Share your experience/advice please

[4Rcattle]

I wanted to start a thread where everyone could share a few tips and tricks that they use when bringing new show cattle "home". In my case, our steer will be the only one in the barn for a few months so that may be a little different from others who have more than one head in the barn together at a time. We always leave them stalled up (with a halter on) for a few days until they get used to things, then we start turning them out into a bigger pen at night. We also have a radio playing in the barn and we move around and make some noise around them as well. After a few days, I will start tying them up for a little bit at a time while we clean stalls, fill water, etc. We just increase the hands-on work as the days go by. Anyone else want to share??

 

[Tallcool1]

For me, even if you have to borrow a calf from someone, under no circumstances would I haul or stall one by themselves.

No trying to be mean, but it is possible to wreck one by doing that.

 

[knabe]

cattle are herd animals. they need friends.

 

[herfluvr]

I agree with the herd animal comment.  Our first year we had no other calves on the place for our first show heifer.  We got two Nubian goats for company.  Cheap to feed.  Friendly and were also great companions in the years after as something to put in with weaning calves.  Just a thought but it really worked for us.  They lived their lives with the cattle.

 

[4Rcattle]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I have been around cattle for a good 20+ years so I am well aware that they are herd animals (I'm not claiming to be an expert by any means but I do know that much  . We've raised cattle alone and with others.....both ways have worked out fine for us in the past (I do know and agree that they do better with another animal). In our case this year, I will have a heifer in the barn with the steer in about a month....I can't get that done any sooner. I also can't afford to go borrow or buy another one until then. Thank you again for your replies.

 

[looking4champions]

We always leave them stalled up (with a halter on) for a few days until they get used to things, then we start turning them out into a bigger pen at night. We also have a radio playing in the barn and we move around and make some noise around them as well. After a few days, I will start tying them up for a little bit at a time while we clean stalls, fill water, etc. We just increase the hands-on work as the days go by. Anyone else want to share??

I deal with show steers the same way.  Depends on how broke they are from the breeder; Iwill take the halter off in the trailer on the ride home. I will only halter them up to handle them.  Over time I will approach them to interact without the halter, scratching, rubbing combing, etc.

I handle them based on how they act in the barn.  A good docile calf will get treated that way.  A knuckle head will get his head tied high and short until he calms down.  A rice root brush all over helps one calm down too. 

What I take my time with is trusting my kids with them.  If a steer can lead down the aisle in the barn the next day out of the trailer, then I will trust him sooner. 

I always have their stall and trough clean the day/nite we bring them in the barn.  Feed and water are given to a steer ASAP.  I strive for every day in the barn to be productive.  The sooner I get one going on the feed the better.