Tail swinging problem.

I have a steer that has a major tail swinging problem. He does it constantly and it is aggravating to deal with and work him. any advice on how to fix this would be greatly appreciated.

use a zip tie around the tail

steerjock48 said:

use a zip tie around the tail

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What does the zip tie do? Where should it be placed? How tight?

A zip tie around the tail is the same thing as putting a rubber band (or zip tie) really tight around your finger. It cuts off circulation, then it loses its feeling, then you have the inability to move it. This is the point at which tissue is dying.

Go ahead, try it around YOUR finger.

what part of the tail should the zip tie be placed

how long should you leave it on?

Or you could just have someone kill it for you

we place the zip tie about 5" from the top of the tail head. Only leave it on as little as you have to. Using it while fitting and the showing soon after should be fine.

I used to tie a halter around it. Wrap the whole thing around the tail, making it annoying for the calft to swing the tail. They would just give up. With the tail tie deal you might run the rist of killing the tail to the point of it falling off or getting infected.

Thanks KCK for picking up on the point I was trying to make... you can permentantly KILL the tail and TISSUE and end up with one hell of a mess (oop, I meant H%$#). 
The steer is swishing its tail because it is irritated, remove the irritation, then the tail stops.

Persistent tail swinging is behavioral and is related to temperament and/or the animal's association to its current situation.  I bet the steer does not have the problem when released and relaxed.

A good piece of advice I was given by a great calf breaker a few years ago was to never tie a calf before they are tame.  She claimed that a big part of keeping the animal "quiet", including the tail, was to early on condition them to be relaxed when being handled.  Since following this advice our problem with excess tail swinging has all but disappeared.

The first few times a calf is handled will set their mental tone for a long time to a halter, leading, tying, grooming chute, rinsing/blowing, etc. 

Of course there will always be those high strung animals that are very difficult to relax.

I agree with Savaged, the swinging is a reaction to stress.  This should subside as the steer gets used to being handled.  I would not tie the tail with a zip strip.  The halter idea could work in the short term. 

showsteer88 said:

I have a steer that has a major tail swinging problem. He does it constantly and it is aggravating to deal with and work him. any advice on how to fix this would be greatly appreciated.

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The bovine tail has 3 primary functions-
1. Fly swatting
2. Communication
3. Locomotion

Assuming that the steer is standing still and not swatting at flies he is communicating and you are not listening. In fact your aggravation with your steer may actually be part of the problem. Both glenstory and savaged are on the right track - maybe you need to start your relationship with your steer over in a mellower calmer fashion

what about a tail block with alcohol?

I was going to say the tail wagging is kinda like a pheasant flying out in front of a horse.....the horse will probably startle and jump. Not bad behavior just a natural reaction. Unless the calf is a black complete goofball shouldn't it quit when the calf settles down.

old timer said:

what about a tail block with alcohol?

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i'd try lidocaine before alcohol but yeah a block would probably work

how do u kill a tail with lidocane? and does it kill it for ever? whats the difference between killing one with alchohal or lidocane?