PLEASE HELP with New steer (UPDATE)

[HT]

I just  got a State Fair steer for the FL state fair. The Fair authority gets the steers donated from FL commercial cattlemen, so we cant go out and pick them out from breeders. The steers have only seen people 2 or 3 times when they were weaned, castrated, vaccinated and moved. and then again when they were dehorned and boostered. I am trying to break my calf which is a Charolais X Brahman. I have him dragging a halter and leadrope, he was very calm in the pen, but will charge you and try and catch you any time you get in his pen. Yesterday and today I had him in the lane before the chute petting him and touching all over him and he was fine. He just try's to charge you when you get in his pen. Can you guys give me any suggestions on how to break him and getting to stop charging? Other than his charging, he is very calm and he will let you touch him in the lane. Is he just scared and Nervous?

*** I will attach a pic of him so you can look @ him. He is the blonde one

 

[braunvieh]

How long have you had him? Have you been tying him up at all? Does he charge when you go in the pen to feed him?

 

[Jeferin]

When is your state fair?

 

[OH Breeder]

http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/index.php?topic=8794.0


great info here

 

[Vacanballs]

get him tied up.. rinse him and blow him.. blowers seem to usually get calves used to anything since they are loud and the calf can feel the air.. get him to where you are tying him up all day and letting him loose at night.. feed him in the morning while he is tied and when u let him loose.. some calves are just a little nutty.. dont let him hurt anyone.. id say carry a board with u just in case when ur in the pen if the calf charges.. but some on here would freak out at the idea of striking an animal(even if it was meaning harm to the owner).. its just going to take time and patience

 

[HT]

I picked him up Saturday, He weighs 706lbs. He will not let you get the rope to tie him up. When you go to get the rope he will charge. you can go into the pen with him and feed him and clean the pen, just when you go to catch him. He hasn't been tied up. Saturday he was calming down from the trip, and sunday he got the halter on and started dragging the rope. Tomorrow I plan on tying him up.

 

[HT]

When is your state fair?

February 10-12 for the steers but the 4-14th I think

 

[HT]

I am still nervous about trying to lead him. I have put off working him because he has a badly infected ear where they implanted him and the EID tag is also infected. So I havn't worked him in a couple days due to the infection. I will try all of your advice.
Thanks,
HT

 

[knabe]

I am still nervous about trying to lead him. I have put off working him because he has a badly infected ear where they implanted him and the EID tag is also infected. So I havn't worked him in a couple days due to the infection. I will try all of your advice.
Thanks,
HT

your goal is not to lead him at this point.  your goal is to be able to pick up the lead with slack in it and scratch on him. i would try and JUST GET HIM TO TIP HIS HEAD with the lead and remove the slack if he softens up.  you probably need to break the number of steps down into smaller chunks and get more satisfaction from them rather than only being satisfied that he will lead.

 

[The Driver]

i think knabe is on track sounds like this steer needs lots of work a little at a time but on an every day schedule

 

[cowman 52]

  The brahman in him is the catch-- the old timer's in the breed would put them in a dark room-  1 man take feed & water to him-- in about 3-4 days they want out of the dark and will be your friend-  just a thought but you may make a variation of it work for you

 

[HT]

I can pull on the rope and he will come to me with no problem. But when others come around he starts the charging thing. He hasn't done it in the past two days. Just on Monday and Tuesday he was charging. Yesterday he actually walked up to me, licked me then laid down about one foot from me and let me touch him. So I wonder if he was scared and nervous. He still acts like he will charge if there is more than one person in the pen, or someone is near me. He charged my friend. But hasn't exactly came after me, just her, and anyone else he doesn't know yet.
Thanks,
HT

 

[Steered]

It sounds like you are making progress.  Keep up what you are doing as it seems you are gaining his trust.  Introduce new people slowly and make it a good experience for him.  Patience will be your friend in this case.
Good luck and keep us posted. (thumbsup)

 

[knabe]

(dog)

He still acts like he will charge if there is more than one person in the pen, or someone is near me. He charged my friend. But hasn't exactly came after me, just her, and anyone else he doesn't know yet.
Thanks,
HT

charging is a defense mechanism and a sorting/escalation/deescalation mechanism of what to do next.  once employed, it's like riding a bike, it's never forgotten, especially under pressure.

 

[GONEWEST]

WHY do they do that in FL?? What is the logic behind it? Is it another tactic from Extension to keep the "cheaters" and "big money" out? Seems like it'd be just as good to have one of those calf scrambles you see at a rodeo where all the kids try to grab a tag off a calf tail.

 

[HT]

What they do is you have to draw a #, that is the pen you are assigned to. Then you get a card and write your top 3 steers (there are 8 calves in the pen).  You fold up the paper and stick it in a box along with everyone else who is in your pen. Then the directors shake up the box and pull a card out and who ever gets their name called 1st gets their 1st pick, then down the list. I got my last pick. People who didn't get their top 3 pics, go to the "redraw" pen and have to do it all over again until they get a calf. I think they do it like this to support the cattlemen of Florida.. But IDK why..

 

[HT]

Thank you for all of your help! I now have him to where I can walk up to him, attach a leadrope on his halter and scratch all over him with slack in the rope. He likes to lead too with his head up as long as I am in front. He HATES men though. Females can mess with him all the time and he is relaxed and calm. But, if a man comes around he starts Acting crazy again. Yesterday I had him to where he would close his eyes, and totally relax with his head in my hand!! So I am so excited about the progress!! especially for not even having him for two weeks. I have basically been eating and sleeping in the barn getting him used to me and cleaning his pen and doing whatever just to get him used to me. So do I just get more men around him, or just keep up the steady work, then later get him used to guys?
Thanks again for all of your advice!!

 

[knabe]

that steer is not your boyfriend.  get guys in there.

 

[simtal]

I think they do it like this to support the cattlemen of Florida.. But IDK why..

aye comrad, come down to florida and show vith de communists vere cull rodeo stock is dumped on unsuspecting 4-hers