My Steer is Like Houdini - Help!

[farmmom73]

Every day, I tie my steer up and feed him.  I go to work, come home, go out to feed him and he has his halter off.  UGH.  It then becomes a rodeo to get it back on.  I have tried everything to keep the halter tight on his head, but he slips it off...Like Harry Houdini.  Any suggestions? This is only our second year showing so I do not have a lot of experience, I will take any suggestions.

 

[travisrex]

You may have already tried this, but the first thing I would do is tie a knot in the lead rope right outside of the halter. (just remember to tie a new knot every so often as his head grows! lol)
Secondly, if he is broke to tie really well and will stand all day without putting up much of a fight, you might try putting a neck halter on him, that won't help keep his halter on but will keep him in place.
Hopefully this helps!! Good Luck!! ;D

 

[wph119]

Do you use a neck rope? I have also taken baler twine and tied to the halter beneath each ear an ran it under his jaw.  The calf I had that would do this would use his hind hoof and scratch the rope off of his ear and then just back out of the halter the twine kept him from getting it over his ear.  Hope this helps.

 

[vc]

We had an Angus calf that could get his halter off before you had the next calf tied, he did not go anywhere just took the halter off and stood in his spot.
We ended up taking a nylon horse halter and putting it over the rope halter when he was going to be tied loose, he could not get it off. You run the lead through the side buckle. He did not need it when he was tied with his head up only during the day when he was tied loose, he would be there 8 hours an not take it off.

 

[branson.m.]

Do you use a neck rope? I have also taken baler twine and tied to the halter beneath each ear an ran it under his jaw.  

In California we call it a stampede string, works great. If you want to make it more effective you can make it permanent with rope and clips. Good Luck !!!!

 

[renegadelivestock]

i agree with VC, i have had some luck with horse halters

 

[farmmom73]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions.  We tried the knot and it would just not get tight enough to keep him from getting out.  So last night we put a hose clamp on it...so far so good.  If he escapes that we will try your sugestions.  I feel bad for him that the halter is so tight, but if it's not tight he gets out.  Surely he will learn that halter on equals getting fed!!  Thanks again to everyone for their suggestions.  I have learned so much from this site!

 

[LindseysMaine_Angus]

My steer did the same thing so we put a nylon collar on him. Good Luck!

 

[Freerider]

I had a Trademark heifer last year that could get her halter off in under a min every time, luckily she was too afraid to be by herself so she would run back to me lol.

Using a neck tie worked, but I liked the twine strap under her throat instead, sort of like a horse halter.

 

[The Show]

I've never been a fan of horse halters. I'd take a piece of string and tie under his halter from ear to ear before I tried anything else.

 

[CANsteer]

We had an Angus calf that could get his halter off before you had the next calf tied, he did not go anywhere just took the halter off and stood in his spot.
We ended up taking a nylon horse halter and putting it over the rope halter when he was going to be tied loose, he could not get it off. You run the lead through the side buckle. He did not need it when he was tied with his head up only during the day when he was tied loose, he would be there 8 hours an not take it off.

did you post somthing like this before? i seem to remember something about calling it the hannibal halter  (lol) 

 

[AJCattle]

You could try putting a Zip Tie on the lead end of the halter about and inch away his face so the halter has room to move a little bit.