Crazy angus heifer

[FlatlandCattle09]

I'm just starting to halter break this pb angus heifer for October. I started her out with dragging the halter around the pasture. I've started to separate her with the other calves and tie her up and she freaks out. She freaked out bad enough she gave herself a bloody nose. I took her out and tried walking with her and she kept charging me. A 150# calf doesn't through too hard of a punch. Any suggests on keeping her from freaking out?

 

[Aubrey29]

What we do to break our calves is we tie them up during the day, given enough rope so they can lay down. And we let them loose at night. You will just have to offer her water through out the day. If she goes crazy when you tie her up, just talk to her and stay with her until she calm down, sooner or later she should start to calm down. It helps, it just takes time. Also you can tie her up tight with her head up for about 30 min to a hour a day. Always stay with her though when she's tied up tight. Just brush her and talk to her to calm her down and get her used to you. Like I said, it will just take plenty of time and patience but she will do fine

 

[vc]

At this point I would say she is scared, fight or flight instinct is kicking in, since she can't get away she is fighting.
Like posted above, it takes time, most calves will calm down after a while and become easier to work with.
The first few calves the boys showed came off of a commercial ranch, they were in the 700 pound range and never been worked with. We would put them in a small pen together and just let the get over the jitters for a few days, then start the process of halter breaking.
We just work in steps, halter, tied, rinsing, grooming and so on, we just go to the next step once they are use to the step we're on. Takes time, but you have that, so just take a step back and start over with her.
If after a few weeks she is not better then I would say you might have a problem.

 

[GoWyo]

Some cattle are super sensitive to the pull of the halter on their head and basically get claustrophobic and panic.  I think it is counterproductive to tie this type of calf short and let them bash their heads in against the fence.  Tie this type of calf high and long - like 1.25 times their body length.  If tied high, they can't get tangled up, but they can move around and learn that the pressure starts when they hit the end of the rope and all they have to do to relieve the pressure is step forward.  Better yet, do not even tie until you have them leading.  Get one step forward and then brush them for a reward, and to that 100 times if that is what it takes.  Little treats like cattle cake or alfalfa cubes can also work for a reward.

 

[Part Timer]

I put them in a small pen(8x16), hold on to the halter and let them dance around me until they give up. Next day do it again and they should be able to be tied short. I do it this to get them use to me and the halter at the same time. Small pen's work nice because they can't work up enough steam to get away, where ever they go I have enough rope that I have control at all times.

 

[sizzler14]

I will give you our method, may seem odd and completely counterproductive but it truly isnt. We wean our calves put them in our cooler and on day one we halter them. Day 2 we tie them show height and get the blower out and we blow them all on day two. Like I said seems completely crazy, but it works. they may jump some and carry on for a few minutes but after 2-5 minutes its done and done for a long time. after theyre finished being blowed we tie them down or let them loose in the cooler and feed them as a reward. each day we repeat the process. by day 7 we are walking them outside and usually day 14 we have them show broke. We do it with all our weanings, and I have even done it for the University where I work and we have done it to 1200 pound yearlings. We treat them day 2 like its day 200 and never let them think the process goes any other way. just make sure if they jump around there isnt anything sharp or something they  could hurt themselves on. (we do this system 2 times a day)

 

[sizzler14]

another thing is we have a radio going in our cooler along with all the fans so sound doesnt bother them and I am a big fan of austrailian cattle dogs. we have two a red and a blue one. Both are my side kicks, so both come into the cooler with me at all times. they lay by the calves when im blowing them and even try to eat their grain when im feeding them. Since I started letting them in there and around the calves, I can not tell you the last time I have had a kicker because the dogs are always around their feet and laying by them! I know i have odd ball methods, but sometimes thinking out of the box and doing something completely different can be the answer. Ask Bill Belichick  <beer>

 

[cowman 52]

From an old guy,  slow down.  They don't break in a day and the training goes on forever.  Young cattle don't like being by their selves,  and at a young age they need to figure out man brings feed, scratches his back side, and not a heck of a lot else.  If you need to start one that early,  put the calf in the pen and train the cow to come in morning and night.  It doesn't take much.  Calves will be eating at a month of age, and used to someone being around them.  You will find there not many idiots this way and weaning will last about 1/2 a day. 
  Just a thought

 

[FlatlandCattle09]

Thank you all for your advice. I've never had a calf act like this before. It's a huge challenge for me. We have a small herd and from day one we are interacting with the babies. She's always run from us. I don't know if it's because she's an angus or just hard headed.

 

[GoWyo]

You might be fighting an uphill battle on this one.  Don't be afraid to send her to the feedlot or sale barn.  If they run from you all their lives and don't have much curiosity toward people then they are not much better than wildlife to have around.