Help me with a stubburn calf.

[Bryan 72]

I bought 900 pd Heifer (P.B. Angus) Its halter broke, and is going to be my daughter 4-h county fair calf (July). I ve had it over a week now and I notice more often then not once you get the halter on her she "holds back" and she wont walk in stride with me. She acts stubborn as a hell. She very seldomly tries to "run away" from me. Is this a common theme to calves, until they get use to a certain person being around them. I try to spend atleast an hour a day with her. Can someone tell me what more i need to do? tricks, or just plain deal with it?  Imyself can "muscle" her out of her lock down position. But my daughter at 85 pds dont stand a chance at times... Thanks for any helpful hints..

 

[obie105]

I would have your daughter lead her and you tail. If she is broke at all. The heifer has to get use to her at the halter not you. It does take time but daily work is the key.

 

[renegadelivestock]

I would have your daughter lead her and you tail. If she is broke at all. The heifer has to get use to her at the halter not you. It does take time but daily work is the key.

my sentiments exactly! my granps used to tell us all whenwe were kids, to spray some old spice (any scent will do, this was popular at the time, lol) on our wrists everytime we worked on our calves, so the calf becomes framiliar with that scent., and will respond better to a single person because of scent being associated with THAT person

 

[paj315]

My son had a hereford heifer like that last year only she got to the point that even I couldn't budge her. She would only walk if someone tailed her the entire time we worked her like this everyday for 2 weeks and didn't see any improvement. We even tried giving her some medication to take the "edge " off and loosen her up, didn't help. Best thing we ever did was take her to a small open show , get her out of her element where you are the one thing she knows and trusts. After that she has been like a puppy she will do anything you want her to .

 

[knabe]

pull and hold to the side.  the rear feet will probably move first with some bracing with the front feet.  notice your position and how you hold that gets the rear feet to move.

now, don't do that and pull, hold differently, maybe a little more forward from sideways.  they sometimes try and wiggle their head, tail and then they take a step.  release immediately and pet, scratch do whatever to reward.  sometimes just wait for a lean, their feet don't have to move for them to start to understand.  by muscling them past understanding, they and your child will never learn what it is to understand.

 

[Ohio1]

Take her to a show or even just a trailer ride it will changer her!

 

[Bryan 72]

Great help guys.... I have an open show the 2nd weekend in march i can take her too. Just feel like "we" arent quite ready. I know everyone has a different opinion on how much time you should spend with a show calf each day... Can i hear what is a "normal" time in a day that you or your family member spends leading, grooming each day or so?? Im having my daughter spend atleast 30 to 45 minutes everyday after school with this heifer.. Was hoping we can take her to the open show to get our feet wet, before fair time... Thanks for any help.

 

[obie105]

A couple hours a day is what we spend in the barn doing something with them. This time of the year is less since we dont have an indoor wash rack at all. With school your 30-45on min should be fine. You dont want to burn your daughter out. It should be fun this first year. She should want to go to the barn and mess with the calves.

 

[renegadelivestock]

Great help guys.... I have an open show the 2nd weekend in march i can take her too. Just feel like "we" arent quite ready. I know everyone has a different opinion on how much time you should spend with a show calf each day... Can i hear what is a "normal" time in a day that you or your family member spends leading, grooming each day or so?? Im having my daughter spend atleast 30 to 45 minutes everyday after school with this heifer.. Was hoping we can take her to the open show to get our feet wet, before fair time... Thanks for any help.

if you feel like your are not ready, you could try just going to the showwith her and not showing her, sometime when i have some silly calves, i will take them to a show with my quiet calves, and just go through the motions (washing dry etc.) and just leave them in the bed. it often does them just a much good as actually going in the ring