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Boots&Flipflops
499 Posts
Darla
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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 Posted - Apr 12 2018 : 9:28:04 PM
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| Thank you for putting this under a separate topic. Now I’ll be able to find it easily. |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 05:47:04 AM
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Thanks Darla! I'd actually thought about trying to contact Dr. Larson's to see if they could come up with something other than their gel.
What would be ideal for me is to be able to use a balling gun rather than their specialty trigger gun. I'll try to call them to see what the actual size of their smaller bolus is because maybe it will fit my balling gun. The reason I like a balling gun is because you stand next to your cow on their right side (if you're right-handed), facing forward, put your left arm over their neck, hook your hand in the corner of their mouth and gently pull back, insert the tip of the gun into the mouth with your right hand (kind of moving with the cow), they lift their head up, you guide the bolus to the back of the tongue, eject it, pull the gun out. It takes only a few seconds and you have full control over all of it. With their trigger gun, you need both hands to work it so you're having to secure their head somehow and all of it is much less gentle and quick.
I used a balling gun with Anna four times/day and it was never a scene. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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CloversMum
3486 Posts
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 08:33:16 AM
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| MaryJane, do you have a link to the balling gun you like to use? |
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens |
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Boots&Flipflops
499 Posts
Darla
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 2:11:35 PM
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This is the gun they show for the "Transition Calcuim" bolus' on their website. It is on the upper tabs under "Administration."
http://transitionbolus.com/administration/ |
To Succeed In This Life You Need Three Things: A Backbone, A Wish Bone and a Funny Bone. As quoted by Reba McEntire |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 2:46:00 PM
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I just got off the phone with a helpful chap named Brian at Dr. Larson's/MAI. I don't love the gun they show so I wanted to know the actual size of the 88 gram bolus. He didn't have an 88 handy so he estimated that it was 30 mm wide and maybe 3 to 4 inches long. That means the bolus is slightly wider than an inch. The balling guns I like seem to be either 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch wide. It's looking like I might need a 1 1/8 or 1 1/4. It's hard to tell until I get an actual bolus in my hand. So I thought to buy a bolus or two. Well, they aren't offered online anywhere so I had to then call my vet clinic and ask them to ask their sales rep to sell them some. So that's where I'm at right now--waiting to see if I can get a bolus in my hand and go from there.
This is the balling gun I prefer. I don't put my fingers in the three designated holes. Once I have the capsule/bolus in place at the back of the tongue, then I reach out my middle index finger only and plunge the middle ring very slowly, all the while giving my cow a big hug around the neck. If you had all three fingers in those rings, you might get them ripped out if she turned her head abruptly. But it works like a charm my way and is easy peasy, much easier than a gun with a trigger that requires two hands. I've looked at all the other kinds of trigger guns and I still think a balling gun is ideal if I can find one the right size.
http://livestockconcepts.com/en/equipment/1688-balling-gun-ss-w-metal-head-cow.html
When and if I get a bolus, I'll shoot a quick video of me doing it so you can see the dance that happens between cow and milkmaid. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 3:06:36 PM
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There are several videos online that demonstrate. I liked this one the best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2n6iAcqnjk
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MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 7:40:09 PM
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| Awesome Janet! I'm assuming the balling gun Leedstone sells with it will fit both sizes of bolus. It's exactly what I'm looking for. I think i'll wait for my bolus' to arrive from PBS and see if they'll fit in my existing gun. If not, I can buy one from Leedstone. It didn't come up in a search for me. You're a much better sleuth than I! |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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maryjane
7074 Posts
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Posted - Apr 13 2018 : 8:00:59 PM
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| On Monday, I'll call Brian at Dr. Larson's and tell him about the online sources, plus Leedstone's matching balling gun. |
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~ |
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NellieBelle
11217 Posts
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Posted - Apr 14 2018 : 03:35:50 AM
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| Not a much better sleuth. Hardly. I order from them frequently and bought my balling gun from them back a year ago and thought I would check it out. And there it was. |
To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown |
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Calcium
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