Dealing with a very fearful calf

[greggy]

Get her away from her momma, put a mate in there that is REALLY tame and won't take onto her antics. good food.. if after a week there isn't some decent improvement, ship her... and I agree with Redgully, momma too if she doesn't behave next time around
It's taken me 30 years and i've culled some productive cows because they were just plain contrary, they'd just HAVE to duck beside every gate when I changed pasture and take half the herd with them.. I'd have to chase them back, waste time, raise my blood pressure through the roof and learn a few more languages to have the necessary cuss words.. I have 2 left that are on the list to go, they're not as bad as before, but they still don't fit in.
Now that the worst offenders are gone, everything goes smoothly. I bought a heifer 16 months ago, she was pretty docile anyhow, but she learned from the group and fits right in

Oh gawd, you have gotta hate the animal that thinks left, when everyone else was thinking right, course, they like to be at the front too !

Or the animals that say, nup, I am gonna go there, do not care what ya all do......

Or mr slow poke, the harmless steer or calf, who then sees everyone else is so far ahead, he decides to turn around, do a left about face, or whatever else.....

I learn from my sheep, if you have a straggler, a sick, or an older animal, peel them off into a pen or something first, or just let them do their thing and go back for them later, cause, I also learnt, if you get rid of them, someone else somehow knows to take their place !!!

 

[Nesikep]

Get her away from her momma, put a mate in there that is REALLY tame and won't take onto her antics. good food.. if after a week there isn't some decent improvement, ship her... and I agree with Redgully, momma too if she doesn't behave next time around
It's taken me 30 years and i've culled some productive cows because they were just plain contrary, they'd just HAVE to duck beside every gate when I changed pasture and take half the herd with them.. I'd have to chase them back, waste time, raise my blood pressure through the roof and learn a few more languages to have the necessary cuss words.. I have 2 left that are on the list to go, they're not as bad as before, but they still don't fit in.
Now that the worst offenders are gone, everything goes smoothly. I bought a heifer 16 months ago, she was pretty docile anyhow, but she learned from the group and fits right in

Oh gawd, you have gotta hate the animal that thinks left, when everyone else was thinking right, course, they like to be at the front too !

Or the animals that say, nup, I am gonna go there, do not care what ya all do......

Or mr slow poke, the harmless steer or calf, who then sees everyone else is so far ahead, he decides to turn around, do a left about face, or whatever else.....

I learn from my sheep, if you have a straggler, a sick, or an older animal, peel them off into a pen or something first, or just let them do their thing and go back for them later, cause, I also learnt, if you get rid of them, someone else somehow knows to take their place !!!

I can tell you have experience with this

A good herd leader can help.. the 9 year old that's about to pop was the daughter of my oldest cow (a leader by virtue of age), and she's definitely set on being boss cow.. She took on the oldest, a 1800 lb cow and won, and she's always the first to the feed truck or any place. I used to have another cow (since sold) and it seemed like the two would race to that first bale
Here she is doing her best boss cow pose

 

[Bestoutwest]

I've got one that a lot of people would have culled, and she's always one calf away from going to town with us. She's 4 this year, and has had 2 calves for us. She was very good until she had that first calf. We were going to load her up to see if the AI took, and she come over the gate b/c her baby bawled. No one was hurt, nothing was broker, but she wouldn't load up and we haven't pushed for the about 18 months now. This fall we AI'd a couple other cows and kept her in with them. We went to work them and she went in with them, which was surprising b/c it's near the loading alley. I got her out and moved her around and it was very, very easy. I think the other cows have had a good influence on her, but it's taken over a year. Before them she was top dog, and herd matriarch even at 2. When we introduced an older, larger cow (about 1800 lbs) she's come down the pecking order. I really like her calves, and in the field she is a wonderful animal. She brings her calf to us when it's born (she has done this with both calves, it's pretty interesting), we can pet her, she's really good. Just don't try to load her or anyone else. She's figured out that the trailer means someone isn't coming back.

That being said, she's not like you describe at all. With that one, I'd can her. Get a good one. And don't sell her to your friend, or they will become your "friend."

 

[Nesikep]

I've got one that a lot of people would have culled, and she's always one calf away from going to town with us. She's 4 this year, and has had 2 calves for us. She was very good until she had that first calf. We were going to load her up to see if the AI took, and she come over the gate b/c her baby bawled. No one was hurt, nothing was broker, but she wouldn't load up and we haven't pushed for the about 18 months now. This fall we AI'd a couple other cows and kept her in with them. We went to work them and she went in with them, which was surprising b/c it's near the loading alley. I got her out and moved her around and it was very, very easy. I think the other cows have had a good influence on her, but it's taken over a year. Before them she was top dog, and herd matriarch even at 2. When we introduced an older, larger cow (about 1800 lbs) she's come down the pecking order. I really like her calves, and in the field she is a wonderful animal. She brings her calf to us when it's born (she has done this with both calves, it's pretty interesting), we can pet her, she's really good. Just don't try to load her or anyone else. She's figured out that the trailer means someone isn't coming back.

That being said, she's not like you describe at all. With that one, I'd can her. Get a good one. And don't sell her to your friend, or they will become your "friend."

I have one that'll destroy the crowding pen.. She went to the vet once and came back with no horns... 12 years later she still bears that grudge

 

[greggy]

I really do not need to read more studies, but I wonder if they do/can hold a grudge, they certainly can remember well, and most learn very quick.

I know it is prob not that practical for many, but I have a theory about getting them in yards etc a few times and give them good experience, like feed, or just walk through and around a few times then out, so they do not learn to fear yards.

You can see that some, if new to yards, who are bright and already a bit edgy, could easily learn that it is a place to be avoided at all cost if you pushed them in then dished out some pain on very first visit.