Identify these tools?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Crofter

Crofter

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
4,915
Location
Northern Ontario
I thought you might have to get Che to help you. That little cheerio's sized band of rubber can transfer a lot of enery into making meat instead of BS. Along with dehorners, hoof nippers, ear tag inserters it makes quite a little manicure kit. Anyone care for a makeover!
 
alanarbor

alanarbor

ArboristSite Guru
Joined
Sep 17, 2004
Messages
939
Location
PA
I married a racncher's daughter from Wyoming. She's actually knows how to use those tools. (I've had some trouble sleeping nights, since she told me what they were for)
 
oldwild

oldwild

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
208
Location
Nebraska
The first 2 pics are what is commonly known as Wesand Pliers. They have numerous uses around livestock. 1st. For castration on sheep and cattle, as well as emasculation of the tails on sheep. 2nd. In a packing plant the small rubbers are placed around the throat (tracea) sp? of the cattle after they have been de-hided and de-headed to keep the stomach from spilling the contents of the stomach when they are gutted. Of course the other 2 pics are for Tattoo the id on livestock, either in the ear or the inside of the lip. Used on dogs, sheep, cattle and goats. :)
 
Crofter

Crofter

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
4,915
Location
Northern Ontario
I guess you could call them snap ring pliers. The rubber band is a very resilient rubber about 1/4 inch in cros section and the hole in the middle is only about 3/16. The pliers stretch it out with their 4 prongs to about a 2 1/2 square opening and the testicles (or tail) is pulled through and the band snugged down against the body. It cuts off the circulation and whatever is south of the band falls off in about 3 weeks. There seems to be no pain.
 

che

ArboristSite Guru
Joined
Jan 29, 2002
Messages
601
Location
KY
I thought you might have to get Che to help you

Doesn't look like my help is needed here, Frank. :D

We use them as soon as possible after birth on our calves. The important part is to count two testicles ("one,.........two")....just one doesn't do the job! If I can catch them the first couple days when they're in their 'newborn hiding mode' I can do it myself....but otherwise (for me) it's a two 'man' job.

My role usually is to drive the truck alongside the mom/calf with my husband in the back ready to jump out. Then to grab the stick and help him get himself and the calf into the back of the truck before 'mom' gets him. Then I usually hold/sit on the calf while he (soon to be it) gets banded, etc.

Once we had a cow ('Cut Horn', she had two big blunted horns) get halfway into the truck during this process. Smack their nose, they back up....usually.

Some years are too busy and we can't get to them that young and we just run them through the squeeze chute while the mom's are eating grain.....do 'em in groups. It's surprising how hard a little thing like that can kick! :eek:

I once used one of the bands on a calf who's tail was either 'skinned' by a cow stepping on it or an unlucky coyote. Put it up onto the healthy tissue and the rest fell off.

I was thinking yesterday I need to get all the tags and paraphanalia ready....these moms are getting fat and ready!! Could be starting any day now.

When does calving start for you, Frank?
 
Crofter

Crofter

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
4,915
Location
Northern Ontario
Che, it will be late April, May. We are cold enough and not much pasture till June so it is easier not to have them too early. I am down to just a handfull of cows now for our own use. Sometimes you can't remember which is the fun part of having them!
 
Crofter

Crofter

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
4,915
Location
Northern Ontario
You wouldn't want to hang a beating on the missus and then pass out if she was handy with the elastrators! Remember that movie, The Farmer doesn't get mad, he gets even!
Che we managed to get what is called a short bagged bull. My wife and a friend had a new calf to do while I was working out of province. It was a two woman job alright. On Galloway cattle the hide is very thick and you know how hard it is to feel the testicles. Well they managed to get the ring below both of them. The scrotum fell off just like planned, but not what they were after. He was 8 months old before we discovered for sure. Because they were held too close to the body for temperature control, he was sterile but capable otherwise. He stayed pretty well mannered so we did nothing about it before he was slaughtered. Excellent beef.
 
Crofter

Crofter

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
4,915
Location
Northern Ontario
The lady on the pliers happened to be that engineer I spoke of on another post, but she was slightly outside her area of expertise, but I sure had fun teasing her about giving me a bum steer! And that is nothing kinky or vulgar if you know the business!
 

che

ArboristSite Guru
Joined
Jan 29, 2002
Messages
601
Location
KY
Butch....I had to go back and read it....but I've been here on the farm too long now, can't tell which is the 'funny' part.

I understood perfectly....and am very glad it wasn't MY mistake....I'd never hear the end of it here.

It's amazing what farm kids take for 'normal' discussion. When the kids were little they'd ride with me doing the checks on the calving cows. Discussions of 'puffy bottoms', gooze, mucous plugs, teats, etc were all part of their vocabulary. When my toddler talked about seeing a 'placenta' in the field (meaning SOMEONE just calved).....it blew me away. >lol<

They have a very earthy understanding about the 'birds & bees', never had to have those kind of discussions with them....when a bull is in the herd, it's pretty obvious what's going on. Watching the calving fills out the circle. Trying to explain 'boys' to my daughter was pretty easy too....I simply told her to think about a bull with his lip up, and that's about the same way these teenage boys are....once they get that 'smell' they get pretty stupid.
 
Top