Too much calf.

[Rustynail]

What do you all do with a calf who is a little nasty or high strung in the show ring?

 

[OH Breeder]

The biggest thing is to stay calm and not react. We have had a few that could get nasty. Patience's I guess usually wins them out. I can only remember one time we sent a calf to market for being too crazy to deal with. We start when they are young and yes they all have their personalities. We take them to all the shows we can to desensitize them to it all. We also encourage people to come while they are being worked. When clipping we have a barn full. Every now and then, their is one that just can't seem to find its head. My niece does a great job and just remains calm.

 

[Rustynail]

My father train racehorses.  When he has a horse than is nervous or gets wound up, he feeds it a B1 vitamin.  This really quiets them down.  I know apples and oranges, but has anyone heard of using this on cattle?

 

[OH Breeder]

I don't know this from personal experience, but  it is said that if you feed melatonin it has a calming effect.

 

[Bawndoh]

Yeah feeding some sort of suppliment should help.  As someone else said, remain calm in the showring.  I have had calves that refused to face the way all the others face in the ring, or they push you up in a corner, and demand to stand there.  Also, I have had calves that will not let the judge go around them to inspect them, the calves would turn their butt around constantly and not stand in one place.  If you show them enough they should get used to this, but in the meantime, just stay relaxed when they are having a fit in the ring.  And circling them around  trying to get them to stand is only going to make them worse.  Let them go where they want, and just remain with them without obstructing or ruining someone else's experience in the showring.  This type of reaction also gets recognized in showmanship competitions because judges see that you can HANDLE a situation, even when your calf is being an arse!

 

[red]

I've used Calf Calm before a show. you have to use it before they get worked up too much. We had a heifer that was a beast when she came in heat. Of course she was always in heat at a show.

Red

 

[40yrold4her]

We have a calf that is just hard to handle. She does not try to take off on you, but throws her head alot and fidgets. We have started giving her 25 3mg tablets of melatonin per day three days before a show. 35 tablets the night before the show and the day of the show and a tube of calf calm 2 hours before showing. She still throws here head around but at least will stand still enough in the ring for the judge to handle her and not interfere with other people showing. This will be her fourth show and I am thinking about eliminating the calf calm. Also have isolated her from buddies during the day to get her to relax more when she cannot be with her pen mates.

 

[doubled]

I don't know this from personal experience, but  it is said that if you feed melatonin it has a calming effect.

We had a steer that was really high strung, we gave him grow and shine every day it really helped his attitude

 

[showgirl2010]

I've used Calf Calm before a show. you have to use it before they get worked up too much. We had a heifer that was a beast when she came in heat. Of course she was always in heat at a show.

Red

Yes, we have used that before too.  Most of the time on mature cows that were just broke and the only reason for them being at the show was for the calf.  But we have had good luck with Calf Calm and it is completely legal.

Jamie

 

[aj]

Buy a Shorthorn they are 95% docile. (thumbsup)

 

[Rustynail]

Buy a Shorthorn they are 95% docile.

Good thinking.  I am actually breeding some cows to Sin City for the reason.  Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[loveRedcows]

Thiamine (vitamin B1) does help nervous animals.  It can be purchased over the counter as a gel syringe manuf by ORALX.  It is labeled for horses but does work on cattle.

 

[Rustynail]

Thiamine (vitamin B1) does help nervous animals.  It can be purchased over the counter as a gel syringe manuf by ORALX.  It is labeled for horses but does work on cattle.

We buy it in liquid form and it mixes into grain nicely.  It usually take 30 to 60 days to work on horses, I will assume it will be the same on cattle.