how do you get a steer to walk

Last weekend I spent 20 minutes per calf with 3 calves and went from never being haltered to taking several steps at a time on the lead.  Granted I had them all pretty gentle when I put the halter on the first time, but that only took a couple of 15 to 20 minute sessions in the small pen with a show stick and a brush the day before.  Key is never letting them set their feet and haul back on the lead to the point it pinches their head.  I start by haltering in the small pen. 

Their first inclination is to panic when they feel the pressure on their poll and chin.  I only put enough pressure to tilt their head my direction and let them walk around until they stop.  Then I slack the lead and let them think about it and comb or brush them.  Then I will ask them to give their head left or right - doesn't matter, but should do both ways.  Reward with releasing pressure on the lead immediately when they give to it and give a few strokes with the comb.  When they can do that, I will ask for them to take a 90 degree step and then release and comb.  Maybe do that 5 or 10 times over the course of 5 to 10 minutes.  Then I will ask them to take a step forward.  If they won't do it, don't force it -- go back to the 90 degree turn before trying it again.  When you get a single step forward, release the pressure and comb.  Once they figure out the release is stepping into the direction of the pressure, they figure out how to lead very quickly.  I do not tie them up until they learn to step forward into the pressure.  Once they have that figured out, I can tie them up and they barely put up a fight -- they do not get sore and swollen chins and sore heads because they don't yank back and stand there with all of their weight on the halter.  It is quicker, less traumatic for the calf, and it just flat works.  After two sessions with a 7 month-old angus bull calf, I was able to put him into the grooming chute without a fight.  Two steers were the same way. 

I have not had a calf that this method did not work on.  Some take a couple more sessions than others, but if they are gentle before the halter goes on and if you do not tie them before they figure out how to step forward to release the pressure, they learn how to lead very quickly.  Cattle can react and form learned response very quickly in response to pleasure or pain.  My observation is that they become much more compliant more quickly when they do so for pleasure rather than to avoid pain.

There are some cattle that are just knotheads.  However, I try to give them every chance before I resort to the pain methods.  Some of them are not suitable for sports like cattle shows -- they belong in the cutting horse practice pen or in the feedlot.

JDM said:

What I do in cases like yours with no help is take a show stick and place the hook under his tail head and with tension on the halter and pulling the hook of the show stick under his tail head that gets thier attention pretty quick. After a few times all it takes is the stick to be placed on thier backs and they usally know whats next.

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ok.....this worked like a charm! after about 10 minutes i was getting him to walk a little! this technique worked super well! ive only done it once, but with how well it worked in 10 minutes, in a couple days he will walk normally i think. thanks so much for suggesting this! you are a genius!!!!!!  (clapping)

everybreedcounts said:

Woodland Farms said:

iowabeef said:

WJ Farms said:

Quello said:

I hope to not offened anyone but putting the calf on a donkey or tied to  a tractor in my opinion is just lazy.  You should put in the time to work with the animal if you want to reap the awards in the show ring.  You get out what you put in.  If you need to rely on something else to do the job for you do not get involved! 

Thanks

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WHOA WHOA!!!! That is the greatest thing I have ever heard!!! There are some calves that you just cant break!!! And you have to use something else on them to try and make them work!! Its not that easy pull on a 500-700 pound calf to make then walk......they are a lot stronger than any human! Dont sit here and tell people they should not get involved if they need to use a donkey or tractor.....thats is the biggest bunch of garbage I have heard in a long time. And on a second note a lot of people dont have time during the day to get out there and work with their cattle as much as they need too and most cattle need to be rinsed every day...Well if you cant get them to walk to the wash rack how in the hell are you suppose to wash them! You may get to be a stay at home dad/mom or whatever but most of us dont have that luxury so we need something to help speed up the process and make things easier!!

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COMPLETELY agree....Using other methods to help break a calf is NOT lazy, it is smart.  Work smarter not harder is what I have learned. 

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I dont know how that could not offend anybody, im sorry but i hope you continue reading this because your comment about people that use their resources being lazy is complete BULL. You have obviously never had a large group of show cattle to get broke for a sale or show/anything. I go to college full time sell show calves and campainge a large group of heifers everyyear. i someties have to use a tractor and wagon and i know a lot of other producers that use a donkey or tractor. Not sure how someone is supposed to work full time or go to school full time and spend countless hours with cattle just trying to break them and not get the other stuff done such as the daily rinsing. so next time you'd like to make a comment about us being lazy maybe you should rethink it and call yourself lazy since you obviously have nothing else to do. 

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exactly. i agree!
if it was a perfect world everyone could spend hours a day just making friends with their cattle. but in the real world no one has time for that. thats why is called "halter breaking".  cattle have to know whose boss, you, not them. you can still build a great relationship with cattle, and being quckily halter broke first is not going to damage that relationship, because they respect authority. thats why cows have pecking orders in the herd. to be a little more diplomatic, all in all, everyone has their own opinion on the right way to do things. i figure if something can get done successfully in different ways, then its all good. its really up to the person doing it how they think it should be done.

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I certainly would not say halter breaking with a tractor or donkey was lazy, but I do agree it's not what I would call humane.  I'll ask all who commented above, how did "Hard" punishment work with you?  Most likely, rather than it made you do as told, it made you even more obstinate.  The old expression," Honey will get you more flies than Vinegar" is a perfect example.  Cows are extrememly dumb animals, but seem to have great recall of things which hurt.  Tender, Loving Care is by far the best ingredient to overuse while breaking, and showing cattle.  It may take a little more time, but the results will always be FAR BETTER!

I will add to this thread that if you are not using a rope halter that either came with a ring built in or a ring that you have added to the halter, you need to get one or make one. The pressure releases so much quicker and fully that it will speed up the time line immensely.

everybreedcounts said:

JDM said:

What I do in cases like yours with no help is take a show stick and place the hook under his tail head and with tension on the halter and pulling the hook of the show stick under his tail head that gets thier attention pretty quick. After a few times all it takes is the stick to be placed on thier backs and they usally know whats next.

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ok.....this worked like a charm! after about 10 minutes i was getting him to walk a little! this technique worked super well! ive only done it once, but with how well it worked in 10 minutes, in a couple days he will walk normally i think. thanks so much for suggesting this! you are a genius!!!!!!  (clapping)

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Your welcome

I would just like to say with all the ! and cap locks being throw-ed around after the comment it appears some people may have a guilty concision. Just saying, I don't understand why people would get that mad over the comment, disagree may be but mad?  Seems a little defensive.

Quello said:

I hope to not offened anyone but putting the calf on a donkey or tied to  a tractor in my opinion is just lazy.  You should put in the time to work with the animal if you want to reap the awards in the show ring.  You get out what you put in.  If you need to rely on something else to do the job for you do not get involved! 

Thanks

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;D My steer was so hard to break; I never tied him to a tractor or a donkey not even another steer. I basically had someone push on  him or basically smack his butt until he would walk and someone would follow him with one of those pig pipes and follow him and if he stopped then we would tap him with it. Eventually worked out!

u pull him him while somebody tails....SIMPLE

I have used a twine from the halter around and under the tail then back to where I can pull it.  It isn't as good as having a second person but it is better than nothing.