Newbie questions for daughter's new Hereford project!

[timefactor]

We have had cattle for years but my daughter just started showing. We have a brahman heifer and she just took on a new project. ...a 6 month old Hereford heifer. She is a true "project". She came with a group of Hereford we purchased and was just separated from her momma...not really handled til now but seems to be fairly calm.  We just started her on feed as she is undernourished and needs filling out especially  in her hip area.  She stands and tracks nicely. ..slightly turns out on her back feet (I'm hoping with a little proper feeding and muscle development this will correct) ANYWAY I'm not sure of the proper order of training for a fluffy heifer. ..she just started dragging halter. My daughter can scratch her head when she dumps her feed to her. At some point we have to bath her and blow her. I wasn't sure if she should be leading good before that?...how long should we expect to get to that point. I want to take the proper time but not drag our feet.

 

[shortybreeder]

See if your daughter can start brushing her while she eats, that will help get her used to having her hair worked and bring touched/handled a little more. I usually start working on breaking-to-tie from day 1 of weaning. Tie the heifers head up and watch her for about 20-30 minutes the first couple times (this is also a good opportunity to start brushing her) and then when you are going to let her go make sure the last thing she does before the halter comes off is either stand in show form, or at least takes a step forward. I used to just take the halter off when I was done, but then they got into the habit of pulling away because they thought it was how they could get the halter off. Last year I learned to make them take a step towards you before it comes off (and if they back up before you get the halter off then make them walk forward again) and after the 3rd or so time they will stop flailing their head as you remove the halter.

As per your main question of when to start washing/blowing, there isn't really a set time you should wait, but considering this is her first "fluffy" project I would make sure the calf is used to being brushed before you get too wild with hoses and blowers.

Also I forgot to mention above, if the heifer won't let your daughter brush her, try getting a long handled broom and use that to sort of desensitize her.

 

[erbarrett12]

For the halter breaking part, start tying her up for 30 minutes on day 1, 45 minutes on day 2, and so on until you reach 2 hours per day. Amd make sure to watch her. And as for washing and blowing, I would start any time now. It is good to get them used to it ASAP. Make sure your daughter blow dries her completely dry, if she doesn't she will get rainrot, a skin disease. For brushing, when you wash her and blow dry her brush her a lot then. Cattle are a little scared of brushing at first, but will get used to it and eventually like it. Good Luck!