TB Testing

bjreroberts · Post by **bjreroberts** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:27 am

Sounds just like me! Moving them or getting them in the crush is always a logistical nightmare. I am quite envious of those with a permanent set up.

I have to make at least 2 journeys with old gates / the crush. Move the crush over the field rolling it on straining posts. Now I've bought a tractor I am planning to get some brackets welded on so I can move it with the tractor.

CarolineL · Post by **CarolineL** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:21 pm

Sounds like the fun and games we are going to have when we have to get ours done for the first time in the next couple of months! First thing on the shopping list is a crush - the last one we bid on at the York machinery sales made silly money, it was a good crush but definitely well used. Managed to do bluetongue by penning them behind an old gate in the shed but have a feeling the vet won't fancy that for the TB test. Any recommendations for buying a crush? Is it necessary to get a yearling crush for dexters or will a standard model be ok? (We're not doing Christmas presents this year - too many things to buy when you're starting out with cattle!)
Thanks
Caroline

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:23 pm

hi Di,last year we grazd away. 2 wouldnt be caught! went 3 times last armed wi 10 people still no joy a man ad to come on his quad.til they wer nacked. funny now as therye angels, so know wot u mean

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:32 pm

nuttalls wrote:hi Di,last year we grazd away. 2 wouldnt be caught! went 3 times last armed wi 10 people still no joy a man ad to come on his quad.til they wer nacked. funny now as therye angels, so know wot u mean

tb test over with 30 done in under an hour.vet said she had tested 6 and it took 4 hours. mine were well behaved today. soon be friday

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:38 pm

CarolineL wrote:Sounds like the fun and games we are going to have when we have to get ours done for the first time in the next couple of months! First thing on the shopping list is a crush - the last one we bid on at the York machinery sales made silly money, it was a good crush but definitely well used. Managed to do bluetongue by penning them behind an old gate in the shed but have a feeling the vet won't fancy that for the TB test. Any recommendations for buying a crush? Is it necessary to get a yearling crush for dexters or will a standard model be ok? (We're not doing Christmas presents this year - too many things to buy when you're starting out with cattle!)
Thanks
Caroline

hi caroline, we bought one from a farm sale, not a dexter one but it did the job this morning we tb tested 30 different sizes with it. the hardest job woz getn it home, bulky thing, Bargain 20.00!

CarolineL · Post by **CarolineL** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:00 pm

You got a great bargain there! The one at York machinery sale made £500+ with a wooden floor and plenty of rust! Will have to look out for farm sales I think.

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:53 pm

Alright Jean you are gloating so much you posted twice :D we are still to do ours but hey no worries. An ordinary crush is fine for dexters in MHO if you need to you can put two in for the tb as long as you can see their necks. I have been thinking of putting a small raised floor in to raise them up so the vet doesn't have to bend down so far. We must all make a fuss of our vets and make life easy for them

As for Sylvia's remark in another post " we are the bright ones and can outwit animals" or something like that well if an animal does not want to do something strong enough there is not much you can do. Opinions! ???

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:04 am

"Humans are supposed to be the bright ones so ought, in theory, be able to outwit even the most difficult bovine." Was actually what I said.

And as most livestock are stronger than humans getting into any trial of strength with them isn't very clever.

Planning the buildings and farm layout and identifying the less co-operative animals so they can be treated appropriately was more what I had in mind.

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:17 pm

Di Howes wrote:I feel so much better now. Seems everyone has their problems. I agree a cattle crush is a must. We were lucky and whilst looking around a local (same village) farm sale at one, someone else we knew said he was interested in it as it was much newer (as in nearly brand new) than his. In the end he bought the one at the sale and we bought his for £200. Seemed a lot of money at the time as it has a wooden floor and is well used but as they are like hen's teeth its worth every penny.

Course in our new set up (whenever that happens!) it will have a permenant position in the corner of the fenced off yard (whenever the fencing happens too).

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Di

hi Di, know someone who had limmy.s the bull just lifted the crush like a bak pack. with it not being bolted down! Just as well he woz a quiet bull or there couldv.e been lots of trouble

jean

CarolineL · Post by **CarolineL** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:35 pm

Crush update! Richard (runs a bulk haulage company) was loading at a farm and having a general chat about cattle and crushes and the farmer had one in his shed that they weren't using as they had given up cattle a few years back, and was happy to sell it for £150. Marvellous! It's even got a weigher that still works and a 3-point linkage for moving it with the tractor. We were getting close to buying a new one as hadn't seen any cheap 2nd hand ones - good job the high prices of the new ones kept putting us off! Just got the TB test to sort now...

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:33 pm

Nice one Carolinel some people have all the luck and that was a good bit for you. You should give your partner a big kiss. :D

CarolineL · Post by **CarolineL** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:36 pm

Thanks Rob! It was a lucky find. He'll get a Christmas pressie now too!

Cheers
Caroline

nuttalls · Post by **nuttalls** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:47 pm

Wer all done! lovely frosty mornin, till next year only took half hour

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:22 am

Ok Jean enough of the boasting :D we are still in the process of coaxing the red heifer in the shed and I am happy to say we are making progress-- she came in to night and ate some hard food so I think I will arrange the vet for next week on my days off God wiling TB here we come :D :D

davidw · Post by **davidw** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:14 am

My local DEFRA livestock officer helped me find a cheap crush. One of his friends/neighbours had one lying in a hedge. OK it needed a new floor - I used garden decking - and some general cleaning up and repainting, but it all works including the weighing system. I paid £50 for the crush and it cost about £40 to clean it up. Its a full size one so is OK for my non-shorts. Probably could do with a size smaller neck yoke but I haven't convinced any of my *****'s to model for the correct size.