Help - steer "passing out"

[kvhranch]

Okay, admittedly, this is our second year of steers so we don't know enough.  We brought the steer home last weekend and have been working on getting him use to being tied up.  So this past week he has been tied up just enough so he learns to not resist it.  But yesterday we decided to start raising his head.  We know enough not to take him super high all at once but as we were just trying to get him pulled up - probably with his head close to show height - within a minute, he acted like he passed out and would just fall over.  If you released the rope he would immediately get up.  If you didn't he would lay there for a couple of minutes and then kind of fight to get up.

Anyone got any ideas?  We were doing this last night and our vet charges a fortune for a weekend call and he's doing fine other than that.  So I don't think it's life threatening.  And if he had been tied up a bunch I would have thought it was something to try and get out of being tied up.  But it happened the first time we tried to pull him up tighter.

 

[kvhranch]

Hubby tied him up this morning and thinks he's doing it on purpose.  So not sure.

 

[3dfarms]

I've had animals fight against the rope and lose their footing, but not just fall over.  Only thing I think may be happening that should cause concern is if somehow his airway is getting closed if he gets stiff necked when his head is up and that causes him to drop out.  It does sound a little like he has a sense of humor and is finding ways to get untied or tied back down.

I sure hope for your sake or your kids sake he doesn't drop out on you in the show ring.

Good luck.

 

[frostback]

Dont need a vet call for this.  He is just sensitive to the pressure of the halter. Just take it slow. If he can breath dont be too fast to untie him every time. Let him hang some. I wouldn't let him be tied unattended for while either. Had a heifer last year that would not fight when tied but when we went to lead her she would fall over. I had my daughter lead her and I pushed her till she figured out that all we wanted was her to move her feet. Just remember they have not read the book that says how they should be broke like we have. They all have quirks, we just need to learn how to adjust to them.

 

[knabe]

at school, we used to tie calves up immediately.  one calf did what you describe and he hung himself and died within 10 minutes.

 

[frostback]

Always make sure you have a sharp knife handy. I had to cut one off of what I would call a broke heifer but she slipped in the washrack and put too much pressure for me to untie her.

 

[The Show]

Sounds to me like he's just sulling up and falling over.

 

[QMC]

try tying his head lower for a few days, get him used to you and a brush, then try tying his head up again.

 

[JAG]

It sounds like he's having his version of a temper tantrum. Have you ever been at the store and seen a child kicking and screaming, or just sit down in the middle of the store and pout when he/she didn't get their way?!  Just be patient.

 

[OLD WORLD SHORTIE]

sounds like another spoiled project. Id like to see it, you should make a video of it.

 

[SFASUshowman]

I have had several calves in my time do this.  Like others have said it is most likely just a temper tantrum and not really passing out.  A lot of calves want to flop over, some will flip all the way upside down, when you start to tie their heads up the first few times.  No most of them will fight and not just go over like that, but occasionally I have one that will kinda sit there and sull up and close their eyes and pout and just lay over. If you release the rope and he jumps right up, then he really wasnt out, and be careful untieing him to quickly because he will learn that all he needs to do in order to get turned lose is flop over!
But I agree you shouldnt leave him alone with his head up because if he has trouble getting his feet back under him it could spell disaster.

 

[kvhranch]

Thanks everyone - I feel better.  Was worried we had an unhealthy calf.