halter training a very stubborn calf. could use advice.

[dragonmorgan]

We've got 2 calves right now that we got from a family friend when their moms died. One is around 6 months old and the other around a yr. Anyway I'm hopin to halter train them both so they can be led around our yard where they graze and maybe one day milled. I've managed to halter train the older one just fine. She's very food motivated soall i ever had to do was put some grass in a bucket and shed follow me anywhere. Eventually she got to the point where she understood that the halter meant she was gonna get to go out and graze. Now all i have to do is open the gate to her pen and she will walk out on her own. She was pretty much a dream to halter. The younger calf on the other hand was bottle raised by me and is still very skittish. She hates the halter, doesnt care what i bring her in a bucket, runs from me anytime i get close, and when i finally do manage to get a rope on her she stiff legs me when i try and move her forward, goes down on her front knees, tries to take off runnin past me and drag me along, and just generally doesnt cooperate at all. I dont know if im doin somethin wrong or if just how she will always be. I cant even let her out to graze anymore because apparently my knot tying skills suck and she pulled the knot out last time and DH had to chase her down the street because as soon as she realized she was loose she took off runnin. She wouldnt even follow a bag of hay back into the yard. I can let her out again until we get a lead with a clip on it. I even tried a little motivation in the form of a stick and it worked once and then she figured it out and anytime i tried to get close enough she would take off and drag me around the yard. And thats how it always is. Any tirick i learn to get her to do what i want she figures out and adjusts her behavior to further thwart all my attempts. Anyway rant over. Does anyone have any advice on how to teach her to act right. Its usually just me workin her solo. DH works 3rd shift so hes usually asleep anytime i work with her.

 

[redtailgal]

You'll need to tie her to a stout post in the barn or in the shade. SHe'll balk and pull, but eventually she will learn that its pointless to pull against the post. Then keep her stalled for a day or two, going out several times a day to lead her to her feed and water. She'll learn the lead is a good thing.

 

[dragonmorgan]

Ill certainly give it a try. i usually tie her up while shes grazin tho and she does fine. The trouble comes when i go to first put her out, move her to a shady spot, or take her back to the pen. So long as no ones on the other end of thr rope tryin to get her to move shes fine bein tief. Hopefully havin to be lead to the water will get her to cooperate. I doubt shed let me lead her to the food. She wont eat anything usually if im near by. She just watches me.

 

[jhm47]

She sounds like one of the "genetic basket cases", which will probably never calm down. There are some cattle that are genetically predisposed to be flighty and always on edge. The best thing to do with one like this is to send her to town, where someone with a feedlot and the expertise with cattle like this can feed her out and remove her from the gene pool. Cattle like this have been proven to grow more slowly and produce poorer quality meat.

I ruthlessly cull cattle like this from my herd. They just aren't worth the trouble, risk, and heartache.

 

[dragonmorgan]

How do you tell whether or not they are a lost cause. Id hate to give up too soon on her. I have no problem sendin her to the sale tho. Ive already told DH that if she aint no better sale by the time shes big enough to take to the sale then we are gonna load her up the next time we take calves.

Ill have to get another to replace her tho if we sell her. What should i look for in a new calf to give me the best chance of gettin a friendly one? All the ones in our big herd are very skittish too because they are never handled or even messed with until its time to load them. Should i try and get one from the sale.

 

[jhm47]

How can you tell if they are a lost cause??? Read your original post: 1. It was bottle fed---that being the case, it should be very gentle and recognize that humans are a food source. 2. Runs from you anytime you get close. 3. Fights halter and haltering. 4. Takes off running and drags you.

This is plainly genetically wild, and no manner of handling will make a difference. Sell it before it gets big enough to hurt someone. Life is too short to put up with wild cattle. Believe me---I've been through it all in my 55+ years of ranching.

 

[dragonmorgan]

Yea i was afraid of that. It sucks cuz she was my first bottle baby. I guess ill start lookin into other calves to bring home. I dont want the one we are keepin to get lonely by herself once this one is gone. I know its a genetic thing but it still makes me feel like i did omethin wrong to cause it. Thanks for the advice and confirming my fears. At least now i know for sure.

 

[dragonmorgan]

I been lookin around to get an idea of what its gonna take to get one and I'm stumped. Since Imma try and make these milk cows im thinkini may try and get a milk breed. Ive heard of people gettin calves from dairies but i cant seem to find any around here much less any that are or sale. Ive heard bad things about gettin them from auctions and ive never bought anything from an auction so id have no idea what to be lookin for. Any ideas on where i should be lookin. It aint gotta be registered or purebred. It doesnt even have to be a milk breed. Just dont wanna spend a ton of money or end up with a bum calf ya no.

 

[Blackhereford boy]

you could Google breeders in your area. and I agree with redtailgal I did this and broke my show calf in one day!!!

 

[redtailgal]

Next time you get a bottle baby, you should start her on the halter from day one.

When you get your bottle baby, she should wear the halter each time she is fed. She'll associate the halter with good things. Make it a practice to halter her and LEAD HER TO her bottle. She MUST be lead to it to get it, instead of you bringing it to her. In very quick time, you'll have a calf that ASKS for the halter, and is very willing to walk on the lead.

It's so much easier to train them to proper behavior when they are still smaller than you. This bottle/bucket (i put them on a bucket within a week) stage is the easiest time for them to learn, not only for you but them as well. You dont have to be as forceful because they are younger and more easily swayed, and this less forceful approach is less stressful for them, thus allowing them to learn much much faster. By the time our bottle calves are a week old, they are walking nicely on the lead, standing somewhat politely when we stop, allowing us to handle the udder and feet, ears, belly, etc. At this young age they also learn not to head butt, or rub their head on us, nor to kick at us or pull on the lead.

Treat your youngest calves with the same rules as you would have them to follow when they are grown cattle. This way, by the time they are 300 pounds, it's a habit and a way of life to behave in the appropriate manner. Expect them to behave when they are youngsters, so that they wont know any other way of behaving when they are grown and big enough to pound you.