Breaking...

[Lomac]

I have read the recent posts on here about breaking. I have broke a many a steer in my 4-H days and with my young daughters here in the last couple years. This is a little different from teh other posts, not trying to beat a dead horse here. This is a Feb-Mar calf about 700-750. Charolais/Angus cross. Troubadour bull. This guy has been nuts since we got him <<3rd week in Aug. To make matter worse, he got sick and vet had to give him a shot. We dont have a chute. Had him tied to a fence pole and using nose pliers administered the shot. He pulled so hard the halter cut deep into his nose. We have that healed up now with Nu Stock. Been letting him drag the halter for a couple weeks now with a big pad for the bridge of his nose. We have him in a 12x20 pen (maybe to big?). Have tied him up overnight, scratched ect but hes still rough. Like put his head down, paw at the ground and try and mow u over ruff if u dont have a show stick in your hand. We have a Angus in the pen beside him. Same age. Not sure if putting them together will help. Have always had our animals broke by now. Had one fella come by and remark...he's got that look of unbreakable. <<<Have never believed that. Ive tried to be nice. Any advice before the round and round on the tractor routine. Thanks

 

[Bigfoot]

IMHO, I'd sell him thru the yard. He sounds nuts. I've broke maybe as many as 50, so I'm not a rookie. I've had one I just had to cut my loses on. Even if you got him to lead, how would he act at the show? Plus that show stick is only going to bluff him so long. Pretty soon he'll call your bluff.

 

[Nesikep]

I've got some that are "One man cows", and are fine with me but don't like other people.. Maybe you're just not the right person? (No offense intended). I'd be careful with him either way. Is he an exceptional looking animal? His weight gain is good but not exceptional... I would keep looking for a steadier character if possible.

 

[Lomac]

I need to correct. He is off Troubadour. He's not a bull. Steer. He looks pretty good. The weight is decent but we have to carry them out through May at final show. Not sure if I can put him through a sale being a 4-H project lol. Not sure how all that would work getting another animal ect ect. Think we are stuck w what we have. I understand completely about the "one man". When I walk in he backs in that corner, like almost backing his ass up the wall. My daughter says he walks to the feed box when she goes to feed. Probably relates to me as pain, just kind of leary bout putting my 15yo daughter in there. She isn't scared and wants to but haven't allowed her w/o me being in w her. I've actually brought him up front pen, where we are always walking by to get acclimated to ppl. Thinking about trying to shrink his pen to where he can just be able to turn around. Don't know what to do lol.

 

[Nesikep]

What kind of halter do you have? I have the Hamilton "Control" halter than has a chin chain, most of the heifers I've broken with it (they were already tame pets) now lead with one finger. I'm working my 750 lb bull calf with it right now, he's a big tame baby too, and seems to be doing well.. however staying put and stopping is different from leading

 

[Lomac]

Have him just dragging a rope halter with about 6' of lead. I'm able to use the show stick and grab the end of the lead to be able to tie him up if need be. Ive used the Crothers Ultimate Cow Halter. I don't know how to load pics but you can look it up. Use a chain under the chin. Haven't been able to put it on this steer because can't get that close to buckle it up. Thinkin about loading him up w calf calm then trying him. Just kind of thinking out loud, or tying him up for about a week or 2

 

[Chi496]

Ok so the calf has been nuts since you got him? In my opinion there are way to many calves out there than to risk personal injury with a calf like that. We just sent an exceptional prospect to the yards when I say exceptional that's what I mean. His flush mates brought between 7-10k in our online sales. This guy was always high headed, but once cornered the fight was on. I gave him more time than most calves. Once I came to terms that this calf no matter how good he was was never going to be a safe project it was time to let him go.
Calf Calm will do nothing in my experience with this type of calf. Load him on the trailer and find a new project.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I have to agree with Chi496. Some are just never trustworthy no matter what you do. Especially with a 15 yr. old girl.
I have had them wild, high headed and scared. But still not "want to get you." That would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Nesikep]

I gotta agree.. I think he will be dangerous.. Even if you get him settled down another 50%, how's he going to behave in a new environment with people all over.

I find attitude rubs off the opposite way easier, a calm and wild calf together will get wilder together. It's natural when one animal is 'on alert', that the others will follow suit, so it only takes one to say "Oh my god, That human is out to get us" and the rest will believe him!

I'd go look at other steers while you still have a chance.

 

[Nesikep]

When I was shopping for a bull last fall, There were 3 bulls in a pen, I had my eye on 2 of them I liked the build of, one was tentatively spoken for. I walked up to the pen, the one that was spoken for snorted and pawed the ground and took off, the other I liked came and licked my hand... Since he was on my short-list, he was the one that we loaded into the trailer and took home. On the way home, he laid down, and when I backed up to the corral and opened the doors, he calmly got up, stretched, and ambled in.
I always keep him in the corner of my eye (he *is* still a bull), but I don't feel like he's a threat... all he wants is to lick you and get a neck rub, the biggest danger with him is you might not agree with what his idea of playing is.
I always say that this bull chose us

 

[Lomac]

I really appreciate the input. Considering that this is a "4-H" project, I'm not sure on my options as far as bringing him to the sale yard. Will check and let y'all know. The wife has been on me about this steer from the beggining lol. Guess I'm about as hard headed as the calf. I don't take defeat easily lol. This would be a first for me in breaking a steer category. It was shoned upon back in the day when I was in 4-H not to be able to break one.

 

[Nesikep]

I think there are just some SOB steers, it's the steer's failure not yours. I would think there's a way for you to get rid of him.. I've never seen any 4H shows with a category for 'bat shyt crazy'.

Whereabout do you live?

 

[suzorse]

there is no rule that says you can not get rid of the steer , has it been weighed in yet ? if it has been weighed in, and declared you just can not replace him with a different steer , that is why it is best to have 2 for each kid if you can , just in case something happens to 1 before fair they have a back up,
remember safety first , fair is not worth someone getting hurt ,
good luck Suzanne

 

[Lomac]

The Club has allowed us bring the steer to the yard and get another one. The club actually just got theirs about 2 weeks ago. We are the only ones in the club that get steers early (August) so we can show at our State Fair. So they know we have been working this animal diligently since then.We only have a short window to get one. Problem is.....where to find one. Most are gone by this time.

 

[Nesikep]

around here there are people picking up steers for prospects at sale barns.. don't know the results they have with them.

 

[VCC]

There are all kinds of spring borns for sale right now (show calves) look at the classified add on Steerplanet.com or any of the sales going on right now look at Showsteers.com, directory, upcoming sales, I'm sure you could find something to replace him with.

I would hit him with 100 mg of melatonin (33 3mg tablets) from Wal-Mart for about a week and see if that does not take the edge off. If it does I would keep him on it all the way through and double it at the show, it is not a drug and is not tested for, it is what they use to promote hair growth. If it helps some but still a little on edge add 4 more pills, if he stands there half a sleep or to mellow drop 4 pills and see if that does not help. If that does not work I'd ship him, not worth it.

 

[Lomac]

Going to be buying one from the Louisville, KY show (North American International Livestock Expo). Have a friend that just so happens is going to be there. We can't make it so he will be doing our picking for us. Will try and post up here a pic or 2. I cant get this dang picture thing to work. Last time someone gave me their number and I just texted pics to them and they loaded them lol.

 

[Lomac]

[/img] Obviously Im not getting this pic thing

 

[Lomac]

http://ranchers.net/photopost/data/500/bnb.jpg[url]http://ranchers.net/photopost/data/500/bnb2.jpg[/url]

 

[Lomac]

http://ranchers.net/photopost/data/500/bnb2.jpg
http://ranchers.net/photopost/data/500/bnb.jpg

These are a couple of the steer we have been dealing with. These pics are about month-month 1/2 old. Wish we could do something with him, think he would real good come May. Will post back some of the new one we will be getting. Would be nice to just post pics without using the url, guess I will figure it out one day. Thanks again for all of yall's time.