How do you get a 2,000 lb bull in a trailer?

[siroiszoo]

Oh yes, I should report that I figured out why the bull chased me a few weeks ago. I figured it out last night.

He was chasing the feed bucket and not me. As long as I bring the feed bucket out and set it down after I dump it, he quits following me and stays with his feed. Granted, he does have his moments but I"m starting to get a good read on this bulls personality.

Boy, do I feel dumb! I was scared to death from all the stuff the guy in charge of this mess was telling me about that bull. But I think his fear isn't based on the reality of this situation.

But never fear, I will continue to use a great deal of caution with this bull. I sure don't want him tenderizing me for market!

 

[jhm47]

Yes, the chicken scratch grain should work just fine. Is the deer corn shelled, or "on the cob"? I have cows that won't eat moldy corn too, so the fact that he turns his nose up at the old stuff isn't surprising. My cows will eat cob corn just fine, but if it gets moldy they won't. It's fun to watch them pick up a whole ear and eat it like candy. They grind up the cob and all, and the saliva flows like water. They do the same with apples.

 

[siroiszoo]

Oh boy! Thanks! I'll use the hen scratch for now.

The old deer corn is shelled. But if I have fresh cobs left over from dinner, I'll rinse them and offer that as a treat. I might even try sharing an apple with him.

Thanks jhm47!

 

[jhm47]

My cows don't care much for sweet corn, as strange as it might be. They will eat it if it's allowed to mature, but won't eat it when it's soft.

 

[siroiszoo]

My cows don't care much for sweet corn, as strange as it might be. They will eat it if it's allowed to mature, but won't eat it when it's soft.

No worries, then. MY horses love my left over dinner corn cobs ;-)

 

[siroiszoo]

ok! you wouldn't believe how docile that bull is and how much jhm47's idea is working!

I have let the Guy In Charge get me so cautious and afraid of that bull that I"m embarrassed. Running the events through my mind over & over and watching the behavior of that bull has brought some enlightenment.

So far, George LOVES the chicken scratch. So I'm gonna go to the feed store today and see if I can find some corn for George.

We've been thinking about the events of the past 6 weeks. That bull has never charged anyone unless they were poking him with a prod or hitting him with a stick. The girl he penned up against the rail went in while he was stirred up by the guy in charge. Plus she was throwing bricks at him. I've thought about how he penned her and realize that he wasn't using his body & full force. If he had, she wouldn't have walked away from that and the rails would have been bent up. He was penning her to make her stop throwing stuff at him. And when her husband/the guy in charge FINALLY jumped in to save her by putting his body in between the bull & his wive, the bull simply walked away snorting.

Then, as I watched this past Saturday, all those men trying to corner & chase that bull, George NEVER charged a single one of them. And when he chose to leave the corral, he chose a panel where no people were; simply going under and walking away. I'm telling you, though, the way that corral crumbled it added to the affect of how powerful that bull is. That combined with the effort it took for man & machine to get that panel straightened back out enough to use again....

Oh yes, and the two times the bull chased me, I was carrying the feed bucket. The second time (this past saturday after the men had upset him) I thought he was coming after me to kill me I dropped the bucket and the bull went directly to the bucket and totally ignored me. What an idiot I am!

All of that combined with the fact that I remember the owners standing in the middle of them and tossing feed, well..... This guy in charge has every body way too wound up about this thing.

Well, last night my husband & I stood around the trailer until the bull was completely focused on eating before we slipped away. We figure to be able to close George into that trailer, the bull is going to have to trust us around it at the same time he is in or around it. Cause with this set up, there is no way we can sneak up on it. George sees WAY TO WELL!


This morning, George made me sit with him while he ate. We have him eating out of the back of the trailer. I even left the bucket I carry the feed with in the trailer. But every time I tried to walk off and go back home, George would quit eating. So me & my dog had to stay with George until he was finished.

I have several animals that do that; won't eat unless I sit with them. I told my husband that I really didn't need a bull that dependent on me.

Before anyone starts yelling at me, I am still cautious around that bull. I do realize he has his moments. But the past two days he has been so docile it's amazing.

The sad note is this: The Guy In Charge brought feed last night. The owner is apparently very upset with him. So now I have to worry about him coming in and trying it his way again which will mess up all of my work. The Guy seems determined that he can rope that bull and drag him in the trailer.

So you guys gotta hope I can get the job done before that maniac comes back and tries his way.

 

[freemotion]

Well, I don't know cows but I know horses. If you are going to trailer an inexperienced horse for the first time, you have the truck ready to roll before you get the horse into the trailer. Then the moment the doors close, you RUN to the truck and get that trailer moving. Then the animal is so concerned with balancing themselves in the trailer that they don't have time to fight and struggle. At least that is the theory! It works most of the time.

If you close the bull in the trailer and he has time to get himself worked up before someone comes to haul it away.......*shudder*.......

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Freemotion, I think horses are a bit less stocky in terms of keeping their legs under them when the trailer is moving. The reason being is that I've heard stories of bulls jumping out of moving trailers without getting themselves hurt much--that is, grain trucks that are converted into stock trucks to haul livestock. One instance was on a gravel road, the other on the highway.

At least with these trailers is that they have to be secure so that the bull doesn't find his way out. That trailer that sirios posted looked like something the bull could easily push his way out of, because the sides are not solid but barred in a way that he can try to ram his way out.

Sirios, I've been keeping up to date on this thread ever since it started and I sure hope this guy in charge doesn't mess things up too bad! He definately needs to step back and let you try to coax George in the way that is working the best. I do see the thoughts about the past bad behaviour of this bull--I mean, how would you like it if someone kept prodding you and throwing bricks at you, right? You'd certainly get in a bad mood and either turn on the offendors or bust your way out. As for the feedbucket, think of it this way: you'd be fighting to get a bunch of hungry cats off you when you got an open can of tuna in your hand!!

 

[Imissmygirls]

So you are telling us that the owner's custom was to stand in the middle of the herd and throw food for the cattle?
OK. That does say something. They .. and George.. were used to treats from humans. Good thing! And much better than a wild herd that needs rounding up!
It is very possible that George is missing the treats and the companionship. Unfortunately, TheManInCharge may not know this and/or may be the type that doesn't talk to cows. Sounds like he doesn't talk well to people either.
That, you cannot change.
We all hope you are successful in trapping George with kindness and food. However, let's also hope the trailer is capable of holding him, because if he panics, it won't be pretty.
And yes, bulls can get out of trailers without too much trouble! Steers too. Ask my son!

 

[jhm47]

It likely won't be too long till the bull enters the trailer. He probably will spend a day or two "easing into" the trailer by first putting his front feet in. It may take a day or two till he enters it entirely. Is there straw, sand, or something else on the floor so it isn't too slippery? Straw will also help to deaden the sound of his feet on the floor.

I've had many trailers, and have hauled multitudes of cattle in them, and have never had a bull, cow, steer, heifer or calf escape from one. Not to say it can't happen, but if the trailer is in good condition, it should hold most any cattle, including George.

When you put the grain in the trailer, be sure to keep putting it a little further ahead each day, so he will need to get a little farther in gradually till he has to enter eventually.

Wish I could be there to help and watch the drama.