Banded or not?

[PotterWatch]

We have four "steer" calves that were brought here on Saturday. This is our first go-round with raising our own beef though we have been around and helped with our neighbor's steers for a few years now. Two were banded well before they came to us and the other two were banded the day they were brought here. I can see the band on one, but not the other. Is it possible he broke the band? The guy who sold them to us knows cattle, he raises around 100-150 head every year for a local boy's home and sells his extras to people like us. He did tell my husband (I wasn't there when my husband picked them out), that one of them was so big, he couldn't get the usual band around him and used something else instead. I'm wondering if maybe I just can't see the band or maybe he used something like a burdizzo?

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

hmmm....In my very limited opinion, the 4 steer that we have banded, you were most definately able to see the band. Can you get close enough to him to feel or get a close look to see if there is anything there?

 

[redtailgal]

You should be able to see the band, but sometimes it takes a little "positioning" to see it esp if he is swollen. It is possible that the band broke. Can you get a good look, and move "things" around to check?

You should check soon, if the band is off, you will want to re-band soon.

 

[PotterWatch]

There is no way for me and my limited experience to get near enough to these guys to take a look. I will try to get a little better look today but there is no area that looks "pinched in", if you know what I mean. I think I'll probably be calling the guy we got them from and asking him to come out, look at it, and re-band if needed. I just didn't know if the bands sometimes break or not. Thanks!

 

[WildRoseBeef]

They will break if the bands the guy uses are old. Rubber gets old and rotten, just like an old rubber band would, making it much easier to break when banding these critters.

 

[redtailgal]

lol, well, if your experience is limited THAT is not a good place to put your face! (well, its not the greatest place for any of us to put our face!)

 

[PotterWatch]

My husband called the guy today and he said that since he couldn't get the band on that one, that he cut him instead. He said it should be fine, but if we notice that he continues to have growth down there in the next few weeks, to let him know and he will bring us a different boy. I knew I didn't see a band on there!