halter breaking

[glw]

does anybody still use a donkey sometimes to break a calf that is not wanting to walk.

 

[Simmgal]

I have a friend that used a donkey, and it bit a hunk out of the steer's shoulder! Other people have had it work fine. Just make sure the donkey isn't too tempermental.

 

[Cattle7]

We have used one before. It does need to have a good attitude or things could get ugly. We have also had luck tying the calf to an old cow. Usually show heifers that we showed the year before. Either way, don't leave them unattended.

 

[Bradenh]

truck works better, its always supervised and doesnt bite, or kick..

 

[MCC]

Best donkeys to use are ones that don't lead. If one starts to chew on a calf all you have to do is put a muzzle on them. I've had the best luck with ones that have a little attitude.

 

[cowchick14]

I am sure you have probably tried this before, but what seems to work for me is having someone walk behind the calf while someone else is leading it. A little twist of the tail never hurts if it won't move!

 

[AAOK]

You can find lots of information by searching Halter Breaking, most good, some not so good.  The most gentle procedures may not be as quick, but will always yield better results than forcing an animal.  For us, Right turns, resulting in small, clockwise circles was the best way to get calves to lead.  Always start by leading to Feed and Water. 

 

[firesweepranch]

AAOK you are SOOO right! We had an awesome day today; we have three falls to halter break, a January, a February, two Marches, and two Aprils. We have never had more than two to halter break! We started with the October, about a week ago, put a halter on her in the chute, then hooked her to the tractor to pull her to the barn (she was about 1000 feet in another pasture). She has a nasty attitude anyway, but she has not settled down much in a week now. We keep her in a 12 x 24 run at night and leave a rope halter that has a foot rope on it to make it easier to catch her. She is a snot, and jumps up at you when you ask her to lead. Tonight, my daughter decided to clip on her and got her in the grooming chute. When she removed the halter to clip, she had a huge sore on her chin, I assume from pulling her with the tractor. No wonder she jumps up when you ask her to go forward. Now, for the November, we just picked her up on Saturday last week. She leads EVERYWHERE without any problems already. My 9 year old can lead her. She was VERY hungry and skinny when we got her, so her desire for food was much stronger and I think helped to get her to lead and be around much better. Plus her attitude is awesome, no jumpiness or quirks. She was never drug by the tractor, but just gently tugged towards us in a circle to walk forward. Two different methods, two different outcomes. Today, we pulled in the cows with Feb/March calves (both old show heifers) and cornered the calves (both bulls) and put halters on. We walked them about 50 feet to tie to pipe corral. After about an hour tied, we pulled them around in a circle, gently, got them in the grooming chute and clipped them a bit. I was feeling pretty confidant so I went to the pasture down the hill where the other fall was (a bull born in December that weighs about 600 pounds!). Got him in a 24 x 24 pen and just followed him with a show stick, rubbing all over, until he slowed down and allowed me to put a halter on with the assistance of the show stick. I tied him to the fence and left him for about 30 minutes while I went and checked on the younger calves and played with them, then back down to the big bull calf. My 14 year old daughter untied him and pulled him in a circle around her and had her hands all over him and he was AWESOME!
So, coming from someone who has only broke a few calves, taking it slow and easy was much better. Better outcome for the calves and my body!!!!

 

[tswshowcattle]

I agree that the best way to break them is to get them to wanting water and they will usually walk to the tank and then you have to push them back to the barn.  Usually about 1 to 2 weeks of this and they get the routine down.  Then we start just walking them and taking different routes around the pens.  It works better than forcing them.  I have shorthorns and when you get frustrated, they know it and will lock up and not move.  Just relax and have fun with it.  Remember  "This is FUN". <beer>

 

[Simmgal]

I usually start with getting the ones that I have to break in the barn and into separate pens when its feeding time. They learn to associate you with food, and begin to trust you more. I've had to break some older ones, and what usually works good for us is tying their heads up. It seems that once they learn that the halter is the law, they respect it more. I also give them horse treats when they are tied up. Mine really responded well to this, and I can usually get them broken to lead quitely in about a week. It varies with each animal, and having the wilder ones in with tame ones that know the routine helps as well.  ;D