How did you guys choose what trailer you were going to use?

I like to follow money. I’ll pull whatever pays and make a change when it stops.

Livestock doesn’t pay like it used to, the people doing it are doing it because they love it. My brother knows what I make and still won’t give up hauling cattle even though he complains about it every day.

 

Hauling cattle is something I'd like to try. I think there is more to it than just hauling animals. It depends how you see the animals in general. I always believed that you can 'humanize' them and talk to them, this way you don't not too lonely on the road.

 

There really isn’t nothing special to it. Just common sense. To hear some these Johnny come lately guys you gotta be the real deal to do it lmao.

the whole time I’m loading or unloading I talk to them, just to let them know where im at mostly. Sure you gotta watch them, however there are very few head hunters. Most get hurt being between the cattle and the exit. All they want is to get away. If your in that path your collateral damage is all.

Most don’t have sense enough to get off of em and give them a break when they get really nerved up they think more electricity and yelling will help. Not putting yourself in a bad spot is key.

Then they think it’s a race to the destination again no clue. I’m not saying that I don’t give mine her head every once and while and let it do that deal, there’s just a time and a place for that. It’s amazing at the false facts some these guys will spread

 

No you don't. Hauling animals is more unpredictable than a half filled tanker on a road course. They have a pretty good idea where they are going, and I heard, if one gets out of line at the slaughterhouse, it's pandemonium, and it smells funny. More than once, I've seen livestock drivers get "kicked" holding their sides, no place for a city slicker, that's for sure. This may make you think again,,

 

Lots of loads to haul that aren’t going to be killed. It’s not pandemonium at the the slaughter house, you stand there and let them walk off. Most of the time you can’t really get in the trailer to get them out anymore because of the BQA rules. And they’re not unpredictable. All you have to do is pay attention and have some common sense, which I’m guessing was lacking from the ones telling you lunch counter stories.

 

Not all of them are going to the slaughter house.

 

When I delivered dry freight at some of those places in Colorado like Cargill, even I could smell blood and fresh cut meat. No wonder the animals can smell it much quicker. So perhaps upon their arrival, they can feel that something is not right. Instincts.
A man must eat though.

 

I never had much trouble unloading at the plants, once in a while you’d get one up on top that wouldn’t come off. But when that happens you just run a few back onto the trailer and they usually come off fine in a group.

 

That guy was haulin ###!

 

You can turn anything over again a little common sense goes a long way.

There is more to it than cow truck lights and chrome. A big ride hooked to a pot covered in lights doesn’t make the guy a top hand. Seems in today’s world that’s what they think. Or because they are doing it they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Me personally I think not a single one of us is better than the other. No matter what your pulling it takes us all to make this deal come together from the week one Swifty to the guy that I consider a legend that’s hauled stock 53 years this year. Just because it’s not for everyone doesn’t mean it’s hard.

 

That happened in Neligh NE and was 1000% the driver’s fault. Who knows what exactly he was doing but when you flop a truck in town going nearly highway speed it isn’t because of what kind of trailer you’re pulling.

Normally I just keep to myself when this stuff comes up but people repeating lunch counter stories doesn’t do anyone any good.

One thing I forgot earlier about being kicked, if you get kicked it’s because you did something wrong. Either you weren’t close enough to the livestock or you weren’t far enough away. If you’re up against the cattle and touching them and moving with them they won’t be able to kick you because they won’t be able to fully extend their leg. So if you’re anywhere in between touching them and the end of their fully extended leg you’re standing in the wrong spot.