Need some advice about a 4-H steer

Alright guys, here's my issue. My little sister is 13 and can handle any animal with the best of them. But, last year we had a crazy beef steer that tore down our corral Needless to say he made his way to the stockyards. This year we got her steer picked out of the feedlot. He was calm, he was just slow. While I was away at school my grandpa's farmhand (they stay on my grandpa's property) was working with him and worked fine. The farmhand's dumba** tried to get the pen and "show" everyone how it was done. The steer kicked the sh*t out of him. (He isn't allowed around the steers anymore. I got home from school and took my little sister out to work her animals and climbed in the pen, grabbed his halter and he didn't do anything. We walked him had my sister switch steers and she walked him, still no issues. We always end the day by brushing them out (while tied up) and I got his whole left side brushed down, his rear end and almost around to his right side. He started to charge me, I didn't think anything of it. I just chalked it up to maybe I spooked him. I came back to untie him (on his left side) and he tried to charge me again. So I decided to just leave him tied up.
I still can't get in the pen without him wanting to charge me. My sister got charged at the other day while feeding him some treats from her hand after him eating multiple others out of her with no issue, luckily she was on the opposite of a gate. I talked with the farmhand and asked if he has been charging him any, he said no. Ok, maybe it's a familiarity issue. TODAY, he charged the farm hand. I don't know what to do, I have ran out of ideas. Our fair is in about 2 weeks.

Sorry for the long story but I want you to have the whole story. I would love any help or ideas you can offer.

First thing, you don't want to get hurt so make sure you have another person with you when working with him.  I would get him tied up, brush him a bit, let him settle down, and try walking around the pen.  If he starts getting rowdy, repeat the process.  I would recommend an adult with you to lend a helping hand if he gets squirmy on you. 

There is a difference from a calf just getting easily spooked and the ones that can be darn out nasty to you.  You are going to work with him every night if your show is that close.

Get rid of him.  If he can't be controlled at home there is no way he will be controlled at a fair.

We learned this the hard way, and ended up getting someone seriously hurt at a State Fair. 

If you keep messing around with this, you will have your little sister to the point she won't want to ever show one again.

I am sorry this happened to you, and I certainly don't want to seem insensitive. 

It isn't worth it. 

Tallcool1 said:

Get rid of him.  If he can't be controlled at home there is no way he will be controlled at a fair.

We learned this the hard way, and ended up getting someone seriously hurt at a State Fair. 

If you keep messing around with this, you will have your little sister to the point she won't want to ever show one again.

I am sorry this happened to you, and I certainly don't want to seem insensitive. 

It isn't worth it.

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I completely agree. The fact that he's charging at you means that he's deliberately trying to hurt you and you don't need that. Sorry.

I've used a nose pincher just to get one of ours calmed down it worked for the most part but looking back it's not worth it.

1. Is he in a pen by himself? May just be losing it because he feels alone
2. When he charges you and you run he realizes it works (not saying getting away isnt a good idea).. Sometimes those cattle will bluff and when they see it really works they will eventually keep doing it and drop the bluff all together (yes I am forced to admit Ive shown my fair share of Brahmans from our pasture).... Not saying don't sell the steer.. But before your last straw is pulled and you are at the point of no return- let him charge you and take a 2x4 and knock the ever living hell out of him and teach him that attitude works both ways if he allows wants it to

And I've seen those cattle take a step back and say "damn ill rethink that in the future" and never show a sign of of it in the future once they make the connection that a sour attitude can be reciprocated

I'm not condoning that unless you have to do it, and I wouldn't say it if it never worked but sometimes they get spoiled and a reality check never hurts. Likely that will be blown up out of proportion but take it for what it's worth. Like I said if all else fails give it a try before you give up all together.

Show stopper 95 said:

1. Is he in a pen by himself? May just be losing it because he feels alone
2. When he charges you and you run he realizes it works (not saying getting away isnt a good idea).. Sometimes those cattle will bluff and when they see it really works they will eventually keep doing it and drop the bluff all together (yes I am forced to admit Ive shown my fair share of Brahmans from our pasture).... Not saying don't sell the steer.. But before your last straw is pulled and you are at the point of no return- let him charge you and take a 2x4 and knock the ever living hell out of him and teach him that attitude works both ways if he allows wants it to

And I've seen those cattle take a step back and say "damn ill rethink that in the future" and never show a sign of of it in the future once they make the connection that a sour attitude can be reciprocated

I'm not condoning that unless you have to do it, and I wouldn't say it if it never worked but sometimes they get spoiled and a reality check never hurts. Likely that will be blown up out of proportion but take it for what it's worth. Like I said if all else fails give it a try before you give up all together.

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Sounds like some kids I know!

Show stopper 95 said:

1. Is he in a pen by himself? May just be losing it because he feels alone
2. When he charges you and you run he realizes it works (not saying getting away isnt a good idea).. Sometimes those cattle will bluff and when they see it really works they will eventually keep doing it and drop the bluff all together (yes I am forced to admit Ive shown my fair share of Brahmans from our pasture).... Not saying don't sell the steer.. But before your last straw is pulled and you are at the point of no return- let him charge you and take a 2x4 and knock the ever living hell out of him and teach him that attitude works both ways if he allows wants it to

And I've seen those cattle take a step back and say "damn ill rethink that in the future" and never show a sign of of it in the future once they make the connection that a sour attitude can be reciprocated

I'm not condoning that unless you have to do it, and I wouldn't say it if it never worked but sometimes they get spoiled and a reality check never hurts. Likely that will be blown up out of proportion but take it for what it's worth. Like I said if all else fails give it a try before you give up all together.

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Thanks everyone.

1. He isn't by himself, he is with my sisters dairy beef fat steer. They are attached at the hip, we don't split them up when we work them or anything.

2. I had my share of crazies when I was in 4-H. He tries to charge me while he is tied up, I could try to untie him and he wants to charge me. I have gotten pretty good about reading the crazy cow signs and try to keep everyone safe with running away. To date I haven't had to run from him. I don't trust any further than I could throw him so I always keep an eye on him while I'm in the pen with him.

My first show stick is currently in the shape of a Holsteins head.... so I'm not afraid of clocking them if it comes to that.

The last time we used a nose pincher on a calf; we had 2 halters, the nose pincer and three big men attached to the ends of each rope and they still got drug across the lot. I think it helped. haha but that was almost 10 years ago. So my memory could be blurry. haha

Thanks again guys and gals. Hopefully we can figure something out.

Update: Like with my ag students when they are out of line, we had a comin' to Jesus meetin' . Let's just say that he is acting a lot better. haha Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! I really appreciated it.

My daughter's brahman heifer went thru that for a while.  We took a 2 ft. peice of pvc pipe about inch in diameter and whenever she would charge at us we yelled "No" and would crack her across the nose.  Not too hard, but enough to get her attention.  After a couple of days she would stop and squint her eyes when we yelled "No" and we didn't have to hit her, and after another day or so, she stopped altogether.  She had to learn to trust us and realize we were not going to hurt her.  She's a big baby now.  I'm glad your steer is settling down. 
Sometimes when they are confined and scared, they can't run away so their only defense is to act like they are going to eat you for lunch.  Don't get me wrong, some will try to eat you for lunch, but I think most are just scared.  Safety first tho!

We had a steer that was super tame except when you put a halter on him and tried to lead him. Even the strongest of men could not control him. As soon as the halter was on and you gave it a tug, he was gone! But he would stand completely still for a brushing or even a washing. We had to give him calf calm to take him to the County Fair and then he acted just like a puppy dog, even with the halter on.