Halter Breaking Issues

[g4cattle]

We have a 9 month old heifer that we are trying to halter break for the county fair.  She is very jumpy!  When tied up, she jumps around alot when you walk around her. When my husband attempts to lead her, she does okay when she is coming out of the pen.  When we take her back to the pen, she takes a huge jump in the air and comes down hard to get away. 

What can we do to solve this problem?

 

[iowabeef]

Sounds like something happend in the pen that the heifer doesn't like.  Do you happen to have another pen you could keep her in?  Maybe a change in location would help

 

[Ms Ray]

Sometime if there are other cattle they want to hurry and get back in, we try to feed our their grain before walking them and sometime then they are not in such a hurry to eat.

 

[twistedhshowstock]

How long have you been trying to halter break this heifer and how often are you working with her?  It honestly sounds like any older calf that is being halter broke.  Almost all of them jump around a bit until they get used to being tied, movement around them tends to increase the jumpiness. When leading her out of the pen do you have to pull her a lot or does she just follow you right on out? The jumping and trying to get away when going back to the pen is typical.  In horses we call it being barn sour, calves do the same thing.  She has figured out that when she gets back to the pen that you will either leave her alone or feed her or something like that, so she is most likely jumping and trying to get away to get back to the pen.  When she does this do your best to hang on to her and turn her and take her the other way.  Never take her back into the pen until she does so by walking calmly.  Everytime she jumps or tries to run ahead, take her another direction, walk her a bit, work on setting up, then go back to pen, if she walks the entire way calmly go ahead and put her up, if she doesnt go work some more and try again.
As far as being jumpy when tied, you have to start by making slow calm movements around her, talk gently to her to reassure her.  She will still jump but will eventually get over it, if she will let you rub all over her body and move around her staying really close to her, right up against her.  She may still kick or jump some, but you are less likely to get hurt if you are in constant contact with her and whatever part of her is moving doenst have time to build momentum before coming in contact with you, it also helps them know where your at, remember they dont have 360 vision, so if you move into a blind spot and them pop up in a different location it will startle them.
If she doesnt let you get that close yet, start with a showstick or soft broom or something like that and stand back away from her and just rub her all over while she is tied, this gets her used to being handled and keeps you out of harms way.  Remember to keep her head tied up and very short rope while doing this so she doesnt have full range of motion, this is safer both you and the heifer.
If she was older when you started trying to halter break her it is just going to take more time, the younger they are the easier they are to halter break.  But to me she doesnt sound anything out of the ordinary for halter breaking one.

 

[g4cattle]

I think that's one of the key things we need to remember.  It takes time!  We put the halter on her May 9th.  We have been tying her up everyday since May 12th.  Maybe it's too soon to try to lead her out of the pen. When she is tied up, she does let you get close to her and brush her.  We also use the show stick.  It's just the leading part that is challenging because she wants to jerk away from you.  It is sometimes hard to hold on too!

 

[twistedhshowstock]

Also remember that at 9 months she is older than most calves trying to halter break, so she is bigger, and less used to be handled and has had more time to get accustomed to not being handled. So its a longer journey to get them halter broke.  What kind of heifer is she?

 

[okiegirl]

Lots of contact and we tallk to our calves.  I keep up a running dialouge the whole tiime I'm working with them.  My daughter talks to her calf in the ring when she is showing.  It's so funny to see her leaning over whispering in his ear.  She says she tells him "he's a winner"  "the judge loves you"  and things like that.  Our little heifer was real spooky when we got her 2 months ago and now when you bend over to feed or clean the barn she tries to lick your face.  I say start talking, lol

 

[g4cattle]

She's a Brangus.

 

[OLD WORLD SHORTIE]

We usually put them in their stall for two to three weeks. They will get to like you once they realize yu are their only source of contact. Through feeding, water refills, and stall cleaning,  which happen here twice a day the calves usually will eventually let you rub them down with a show stick. After a few hours show stick scratching they usally let put a neck halter on them with the aid of the show stick extending it over either head as they will usually still not let me near them or at least let me put a halter over their head. Then we just do circles inside the 10x10 stall,  of course always using the show stick to desensetize the calf all over the body. No need to pull hard just turn them to the left or walk behind them to get them used to movibg with a rope around their neck. I do tis because i pull halters everyday day i dont let calves that im breaking run around with a halter all the time. Eventually they will get used to you, the neck-rope/halter/show halter, and show stick.
Of course i dont run around trying to break 9 month old brangus cattle. Good luck and remember to stay safe. <cowboy>

 

[NCC]

To me it sounds like 9 month old calf. when we start halter breaking we just take baby steps. we start buy just putting the halters on all of them then tying them to a post or panel etc., but we start low so if they freak out they are not hanging themselves, then just start handling them, brush, comb. we let them go and do it agin the next day with adding the next step of leading, then work up to bathing, blowing and clipping etc. but the whole time we are with them, even when I'm out in the field with them, we talk to them. even the cows they will start to realize it s something familiar and already realize whats going on.

good luck with the halter breaking just be patient

 

[Heiferboy4640]

hey i have a question. i have a heifer that we have been working with for about 4 months and she is calm and behaves well around me and my grandpa. how ever when ever any body else comes around she just goes nuts trying to get away haltered or not. what can i do for this?

 

[AAOK]

Get her out and hit some Jackpot Shows. If that is not an option, load her up and take her for some rides to the nearest Walmart parking lot. Long trailer rides on rough roads really help getting them adjusted to kaos.  Always haul tied up, but not too tight. Always unload calves by backing out.