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

[amysflock]

Yeah, if you don't have an escape door in the front of the trailer, I wouldn't recommend going in there first in front of this big, ornery guy!

We just left our regional Highland show where one breeder traded a 2-year old bull for another breeder's yearling + heifer. The bull's owners pulled out and headed home with their new girl, leaving the bull behind. He wigged out, broke three leads (but wasn't tied to the wall by his nose ring as required, shame on the new owners), and it took seven of us to hold him until the new owners could get their trailer to load him in. THEN once in the trailer, he wigged further, tangled himself up and knocked himself down after choking himself by the neck lead. They had to cut more leads. I guess now he's fine at his new home, but that was about the scariest thing I'd ever witnessed.

I like the ideas presented earlier of having him dispatched at the farm rather than hauling him live, if that's a viable option. It would save you this nightmare and prevent any serious injuries to you or anyone else trying to load him.

As for the poster with the "tame" Jersey bull...be very, very careful. From what I've heard Jersey bulls are the very worst of all, especially hand-raised ones.

 

[Beekissed]

That is a beautiful bull and he does look like English Park cattle...very pretty breed!

Poor guy! Who would want to eat that purdy widdle woodums, just look at the cute widdle sweety babyface snookums!

 

[siroiszoo]

It's the day! Does the bull go or does the bull stay?

First of all, the Guy In Charge Of This Mess says that if the bull isn't in the trailer by the time he gets off from work, he knows a guy that knows a guy that will load this bull for $50 + a 12 pack (or 24 pack?) of beer. I gotta feeling this bull is going to have a very bad day, today.

POLL: Is it wise to load a 2,000 pound bull into a trailer with no truck hooked up to it? The trailer is just sitting in the pasture.


So far, I'm thinking the bull is staying. The Guy In Charge Of This Mess finally dropped the trailer off but there are several problems:

A) he unhooked from the trailer and took off to work. No way I'm loading a 2,000 pound bull into any kind of trailer with nothing hooked to it to stabilize it.

B) The guy keeps the little slide door (on the back of the trailer door) open for the bull to go into. That might work for heifers & steers but I'm thinking the whole back door needs to be open. Seems to me that bull doesn't think he can fit through the door.

c) Instead of a whole bale of alfalfa in the nose of the trailer, they put 3 little flakes up there with some old crumbling cubes around it to intice the bull. Obviously, he doesn't care for his livestock as well as the owner of the 2,000 pound bull did. No way that bull is going for it. Not even enough aroma to entice him.

AND d) Does it look to you like he wants to go?

He'd rather hang out with his friends:

 

[jhm47]

Close the small door, and open the big one. The trailer will be OK. The balance point is far enough back so it most likely won't tip back. Put some corn in the trailer in a line so the bull can get some without having to get in, but if he wants more he will need to enter it. Stay behind the big door, and when he gets totally in the trailer, shut the door. Good luck!

 

[siroiszoo]

Close the small door, and open the big one. The trailer will be OK. The balance point is far enough back so it most likely won't tip back. Put some corn in the trailer in a line so the bull can get some without having to get in, but if he wants more he will need to enter it. Stay behind the big door, and when he gets totally in the trailer, shut the door. Good luck!

Thanks! I was concerned about the trailer not being hooked up. I got everything done except the corn. About to go back out with that. That darned bull is too smart. I've gotten him close to it but he won't eat a thing from it; not even alfalfa.

I sure would like to get him in there calm and peaceful. But I'm afraid the rowdy people are gonna show up before that happens.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[laughingllama75]

good luck!

 

[siroiszoo]

Well, guess the bull is staying another week.

It's 7:30 PM & The Guy In Charge of This Mess made arrangements to have some guys come out to load the bull next weekend. Ought to be interesting. He is also picking the trailer up tomorrow morning so today has been a complete waste of my time.

Somehow, I get the feeling that bull is not leaving here ever; or at least alive (and it's way to warm around here this week for that to happen and have good consequences).

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know how it turns out next week.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

I kinda see a flaw in what that guy in charge did.

First of all, he put the trailer out in the middle of a pasture that is still green, with grass that probably tastes better than that dry hay. So, why not herd the bull into a drylot with no grass in it, back the trailer up to the gate, put a bale of fresh green hay in, and wait for him to go in? Isn't that a bit more easier and reasonable than just putting it out in the middle of the pasture? Another thing that could be done is drape a bit of hay over the door ledge, then put the rest of it in the trailer. Mind, open up the larger door so he can get in without getting stuck.

If that don't work, shoot him. I'd hate to hear about the other guys coming out to load the bull to get themselves injured or worse, killed.

My boss had a bull like that, only he kept going over fences all the time. Nothing anybody could to worked to get him in a trailer, even when the cows went in before him, so he had him killed and butchered on the spot. He got back over 1200 lbs of beef from him today, mostly hamburger.

 

[siroiszoo]

WildRoseBeeF: There really isn't a dry lot on this place. It's all green pasture. The only dry lot would be where the owner built a corral/chute which the bull tore up last weekend. Even without horns, he can get his head under the rails and pick the whole thing up, bending and shredding the panels.

He likes his daily feed & he likes alfalfa; both of which I've been underfeeding this week to get a little more control through his belly. Mind you, I have tons of experience with horses and zero experience with cows.

My idea was to park the trailer out there (but closer to the bull's favorite spot which also happens to be the place I'm feeding him). I wanted it put out there last week so I could feed him by the trailer; hopefully graduating to putting the feed just inside the trailer to get him used to putting his head in there. Then when he's nice and comfortable with the trailer, open a lush bale of alfalfa in the nose of the trailer to lure him all the way in. Of course, I expected it to take days & possibly weeks to get that far. After working with the bull today, I imagine I could have got it done this week if everyone would have cooperated with me. I almost had his head in the trailer this evening except that he saw my husband walking over and immediately darted from the trailer. Oh well, we will never know since the trailer is leaving tomorrow.

I'm at the mercy of The Guy In Charge of This Mess This bull is smart but trainable from what I've seen so far. Too bad it hasn't worked out better. Actually, I wish I had money & cow sense. I'd buy him from the owner and get him a few cows. He always has produced nice calves. That way, I'd have anywhere from 2 years to 7 years to get that bull loaded (That's how long the owner will be gone & I will have use of his pasture.)

They may wind up putting him down in the field but I guess we will see next Saturday.

 

[freemotion]

I find this thread absolutely fascinating....waiting anxiously for the next installment...