I am looking into getting into cattle hauling.

I have been told all my life it's easier to teach a cowboy to drive a truck than teach a truck driver to be a cowboy. It ain't all that bad, I have cracked a few ribs here and there last time bout a month ago lol. I may be 40 and fat but can still move when I have to. To most that want in this business it's for the money and a flashy ride. That's ok as long as they figure out that their cargo is living and breathing. You bet they may have less than 24 hours to live but making that 24 misery is senseless. Recognizing a sickly before they go on and have to winch one off, or get others sick is part of it. Our loads are LTL to sometimes it sure ain't right for two other farmers to loose a calf or two cause you loaded a sick one. Sometimes at the end of the day I'm deadbeat tired, and wonder why the hell I keep doing this. Somedays I wake up deadbeat tired and wonder why the hell I keep doing this today is one of em.

 

Tell me that 40 was a misprint, cause if it wasn't I feel old now.

 

39 actually 40 come July.

 

Haven't read it all but wore out nailed it on when to hammer an when to not. Other than that Rember no horns on top set em up for curves an either and a lighter can be your best friend sometimes only way to learn is do it either you can or you'll wish you had that van back.

 

They are deff top heavy. About two years ago one got laid over by New Munic MN. A suv stopped on the freeway for some baby ducks causing the bull rack to swerve and lay it down in the median. You could see the tracks and by the length of them must have been one of those slow motion feeling accidents. Eye witnesses said the suv took off. I had to haul out a telescopic forklift to pull out the dead cattle. About a quarter of them lived, and the injured ones were put down by a vet. I had to stay until the rendering truck showed up, that gave me time to see Dot inspect it on its side and the wreckers put it on its wheels. I talked to the driver and he was pretty wound up rightfully so. They also found the baby ducks wandering around.
Is the top really supposed to pop off on the trailer? This one did not. I'm guessing this counts as a preventable accident, what a crappy way wreck. I have not ever had that happen driving a semi but had it happen twice in a pickup both times I had no where to go just hoping not to rear ended my self.

 

I have always heard of bull haulers carrying a rifle in case they get in a wreck, and are well enough themselves, so that they can put down the cattle that are in too bad of shape to make it. I bet Wore Out or someone could chip in about this.

 

I don't carry one, and never have. I would imagine in the event of a crash you'd open yourself up to a mess with your insurance company if you just start dropping cattle at your discretion. I wrecked back in '99 and the ones that weren't dead went to a vet to get checked out.

 

There are some things I refuse to plan for cause it makes me feel like I plan on it happening. Besides I'm afraid one of em might take it away from me and use it on me. I have seen a few I woulda bought to shoot trying to get loaded to

 

Idk if that's why we carry it, but I'm always well enough armed to put down everything on my trailer