First calf work-up completed

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Just ran our calves thru the chute. Weighed, tattoo, earnotch for BVD-PI test, checked teats (cut extra), checked testicles, cut castrated one bull, Valbazen drench dewormer, BS5L5HB, OneShot Ultra 8 & Multimin.
Will run them thru again in 4-6 weeks for booster. Generally, just jam them up in alleyway & give shots next time.

 

[Bright Raven]

Just ran our calves thru the chute. Weighed, tattoo, earnotch for BVD-PI test, checked teats (cut extra), checked testicles, cut castrated one bull, Valbazen drench dewormer, BS5L5HB, OneShot Ultra 8 & Multimin.
Will run them thru again in 4-6 weeks for booster. Generally, just jam them up in alleyway & give shots next time.

When do you halter train. These are late winter/early spring calves, right? I assume your fall calves have already finished halter training.

Question. I halter train all my fall calves at 5 to 6 weeks old. I continue through March. I now have 3 retained heifers and three remaining bulls - do you occasionally put them in halter as a refresher?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Ron - yes these are Jan 3 to March 5 calves. We pull 4 heifers in at a time when they are about 4 months old. We have finished working with the first 8. We only work with them about 2 weeks. Just to get them broke to tie and walk a little in the barn. We pull the calves into the barn during the day & let them out all night with their dam - we don't want to wean them.
Only "refresher" they will get is if they go into the show string this year or next. We had a 5 year old cow that went into the Stars & Stripes Sale. Phil put a halter on her in the upper barn & walked her down to the lower barn to be clipped. She actually walked with him - only worked with her for 2-3 weeks as a calf.
We prefer working with them at 4-5 months of age. Before that, they are too dependent on Mom & will fight you more. Older than that, they are too INdependent and will fight you more!! LOL Although, many times we first put a halter on them at or near weaning time.
Fall calves - a heifer & a bull calf are in our show string. Sold one that we halter broke to a 4-Her. Got a couple of steers we are feeding out for freezer trade (not halter broke!)

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

How do you get a halter on them at 4-5 months of age? In the chute?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes. I bring them in the barn and generally don't do anything with them other than put a big feeder in front of them with a little grain so they "group" taste it. Then next day I will put each one in the chute & put a halter on them. We "man-handle" them a little rubbing/scratching trying to find their "itchy" spot so they think we are nice. Usually, they aren't too keen on being touched. We secure the halter by taking a piece of baling twine & tie it from one side, under chin, to the other side. They rarely pull the halter off that way. Then we let them drag it around in the barn & outside all night with mom. When Mom steps on it, they STOP. So they learn what the pressure means. When she steps off, they can go. We start hand feeding & spend time in their pens cleaning it & talking to them. After a few days, Phil (nephew) will tie them & we give them their feed. With them dragging the lead, you don't have to get very close to them to get their halter. After Phil ties them twice, I can usually handle them by myself.
Before Phil came, I did all the halter breaking myself. So, I did it a little slower. I would carry their feed in to them & wait until they were willing to eat with me standing there. Then I would just quietly tie them & walk away. After that, we tie to one side of the pen with their head up, put their feed down across pen, & walk them to their feed. Reward works great.