Show Steer Behavior

Just started blowing/clipping and showing my steer this month and I have some questions. He is just kinda weird, I can fit his rear leg (adhesive and comb and all) or comb out his tail with out any problems. However if you start blowing on his front legs or touch his shoulder or neck or head in the wrong way he will go out of his way to hurt you. Yesterday I was trying to clip his head for about 30 minutes and only got 2 small strips in because every time that I would turn on the clippers (head in bars of grooming chute) he would buck and shake the chute, slide as far forward as he could and try to head but me. Bellow and throw a fit.
Maybe I should just not get worried about it and let him get use to me? My other calf that I clipped isn't like this, she just tried to lick the clippers then kept moving because she was bored. She had never seen a blower and clippers before.

Lay the clippers on his head until he doesn't move. Turn them on then repeat. This should help.

I would not kick him back or anything like that.  Speaking from experience, it didn't help and just made things worse.  I would not risk him getting traction with his feet and running off with the grooming chute -- it puts a serious risk to life, limb and property.  Use the squeeze chute for restraint and tie his head so he can't throw it around and then work with blower and clippers to get him over it.  Maybe offer a treat in the process such as alfalfa cubes or range cake to help him see that it isn't that bad.  You might also try a blind fold at least for working blower on his  front legs.

Use a headgate where his feet are on dirt or concrete;  or use a heavy work chute that is bolted down. This behaviour is unsafe using a portable clipping chute that he has learned to move. While using secure equipment, tie the head tight to one side to clip and then to other side.  When needed, allow only enough slack to clip under the rope. By doing this, it is impossible for him to hurt you. Also, clip the other sensitive areas using heavy duty equipment.  He may improve over time when he learns to trust you.  He may have past needle injection experience in the neck area. When its just one area causing a problem, search for an aggravated wart and remove it or remove an easier one and they will all eventually disappear.
I deliberately rub the ears of my animals while socializing. As in dogs; its the way to their heart.

Was he dehorned, if he was he may still have issues with the process he went through. The guy who dehorned ours put them under so they would not have issues. He may take awhile if that is the case.

You could try giving a little Ace to calm him down... Not too much tho he will go to sleep lol

I know its your opinion but I don't think this is very good advice to give a young person who is trying to learn how to ethically get his steer broke to clipping.

Follow the advice above, sometimes it just takes months to develope the needed trust.  I agree with the statement about the dehorning process as well.

Bred and owned said:

You could try giving a little Ace to calm him down... Not too much tho he will go to sleep lol

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It's not unethical to use a calming agent and sometimes if they are not cometely out of it and know what is going on that one time is all one needs

He was dehorned so that could be it. Thanks everyone.

What are some calming products to buy? He has improved greatly by the way.

Bred and owned said:

You could try giving a little Ace to calm him down... Not too much tho he will go to sleep lol

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I would be cautious with any kind of sedative. BECUZ some calves it can work jsut the opposite. If I were to give something I would work with the vet on what. I have had several calves in the past that were dehorned and it took time to let you around their head again. One heifer in perticular, we started didn't know they had dehorned her without analgesic and she came through the front of the grooming chute and about crushed my chest into a wall. I after that learned to make sure you have plenty of space and started by just brushing the head and neck before clipping. Then turning clippers on and off around the head and then laying them on the center of the head and not clip anything for a while. Patients sometimes works the best. One heifer we tried "ace" went the exact opposite, she would start to doze off and then jump straight up in the air and start to fight. After that experience, I said time vs drugs and we have not had any issues since.


BTW
I fed a "calming agent" that is marketed by major distributed that you feed for "peace" and quite behavior. Nada zip nothing. Fed it for 3 months and it did nothing. The steer was a nut from day one and ended up on the truck after dragging three grown men through series of pipe gates and trying to pin them to the ground.

Mainevent said:

It's not unethical to use a calming agent and sometimes if they are not cometely out of it and know what is going on that one time is all one needs

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Actually, it is illegal. It would be considered off label use and unless prescribed by a vet for a single MEDICAL use, it is illegal. 

Barry Farms - Since the steer is improving do NOT use any tranquilizers.  (Don't use them at any time, but that is a entirely another argument).  Keep working with your steer. Sounds like you are a hard worker and appreciate doing things correctly.

BTDT said:

Mainevent said:

It's not unethical to use a calming agent and sometimes if they are not cometely out of it and know what is going on that one time is all one needs

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Actually, it is illegal. It would be considered off label use and unless prescribed by a vet for a single MEDICAL use, it is illegal. 

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Where are you gonna get it if not from a Vet?

I don't care how quiet they are, I always clip heads in the squeeze,they seem to blow apart too easy.A squeeze ain't goin anywhere.

We're done working cattle for atleast a month so the squeeze is set up by my wash rack (home made O0) and I'll be clipping heads and necks in there. No drugs or so on since I've learned that they are illegal.