I see this is a hot topic again. Haven't been on for a week so that is where my post relates to, so haven't ready all of the posts but this is for Rod.
Lets decide where you think you are on a scale of respect/submission with your bull. If 1 on the scale would be a predictable dangerous "man eater" out to eat your lunch where you don't go within a 100 feet on the same side of the fence and 10 being a human that beats the heck
out of the cow/bull for no reason what so ever. And a 5 would be both sides respecting each other equally.
On the scale there would be those animals who are friendly when they want to be and boot you when they don't want anything to do with you. This would be between the 1 rating and 4 rating. This bull or what ever animal is categorized as unpredictable dangerous. He has no respect for
you. If we look at an animals within the herd mates, when a animal wants to be licked or scratched they will let another animal do so, but if they did not want another animal in their space after they got there licking they take the head and butt them or kick or in horses bite. The same applied to the cow in another post who booted the human over the fence. Ouch.
Factor 1 in temperament is bloodlines(breeds and with in breeds). Some are docile genetically and some are not. The one's that aren't will never be able to be turned into a docile even temp animal. Factor 2 psychologic management. If a cow is docile genetically they can be either temperament depending on how they are shaped by the human. How that cow/bull is raised. Factor 3 living environment. Where and how they live. And how much he see humans with the memory past interactions.
All to often I see with people new to horses that are touchy feely, gooshy love to death, but do not teach them respect. Thus they end up with an ill-mannered horse. Of course these horses get sold to the canner, because the owners can not handle them and the horse is now "dangerous"as they claim. It was not the horses fault for his temperament. The owner taught him to be this way. This is the same with cattle, but not a lot can fathom a cow being psychology trained like a
horse. Some people can't even use psychology with horses either. Just depends.
If a cow/bull shook it's head at me during/after I was petting it they would get a quick lesson in not to do such a thing again. It may hurt there ego for a few minutes but they learned a lessen not to do it again. And will come back later for the pet. If they don't like it they can walk away. Not me walking/running away. He/she now has a respect for me.
If your bull/cow just stands there and lets you do what ever petting, grooming and offers no negative feedback (not even questionable look from their eye) of any kind then you have the 5 on the scale. Anytime a animal tries to push or bluff you from where you are that is lack of respect
and them having the upper hand. When you can say sho or stomp your foot, or push them out of the way and the cow/bull backs away from you then that is a 5 also. And when you can saddle and ride the cow/bull you've got it made. I almost halter broke and saddle trained one of my
cows. She's a coming 5 year old now and to late for easy mind alteration. That would have been a fun project if I would have had time. She's one of those cows that is very smart. Personality plus. And she knows she's miss wonderful.
When we need to be more efficient for a number of various reasons(lack of help , to lack of $$ to pay for help, to not finding help that knows anything about cattle and others) then we tend to change our behavior on how we need to handle our cattle husbandry (and same goes with
farming/harvesting). It maybe called the modern rancher versus the old style, but there are modern reasons to change also. Would flying your own plane checking on the livestock be a modern technique. Not hardly. A lot of ranchers have been flying checking their livestock. My dad had first Piper Super Cub in the state in 1948. And a rancher non the less. Motorbikes. Been using them since the 60's. But didn't get a 4 wheeler until '98. Horses of course until it becomes less efficient. A cow going to market isn't the same as it used to be. Bruising (handling ways), dark meat(temperament based), injection sites are docked and you loose your clientele for the future thus not so rough handling is becoming common. And reputations built.
Of course as with any male (humans included) when they are in rut one should respect his space, he is on a biological mission(ok so not so much with humans on that). Also as they age they may start go get a meaner superior attitude. If one hasn't altered the thinking of the bull in the way
that humans have no interest in his lady love then he will treat you as if you were going to take his little lady from him. Male Elk, Deer, Moose have no problem with humans around them - as in driving past them or stopping to look at them, any other time except rut. In rut they are the
ones to watch out for Especially the Moose. But cow Moose are flat out dangerous. I hate them.
But I did get a chance to watch a little bit of Cowboy U on CMT while I was down and out. And just loved the cows they used for those city slicks.