hour in PM once they get used to a routine they are fine I like to tie because they will be tied at the shows

 

[ruhtram]

Having a calf die from having its leg caught in a rope can happen outside the cooler room as well...I would keep them tied. this helps them form good habits when your at a show.