I really like the horse whisperer approach to breaking calves! I usually start shortly after weaning and have found that if you pen a calf by its self and with a showstick start trying to scratch their back and belly. In about an hour you can get close enough to scratch them with your hand, moving all around the calf and up by it neck. In about another hour slip a halter on the calf and all the while continuing to scratch and rub the calf withyour hand. In about 20 minutes start to try to walk the calf if he gets a little uppitystart scratching with the show stick and they calm right down. I am usually scratching them with the stick as i am trying to get them to take a step. In about 2 1/2 hours you can tie the calf with out the jumping and fighting and walk up to it without being kicked. I have used this approach to break bulls (1300lbs). We showed him two months later at the Beef Expo and he won his class. It really does work! . I had first read about it in a past issue of the Angus Journal. May 2005 Holding the Halter.
http://www.angusjournal.com/ArticlePDF/AJ0505_holingthehalter.pdf
http://www.angusjournal.com/ArticlePDF/AJ0505_holingthehalter.pdf