Calf Breaking

[MOClubbyGuy]

Figuring this topic will develop some good discussion. I was curious to see how everybody goes about a procedure to break their calves. Always looking for good ideas.

 

[downey beef]

I break several calves during the year. How I usually do it is - Tie animals up and use the show stick to rub on either their belly or down there to to help get use to being touched. After awhile of doing this I just let them be for awhile. After a few days with this hoping there is progress I tie them up high for an hour or so and then try and lead them. Ill repeat this process until they are broke.

 

[Show Dad]

You might read this article by our beloved Red!
http://www.steerplanet.com/breaking-a-calf-the-red-method/

Also Knabe has a good system for breaking a calf:
http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/the-big-show/halter-breaking-from-the-side/msg216784/

<alien>

 

[harleyhog]

I am hoping you both can help me then.

We have a steer for our daughter that is a "pill" for better words. 

We have been working with him for a month now and can't seem to calm him down.  We have tied the head up high, tying him up for a couple of hours at a time and he still is horrible.
He throws his head and just goes for no better words bullistic.. In fact he was so mad he started chewing on the wood tie he was tied to. This past weekend we tied him up for 7 hours each day as we were around all weekend and made noise in the barn and went to our ususal business.  He is out of Monopoly and we have never had one out of him so I have no idea what to except on that end either and I know the dam plays a part also...

This steer just has a look in his eyes that scares me, but I would not tell my daughter that. 

Do you guys have any ideas to help us we really like him....

 

[Show Dad]

Get rid of him. The sooner the better. JMO
<alien>

 

[shackattack09]

git rid of that one

 

[renegadelivestock]

an old timer once told me "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit" get rid of him

 

[harleyhog]

Thanks for the input. 

My next question is:  How offended is the seller going to be when I call him....This is the first time I have bought from him also.  I had high hopes for this steer...

 

[sj0515]

Better to offend the seller than to get your daughter hurt.

 

[Woodland Farms Show Cattl]

an older guy i know tells everyone he same thing that asks him and i beleive there is some truth to it, "if you cant break a calf in 7 days of hard work youll never break him/her"
ive seen a few monopolys like this, one that actually broke the rope he was tied up with. so i agree with every one else.
GET RID OF HIM BEFORE HE HURTS YOUR LITTLE GIRL

 

[Nasc]

Coming off a year in which we had a calf that never truly broke I say get rid of him.
We kept thinking we were going to get him broke but for every 3 steps forward we took we would  take 2 steps back. And it wasn't a lack of effort on our part the steer just had some bad wiring in his head.

To do these projects right you gotta want to be out in the barn. Nothing curves that desire more than a calf that your afraid of or a calf that beats on ya every time you try to work him.

Also I don't know the age of your daughter but a bad experience with a steer project can ruin them from ever wanting to do it again regardless of age.

 

[Nasc]

Also we have a new rule at our place.
If with in two weeks of breaking a calf we are not seeing improvement the calf is gone.

This years calf is on second week of breaking and my daughter is
already doing things with him that she couldn't with last years calf
(We worked/got beat up on by last years steer for 11 months).

 

[AAOK]

Another good reason to grow your own!

 

[Show Dad]

Another good reason to grow your own!

Amen!

By the way when you call the breeder back ask if he will give a refund or credit if you bring the calf back. Can't hurt.
<alien>

 

[knabe]

Tell you what. Take a teenager outside, tie him up by the head to a railing on his tippy toes and see if that bends him into shape.

This method is outdated and in this day and age cruelty to animals.

It's so much easier another way.

Make sure never to try to understand animals and always try to bend them to your will.

After all they are stupid.

 

[GoWyo]

Probably too late now, but might have been better to get calf gentle first in a small pen with no halter.  When he is gentle enough to put the halter on without roping and choking him down or having to use the gate mash method or the squeeze chute or some other means of restraint, then he is ready for a halter.  Once the halter is on, work on leading - one small step at a time and rewarding the calf with release of pressure and some combing so that he figures out how to lead - can even use a treat like you would training dogs.  Do not fight with the calf if he tries to run off - work in a small pen and pretend your lead rope is about 8 lb. test fishing line.  If he makes a run, let out some lead line and then reel him back in.  Reward him when he makes a step forward until he can put several steps together.  It doesn't take but maybe a couple of 15 minute sessions to get them to lead.  Do not tie until the calf figures out how to lead.  If he knows how to lead and likes people, he won't have much reason to pull back.  Do not tie them high until they are broke to tie and stand normally.

If you halter them and tie them up when they are still wild, they will panic and fight and pull back until their head and chin is sore.  They only thing you have taught them is that people suck and so does having a halter on and being tied up really sucks.

 

[frostback]

Started doing the no halter method calming a couple years ago and really like it. When we were deciding what calves to keep for our son I would put him in a small pen with a showstick and 3 calves and say scratch and talk until they dont move. Then I started putting a halter on and having him hold the rope and do the same thing. Then I stepped in and tied them up. They still fight some but by then they are used to you being around and only fight a bit. A few 15 mins sessions loose in a pen gets you going in the right directions to calming and not man handling them into submission. If you have a few hotter ones, make sure you pair them with calm ones. Too many spooky ones will feed off of each other.

 

[firesweepranch]

Ill copy what Frostback and GoWyo said. We start our babies on grain at about 5 months. We have a 24 x 24 corral where there is a low hot wire across so the babies can come in and eat. We start dropping feed to get them to come in and get comfortable. Then, when they get to the point where the come up when they see us coming with buckets (we put it down each night so they see us), we start closing the gate and walk around the pen with a show stick just scratching and rubbing with our hands and brush. That goes on for about a week or so. At that point, you can tell which ones will be easy and which ones have attitude! After that, we just slip on the halter with the show stick, and do the "knabe" method of give and take. Works wonders, and even the bull calves lead like the ladies! And my kids can do it because it is not about out weighing the animals but using your brain to get them to trust you and learn.