Definition and Usage

The Geier Hitch is a tool or technique used in livestock management and animal husbandry. It is a low-tech means of controlling adult male cattle during handling or transport. Although not observed, and perhaps unprecedented, other potential objects suitable for control by means of the Geier Hitch include the ram of the sheep species, the billy of the goat species, the bull of the water buffalo species, and any other male member of the genus of mammals with testicles in an external scrotum. The Geier Hitch should not be confused with the cow hitch, although the cow hitch may be a useful component of the Geier Hitch. A modern hammer is directly descended from ancient hand tools A tool is a piece of equipment that (most commonly) provides a mechanical advantage in accomplishing a physical task. ... A technique is a way of efficiently accomplishing a task in a manner that is not immediately obvious or straightforward. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... Management (from Old French ménagement the art of conducting, directing, from Latin manu agere to lead by the hand) characterises the process of leading and directing all or part of an organisation, often a business, through the deployment and manipulation of resources (human, financial, material, intellectual or intangible). ... In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ... The term low-technology is a description of those crafts and tools whose inception (typically) predates the Industrial Revolution. ... The term adult describes any mature organism, but normally it refers to a human: one that is no longer a child / minor and is now either a man or a woman. ... The shield and spear of the Roman God Mars are often used to represent the male sex In heterogamous species, male is the sex of an organism, or of a part of an organism, which typically produces smaller, mobile gametes (spermatozoa) that are able to fertilise female gametes (ova). ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (called cows in vernacular usage, kine archaic, or kye as the Scots plural of cou) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... A cars handling is a description of the way the car performs, particularly during cornering. ... Look up Control in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sharma Ram (disambiguation) Ram Sharma is an amazing, talented teenager that lives in Canada His talents include rapping, comedy, and cooking He is bound to success! ... Species See text. ... Billy has several meanings. ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... Look up bull in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Binomial name Bubalus bubalis (Kerr, 1792) The Water Buffalo is a very large ungulate and a member of the bovine subfamily. ... The shield and spear of the Roman God Mars are often used to represent the male sex In heterogamous species, male is the sex of an organism, or of a part of an organism, which typically produces smaller, mobile gametes (spermatozoa) that are able to fertilise female gametes (ova). ... Membership can refer to: Set membership - comprising part of a set in mathematics Social group membership - in sociology, the process of socialisation aims/results in achieving membership of a social group This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated with the same title. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... In some male mammals, the scrotum is an external bag of skin and muscle containing the testicles. ... The cow hitch is a knot (specifically, a hitch). ... In general, a things components are its parts; the things that compose it. ...

Tying the Geier Hitch

The basic principle of the Geier Hitch is the attachment of a rope or stout cord through a nose ring installed through the septum or nostril of the nose of the animal, utilizing a bowline or double half hitch knot. (A cow hitch, being a variant of the double half hitch, would serve just as well). The other end of the rope or stout cord is drawn tautly against the belly of the beast and wound around the scrotum at the base of the testicles, where it is tied in a firm knot and exerts pressure and induces stress (See D. Carlson, p. 108). Properly installed, the Geier Hitch will cause tension and pain if the animal gets out of control and begins running, bucking or throwing its head. The exact form of knot used at the scrotal end of the Geier Hitch depends upon the age and value of the subject animal. The slip knot may be used where damage from over-tightening is an acceptable risk; otherwise, a stable knot such as a granny knot or bowline knot should be used. The cow hitch would be of no use whatsoever at this end of the rope. A principle (not principal) is something, usually a rule or norm, that is part of the basis for something else. ... Coils of rope used for long-line fishing A rope (IPA: ) is a length of fibers, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. ... A pint of stout Stout and Porter are dark beers made using roasted malts or roast barley. ... Look up Cord on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Cord has several meanings: String or Rope Cord Automobile Vibrating cord A measurement of the volume of firewood A power cord or extension cable In electronics, a cable Cord, a former American car marque founded by Errett Lobban Cord. ... Nose piercing is the piercing of the skin or cartilage which forms any part of the nose, normally for the purpose of wearing jewelry. ... The nasal septum or septum nasi separates the left and right airways in the nose, dividing the two nostrils. ... A nostril is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. ... Human nose in profile A typical bulbous human nose, here used to support a pair of glasses. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Some knots: 1. ... The cow hitch is a knot (specifically, a hitch). ... Look up Belly in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... // Look up beast in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Some knots: 1. ... Pressure (symbol: p) is the force per unit area applied on a surface in a direction perpendicular to that surface. ... Stress has different meanings in different fields: Look up stress in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tension may mean: In physics, tension is a force related to the stretching of a string or a similar object. ... Look up Pain in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Look up Control in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Man Running - Edward Muybridge Horse Running - Edward Muybridge Running is by definition the fastest means for an animal to move on foot. ... Some horses are chosen for use in rodeos, due to their especially powerful, back-cracking bucks. ... Throwing can have different meanings depending on the context. ... A human head In anatomy, the head of an animal is the anterior part (from anatomical position) that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth (all of which aid in various sensory functions, such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste). ... The running bowline, a type of slip knot For other senses, see slipknot. ... The granny knot is a bend knot, used to tie together two loose ends. ... Bowline Canonical Name: Bowline (pronounced bow -lin or bow -line) Variant name(s): Death knot, Rescue knot, French bowline, Boland knot. ... Some knots: 1. ... The cow hitch is a knot (specifically, a hitch). ...

Safety Considerations

During the transportation of the subject animal utilizing the Geier Hitch, care should be taken to avoid frightening or startling the animal, as any grass-eating mammal has a strong flight reflex.Instances of grave injury to the reproductive organs, while rare, are known to have occurred to startled animals as a result of use of the Geier Hitch. Other less risky means of controlling the animal should be considered before implementing the Geier Hitch. The price of steers normally is well below the price of bulls put out to stud, and the inadvertent conversion of the bull to a steer is to be avoided in most circumstances. Since an uncontrolled, dangerous bull may cause serious injury or death to the farmer, however, the Geier Hitch may be the only safe alternative, on balance, if other appropriate equipment is unavailable. Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes... A reflex action or reflex is a biological control system linking stimulus to response and mediated by a reflex arc. ... A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; namely: Male: penis (notably the glans penis... Steers is a fast-food franchise burger restaurant chain originating from South Africa. ... Belleville Bulls bull Bulls Gap, Tennessee Bulls, New Zealand, Rangitikei township Bulls (rugby club), South Africa Chicago Bulls Durham Bulls Jacksonville Bulls List of dog breeds Papal bulls Pittsburgh Bulls The running of the bulls University of South Florida Bulls Categories: Disambiguation ... Look up Stud in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Origins, Ethics and Current Status

The first known use of the Geier Hitch in the United States was by Ed Geier and Fred Geier and witnessed by Ralph Geier in Boon Lake Township, Renville County and Lynn Township near Otter Lake, McLeod County, Minnesota near Hutchinson, Minnesota during the Great Depression. (See article on West Lynn Creamery, McLeod County History Book, pages 150-51 (1978)). The ethics of the Geier Hitch have been challenged due to perceived animal abuse, although the alternative risks of death or life-threatening injury for the farmer generally are considered to outweigh any animal cruelty associated with its use. With the demise of family farms and their small-scale dairy and beef operations, the increased prevalence of artificial insemination for heifer and cow breeding in modern dairy operations, and the disappearance of livestock generally in many parts of rural America, and due to the availability of other more humane means of animal control, the Geier Hitch is seldom utilized today. Boon Lake Township is a township located in Renville County, Minnesota. ... The term township is used to denote a lower level territorial subdivision. ... Renville County is the name of several counties in the United States: Renville County, Minnesota Renville County, North Dakota This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Lynn Township may refer to: Lynn Township, Michigan Lynn Township, Pennsylvania Lynn Township, Minnesota This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Mahnomen County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Hutchinson is a city located in McLeod County, Minnesota. ... The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 (although its effects were not fully felt until late in 1930) and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... West Lynn is the name of two places: The town of West Lynn in Norfolk, England; and Part of the city of Lynn, in Essex County, Massachusetts. ... A Creamery is an establishment where dairy products are prepared or sold. ... Cruelty to animals refers to treatment which causes unacceptable suffering to animals. ... Death is the full cessation of vital functions in the biological life. ... Farmer spreading grasshopper bait in his alfalfa field. ... Cruelty to animals refers to treatment which causes unacceptable suffering to animals. ... The family farm is a farm owned and operated by a family. ... Dairy farm near Oxford, New York A dairy is a facility for the extraction and processing of animal milk (mostly from cows, sometimes from buffalo, sheep or goats) and other farm animals, for human consumption. ... Beef Beef is meat obtained from a bovine. ... Artificial insemination (AI) is when sperm is placed into a females uterus (intrauterine), or cervix (intracervical) using artificial means rather than by natural copulation. ... Cattle the charitable organization Heifer International This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... COW is an acronym for a number of things: Can of worms The COW programming language, an esoteric programming language. ... Breeding has several meanings related to procreation: In animal husbandry and in horticulture the selection of stock for propagation and the act of insemination by natural or artificial means is called breeding. ... Dairy farm near Oxford, New York A dairy is a facility for the extraction and processing of animal milk (mostly from cows, sometimes from buffalo, sheep or goats) and other farm animals, for human consumption. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... Rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities and towns. ... This article is about the country in North America. ... An animal control officer (also, more informally: dog catcher or dog warden or ) is an employee of, or a contractor to, a municipality, charged with catching stray or loose dogs, cats, and sometimes other animals, and bringing them to a compound or animal shelter, where the animals are held for...

References

• United States Department of Agriculture, Year Book 1922 (GPO 1923), at pp. 281-297 (concerning the Minnesota dairy industry generally), 320-338 (bull management, culling and castration)
• K. Ruble, Men To Remember: How 100,000 Neighbors Made History [the story of Land O' Lakes ] (Lakeside Press, 1947), at pp. 226-280 (future of the dairy industry), 295-98 (bull management and subsidization of artificial insemination by the dairy cooperatives)
• M. Cotter & B. Jackson, Growing Up on a Minnesota Farm (Arcadia Publishing Co., 2001), at pp. 35-41 (the flight reflex of grass-eating mammals), 112-16 (bull calf management)
• The Jamesway Company, The Jamesway Book (1930), pp. 30-44 (dangers of on-farm bull handling; technology of bull pens, nose rings and bull staffs)
• McLeod County Historical Society, McLeod County (Minnesota) History Book 1978 (Taylor Publishing Co., Dallas, Texas 1979), pp. 150-151 (origins of the Geier Hitch)
• W. Ebeling, The Fruited Plain: The Story of American Agriculture (U.Cal.Press 1979), at pp. 30-34 (demise of the family farm), 200-202 (beef cattle in the Upper Midwest)