Cattle transport, 15 hours aprox

fireweed farm · #1 10/25/11, 09:42 AM

I am delivering 2 calves of about 5 months of age, long distance this weekend.
Actually the buyers are meeting me halfway and driving the remainder.
I will need to load them the evening before leaving. Planned to have hay on the floor for bedding.
I will have water for them over night and could water them at some point during the trip.
Just wondering if hay is a good idea or if they may have issues without constant water access?
Thanks.

genebo · #2 10/25/11, 11:23 AM

Hay is OK in a feeder that holds it off the floor, but it makes slippery footing. The thick rubber pads that they sell at farm supply stores are good footing and provide some cushioning from road shock.

It's a long ride. They're going to be tired. Best to make it as easy on them as possible.

G. Seddon · #3 10/25/11, 12:08 PM

Yes, a very long trip for two youngsters. I'd offer water every few hours.

Probably not enough time to do this before they travel, but you might check with your vet to see if they can get a shipping fever vaccination (would be better a few weeks in advance of travel). Perhaps there's something the vet would recommend giving when they arrive?

MO_cows · #4 10/25/11, 06:10 PM

That's a long haul for 5 month olds. I sure hope they aren't getting "weaned on wheels"!

If it were me, I would use rubber mats in the trailer and also put down shavings UNLESS the trailer is too open near the bottom and would blow them around too much. They will lay down on such a long trip. The mats will get slippery with pee and manure so the shavings would help with that. I would offer water periodically, and bring some water from home since sometimes they refuse "strange" water. Maybe a hay bag to nibble on.

springvalley · #5 10/25/11, 08:03 PM

I second sawdust bedding,with some sand underneath and haybag, and water when ever you pullover for gas or eat. And always take water along with you they will enjoy there own water on the trip. > Marc

bruce2288 · #6 10/26/11, 12:08 PM

Those will be some expensive calves. Around here to hire a stock trailer pickup in $2/mile.

myersfarm · #7 10/27/11, 12:23 AM

would be real careful putting water in.....before they ride that far THEY MAY WANT TO JUMP OUT
...thats 800 miles.....somebody is not thinking......also how you getting from one trailer to other might be tricky

myersfarm · #8 10/27/11, 12:25 AM

I agree would give a shot of LA 300 before I loaded

goodhors · #9 10/27/11, 02:55 PM

If your shavings for bedding are very dry, we use some water to sprinkle on them, keep the dust down. You don't soak them, but light mist keeps the shavings or sawdust down on the floor.

The rubbber mats for trailer floor will help cushion the ride a lot for the calves, still grippy with sawdust or shavings on top. Hay or straw bedding is REALLY slippery, had horses down when it was used. Maybe you could borrow some mats if you don't want to buy any. Local farm store or trailer dealer should have some on hand. Get thicker ones, they stay put in the trailer better. Also make some fingers/bars to go under the back door/gate of trailer, to prevent mats working their way outsice. Had a friend LOSE 4 brand new mats because her stock trailer had a big gap under the back door/gate. Her mats just "traveled back" down the trailer floor over the rough roads home, came out someplace on the road. Never found them.

I would offer water when you stop, every 3-4 hours. Leave a secured hay net so they can eat while moving. We tie a hay net at both ends, so even if it empties, it won't sag to the floor to get feet snagged in it. I have several 5 gallon camping bottles, which I fill and take when hauling animals. Having the water right on the truck saves a lot of time hunting for water at rest stop or gas station. I do tie them upright, so no water leaks out. Check at a camping supply dept. in your local stores.

I might give mine some salty feed before leaving, to get them tanked up on water. They probably are not used to drinking from buckets, so may not cooperate en route. Wet beet pulp is a good hydrating feed, most cattle like it pretty well with a handful of grain mixed in.

Good luck with the calves.

springvalley · #10 10/27/11, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myersfarm

......also how you getting from one trailer to other might be tricky

I have done the swap on the road, you just back both trailer up to each other , and I hope you have slider doors. Back both doors up to each other and open both doors, move calves from one trailer to the other. Works purdy good, alot of trailers have rubber bumpers on them so they won`t have a gap for a foot to get in when going from one to the other. > Thanks Marc

fireweed farm · #11 10/27/11, 10:48 PM

Thank you all for the tips. Fraid they are being weened on wheels. I feel they are quite old enough and if nothing else, are good buds and will be together at the new farm.

myersfarm · #12 10/28/11, 04:10 AM

Springvalley ...what I was referring to is she said A TRAILER....not knowing what kind of trailer...if it was 2 two horse trailers with swing doors it might get a little tuff. and not that easy if one was a HORSE TRAILER that she is using with calfs in it....not being able to open doors after you back them together.. .with swing doors like the 2 horse trailers have.........yes sliding doors on a cattle trailer would be no problem at all

G. Seddon · #13 10/28/11, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireweed farm

Fraid they are being weened on wheels.

Have they been vaccinated? Very long trip, high stress, new bacterial environment! Friendship won't matter.

Cheribelle · #14 10/28/11, 12:48 PM

Just curious, what is so special about these 2, that would warrant such a long trip?
Good luck with it!

fireweed farm · #15 10/29/11, 01:02 AM

Vaccinations up to date, yes.
Why am I selling at such a distance? I haven't quite tapped into a good Dexter market locally. Steers no problem. Registered heifers not so easy. I decided to buy into a trailer share and this will be my second haul.
I am getting $600 each, plus $100 trucking, plus the gas.

francismilker · #16 10/29/11, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireweed farm

Vaccinations up to date, yes.
Why am I selling at such a distance? I haven't quite tapped into a good Dexter market locally. Steers no problem. Registered heifers not so easy. I decided to buy into a trailer share and this will be my second haul.
I am getting $600 each, plus $100 trucking, plus the gas.

So basically, if I'm understanding you correctly you're getting paid $100 bucks to make a 30 hour roundtrip plus the cost of fuel. That's not very profitable. If $600 is a fair price for you dexters you're still way underpaid for making the trip IMO.

However, I would advise a shot of NuFlor and a shot of bantamine or some Resflor. (bantamine/nuflor combined)

I'd bed them on shavings instead of sawdust. (sawdust blows around too much unless you wet it down and most of the time I've tried it ends up getting swirled around by the wind to end up pile in the front of the trailer.)

I wouldn't be bothered by the distance provided you have a trailer that's not drafty. Remember, your driving speed makes the wind chill factor decrease so they're gonna be breathing very cold air at high volumes. Try to keep them out of a draft if you can.

fireweed farm · #17 10/30/11, 02:49 AM

Just got home. That was 16 hours driving (8 with cattle). $2 per mile (600 miles) would have been very fair. They got a steal. I should have had a motel along the way which would have really blown the deal. Coffee did the trick.
While happy with the cash in hand, I won't do that again.
I was happy to have a buyer take two, and had planned to turn it into a camping/fishing trip for myself but as the delivery continually was pushed back it ended up too late in the season. There was snow and smaller lakes had a thin sheet of ice. Lesson learned.
Thanks again for all of the advice, I should have asked this weeks ago. Overall the transport went great, transfer was surprisingly smooth. Rubber mats and a little sawdust were great ideas.