calf keeps falling down

[ham]

Need some advice.  We are breaking a calf and everytime you go to pull on the halter he falls over on his side and just lays there.  What's the best way to handle this?

 

[herefordfootball]

How old is the calf?

 

[ham]

The calf is 6 months old.

 

[herefordfootball]

I was going to say, if the calf were super young, this is fairly common, but at this age, they should be over it. We've only had this happen with one of our simmi steers and labeled him lazy, we tied him up behind the tractor, walked him, and as soon as he fell, we'd stop, lower the the 3pt, and he'd pop back up. Dont know if this will work in your case but it did for ours. DO NOT DRAG the calf, thinking they will get up because you keep going. Usually these things just take time and patience.

 

[SKF]

We have a few do that they get over it. Just keep working with them. You can dump a bucket of water on their face everytime they do and usually they stop doing that.

 

[herefordfootball]

While we walked on the tractor, someone would follow with the Gator and a horse whip and just crack it when he fell, didnt hit him, just cracked the whip, it worked sometimes too, but mostly once we stopped he got up on his own.

 

[Ms Ray]

my sons heifer did this  we just kept working her and she got over it.

 

[knabe]

don't pull on them and just pet them.  it's easier to deal with if you don't get them to sit down in the first place.

they are just looking for confidence in you, not leadership at this point.

 

[showsteer11]

a donkey for a week shure changes ones attitude

 

[clubcalve]

I have only had my show lambs do this and when they did it I just did the water thing and kept jerking them in a circle on the ground and when they got up I would praise them AKA Make the wrong thing hard and the right thing easy. Probably wont work in your situation Because he is too big.But the water suggestion is a good one
 

 

[Alpha]

you can have someone behinde the calf to twist its tail and when the calf moves walk with it insted of leading it

 

[cowcrazy]

By any chance does you steer have any Brahman in him?

 

[lightnin4]

Several years ago I had an Angus heifer that did this.  She was about 6-7 months old and she did it everyday when I led her.  She would lead fine for several yards then scotch her feet and fall over.  She would get back up and we would lead some more and she would do it again.  Then one day she didn't do it and never did it again.  I still don't know what her "turning point" was.  I guess persistence just pays off eventually!  Good Luck!

 

[Bawndoh]

pull to the SIDE.  pull until she gives her head.  then release.  pull again until she takes a little step sideways, then release.  You are probably pulling directly forward.  She obviously isnt ready for that, and doesnt understand how to "give" to the halter. 

 

[OH Breeder]

Donkey gets vote number one
We had one that would lay for hours after she fell over. she would just about fall asleep. If you dropped the rope she would jump up and run back to the barn. We never could ever get her broke for a child to show. We just let her be a cow.

 

[knabe]

Need some advice.  We are breaking a calf and everytime you go to pull on the halter he falls over on his side and just lays there.  What's the best way to handle this?

which direction are you pulling?  are you in front of the calf pulling?

 

[hart]

I too had this issue with a heifer about 9 years ago. No matter how you twisted her tail or how hard you pulled short of a trator she would just stand there and hold her ground till she just went down like a brick on her side.  It would take a sec for her to get the air back in her hungs she would hit so hard, then she didnt want to get up.  She did this untill she was around 1000lbs, at which time I gave up and turned her into the pasture. Ok cow, but a you know what to do anything with.

 

[hart]

It should be said this same girl was treated less than kindly before I got her.
Trust and hardheadedness issues do not flow well together.

 

[KMJCC]

I believe there was a post on here a year or more ago because we were going thru the same thing.  I believe it suggested to walk in circle with her in a small pen.  It said to just give a few tugs at a time and don't keep constant pressure on it.  We did this a few times and she stopped flopping on her side and would walk.  I have found that if you just try to manhandle a calf most of the time they are just going to fight you.  Good luck!

 

[ham]

I really don't think it's a trust issue- the calf doesn't have an ounce of meanness in him-  he's not scared of us at all, and enjoys being scratched/rubbed on.  It doesn't matter if you pull foward or sideways, maybe he's just stupid.  I will try the water thing and see how that goes.  Thanks for the advice.