Halter Breaking Heifer

[reneeb]

Please excuse the lenght of this email. We're newbies... :lol:

My daughters are both in FFA and have raised pigs and lambs in the past. We've decided to take the jump to a steer and a heifer. We brought both home this past wknd. The breeder had a halter on both for a little less than a week, but they had been in the pasture b4 that. Obvioulsy, they aren't happy campers and we are trying to make them feel as comfortable in their new homes as possible. The heifer is a early march and the steer is late march. We got them into their pens and have just been sitting, talking and letting them get use to us for the last 3 days.

On Monday, we tied both up (with their heads a little high and only abou 10" of slack) to the railing on the pens at our ag barn. The steer was alot calmer compared to the heifer. He let us touch him and actually got a brush on him and we kept him tied for almost an hour. The heifer is a totally different story, and where my ?s come into play.

We can get her tied up, and she does fine for 10-15 mins. Then she tries to lay down or more scary does this spin thing and ends up on her back. We go into pen and get her up and she'll be fine for a while and then do it again. we got worried she was going to hurt herself so we had to untie her. Probably not the right thing, but I am at a loss as to what to do next.

Suggestions.... please.

Thanks!!!

 

[Flacowboy]

You need to either tie them high enough that they won't try to lay down or low enough that they can without hurting themselves. But be sure to STAY WITH THEM WHEN THEY ARE TIED and make sure that you can cut the rope if she gets into real trouble.

 

[reneeb]

Thanks Flacowboy.

We do not leave either of them while they are tied. My daughters use the time to clean the pen, try to get close and just kinda hang out around them. We are tying high enough (we thought) that they won't lay down, but the heifer jumps then does the spin thing and then just lays down. We have a rope halter and a a slip knot just in case she gets in trouble. Will it hurt her to have her neck stretched so bad? I'm sure that is a stupid ?, but at this point I'm at a loss. We are being told not to untie her or she'll know that is all she has to do to get untied. It just looks horrible.

I am sure we'll look back in a month when the girls are walking them around, but right now it's not very funny... :x

 

[grand chaser09]

no it isn't funny when they're doing that. i had a few that did the same thing to me or was fine when i was towards their rear but tried to paw me down whne i got to their shoulders or head. i think she's just going to take time right now to figure out whats going on. don't untie her just let her figure it out that she can't get out of it. the way i see it... she figures that the rope has let it guard down and if she flips or pulls she can get away. if you have a problem getting clse to her while she's tied up use a broom or small rake scratch her and work your way up it until you can touch her.

hope i could help!

 

[reneeb]

Thanks! I have access to a young gentlemen who breaks cattle for a little $. There was a time last night that I had the check book out. However, this morning at breakfast we said nope, were are going back out tonight, tie them both up and let them be. I know they won't hurt themselves (it just looks really bad) and are just having an attitude. I also know that if we untie them, we've lost and they now know all they have to do is roll over and ta-da, I'm untied. that will not be good.

So, off to the barn in a bit and we'll just pray it goes better tonight..

They are in seperate pen next to each other and I'm thinking maybe it might be a good idea to tie them up nose to nose per say. Although knowing our luck they'll tear the divider down, so maybe not a good idea...

Ag teacher is coming back out tomorrow for our hog validation and is going to spend some quality time with them both and us as well.

Thanks again and any advise is greatly apprecaited!!!

 

[chippie]

We live in Fort Bend County too. I am going to send you a PM.

 

[Colorado2008]

Here's what I do, I'll try to explain the best I can.

When we first start tieing the calves up for the first week or two we do not tie their heads up. We tie thier heads so the top of their neck is parallel to the ground. This leaves them room to move just in case they get spooked and they don't feel so "confined". When we tie them, we run the lead under the closest bar and then tie it up a few bars higher. We do this because if they try to jump forward or up, they cannot get their legs caught in the fence and if we absolutly need to uuntie we can get to the lead without getting hurt. Once they stand there with us brushing and scratching with the stick then we move their heads up a little higher.

I hope this helps. If you need anything clarified or any more info just let me know.

 

[Snider_Angus]

I believe before anyone ever even ties a calf up they should be taught how to correctly tie a knot. There is a special way to tie a halter knot, which you can get undone in any situation, no matter how much they fight and weigh is on it you can always untie it.
1. Wrap it around the fence rung twice.
2. Circle the slack around the rope once
3. Get you one Bight
4. and pull it through the loop you made in the 2nd step.

Decribing how to tie knots is THE hardest thing to describe in words.

Just try tieing her at eye level and every other day move up a rung. if she begins to fight, let her. SHe will learn she wont win.

 

[reneeb]

thank you all!!! You have all been very helpful and welcoming.

We had somewhat of a better night last night. I regard better in that the heifer only did her roll 3 times in the hour she was tied up and she got up all 3 times. Tuesday night she would just lay there. She is one unhappy camper though. You can just see it in her eyes and her tail is spinning like a top. My daughter just talked to her softly and got her hands on her a couple times. We tried running the show stick down her back a couple times and that seemed to help a little. mainly, we just left her be. Fed her right after we untied her. Each night should get better we hope. Our steer did quite well surprisingly. He tried to lay down a couple times but got back up and towards the end was standing paralle to the fence and no pressure at all on halter rope.

taking one day (or hour at this point... :lol2: ) at a time..

thanks again!

 

[redcowsrule33]

In all the years I trained calves I never tied them first thing. I always gentled them and taught them to lead first, then tied them with feed. I might catch a lot of flack for this but an animal that trusts you will always be easier to teach because they understand you are working with them and not against them. I know that's not how it's usually done and it takes more time but if you are planning on keeping that heifer as a replacement animal I want a relationship of trust and not fear. Force teaches distrust.

Bash me if you will. But it was never one of my critters taking off down the midway at the fair. :nod:

 

[grand chaser09]

i do have to agree with redcowsrule33. i still lead mine to feed and they're way past broke. they follow me like puppies most of the time.

 

[blackcowz]

BTW, you can most generally expect a heifer to have a little tougher time halter breaking than a steer. The females, and no offense to ANY girls on this board, seem to have a bit harder head and a little more attitude. Instead of thinking, "Boy, you're such a pain in the neck, I'm gonna tie your head up real high and teach you!", just bite back your anger and take it easy. This is my 7th year breaking in steers and heifers, and the more gentle you go at it, the better. Heck, if you need to tie a little extension rope on her halter that she has to drag around and step on, that'd be fine. Just make sure you take it off and don't leave it on 24/7. They learn how to put their head to the side and not step on it. Whenever you take the rope off, make sure that you rub her real good and take that halter off real easy.If she pulls away, once again bite down your anger and try again. All good things take time and patience. Don't rush it and the calf will do just fine. And also try to work from the shoulder. You can get stepped on, which will happen plenty, but she can't kick you if you're hugging that shoulder. Also, the shoulder is a good place to start rubbing on and gentling them down. Also, to help them get to like you more, use a little O-no-more. It's a cow/calf bonding powder, but put some on your glove or hand and let them lick away and get comfy. Sorry for running on and on, but that's my $0.02. Good Luck.

 

[milkmaid]

Interesting point of view, redcows.

I always started/start by tying them up and letting them stand until they learn to respect the rope and stand quietly. I've halter broke several wild mature cows and calves over 800lbs, and I'm not tough enough to hold them if they try to run off. Respecting the rope and stopping when there's pressure on the lead is the most important thing my animals will ever learn. I insist they learn to stand tied first, then I teach them to lead once they've learned not to fight the rope and to give to pressure. Tame and halter broke are two totally different things... I've had tame calves that couldn't be led, and wild ones that would lead anywhere, IF you could get a halter on them.

 

[blackcowz]

In all the years I trained calves I never tied them first thing. I always gentled them and taught them to lead first, then tied them with feed. I might catch a lot of flack for this but an animal that trusts you will always be easier to teach because they understand you are working with them and not against them. I know that's not how it's usually done and it takes more time but if you are planning on keeping that heifer as a replacement animal I want a relationship of trust and not fear. Force teaches distrust.

Bash me if you will. But it was never one of my critters taking off down the midway at the fair. :nod:

We haven't used the feed, but our steers, colts, lambs, whatever, all learn to lead before they are tied. Redcowsrule, I'd say you're right on target. One of out beef superintendents got run over, literally, by a loose steer this year. We also have a fair share of wild ones at the March weight in each year, too. Ours step off the truck, onto the scales, and then load right back up.

 

[reneeb]

Thanks again everyone for the diversity of the answers and suggestions. They are all great and we're learning from each... and no offense takin on the heifer remark. it is so true! :clap:

So far each day is getting easier it seems. Last night our Ag teacher was at the barn with us and helped greatly. We just couldn't (or wouldn't) do this without him and he has just been awesome. We actually got the steers rope and tied him up at head level very easily this time. He only acted up once in the time he was tied. He wouldn't get up so we untied him, lead him back to bar and tied again. Ag teacher helped to show my daughter the right way to brushed him where we are pressed into him and we were able to do this for quite along time. Took him off and lead him over to his food bucket. Overall not a bad night with him. The heifer tried to get excited when we picked up the rope, and so he tied her up on the middle barn with about 12" slack. She seemed way more comfortable and not quite as agitated. I am ordering some hay bites and we'll give them as treats to her (when she is doing good). With us tying her at middle bar, she can't do that spin action like she does when her head is high. she only laid down once and rolled, but got back up. We got a brush on her and at first her tail was like a propeller, but then she quieted down.

They are both still skidish off the rope, but that too will take time. They've only been in barn for 4 days and we kinda keep forgetting that one. Just keeping a positive voice when talking to them and we're keeping positive thoughts as well.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[2004farmgirl]

Our first heifer we broke this spring for 4H used to lay down when we would tie her and walk her behind the tractor. It really got annoying. And you will learn a lot from this experience. We have 4 new heifers that we bought from fresh out of the pasture. Never been around people let alone have a halter on. What is working amazing for us is walking them to water. They have no water in the pen with them. We leave the rope halters on them...all the time. They learn very fast that we bring the "goods"! :wave: Food and Water! I start off with stepping on the lead rope and holding it while putting a bucket in front of them. Then I work up to pulling them to water. I move the bucket closer to the pen door and then out the barn. It took about a week for us to do this last month. With them wearing the rope halter 27/7 helps a ton. When it was time for her to walk out of the barn for water we hooked her up to the wagon. We walked her around the yard over 20 times. One person driving the tractor, one sitting at the back of the wagon where she was tied and one walking behind the heifer. It worked like a charm!!! We went slow but not slow enough that she would act up. When she was done we always walked to water then back in her pen. We did this in the morning, that evening and then the next morning. By that next evening we were walking her out of the barn to water and walking her around the yard by herself.
We started tying her up in the morning after her long walk and water while she ate grain (for an hour). Then back in her pen. I increased the time to be tied for 3 days and now she is tied all day.
Here is what I do with our 5 babies...4 heifers and 1 steer. All are walked in the morning to water then they are tied in a line, like they would be at fair or a show. They are fed grain and a little hay and left all day. They can stand or lay down as they want. (I check on them at least 3 times during the day) Then in the late afternoon they are untied and walked again to water. For the evening they are let out in the pasture to run and play all night. We have a cement feeder that is built into the fence and we dump the grain into it for the night feeding. All the halters are left on while out in the pasture. When I go out in the morning they are all standing in the barn mooing at me waiting for their walk to water. Then it is back to the wall to be tied.
Hope this helps...it has worked great for us. Some breeder friends told me....If you want to keep a cow tame, walk it to water!
Take care and Happy Holidays

 

[Matt Schiel]

All of our calves get broke with a donkey. The calves are green broke (do not fight the halter, while being tied) before we put them on our donkey. In about 3 days we take the calf off the donkey and we are usually able to start walking them around with no problems. We break/re-break a few calves every year for kids that have similiar problems like yours. Since this is your first calf a few hundred dollars would be well spent in getting these calves broke and done with it.

Matt

 

[grand chaser09]

BTW, you can most generally expect a heifer to have a little tougher time halter breaking than a steer. The females, and no offense to ANY girls on this board, seem to have a bit harder head and a little more attitude. Instead of thinking, "Boy, you're such a pain in the neck, I'm gonna tie your head up real high and teach you!", just bite back your anger and take it easy. This is my 7th year breaking in steers and heifers, and the more gentle you go at it, the better. Heck, if you need to tie a little extension rope on her halter that she has to drag around and step on, that'd be fine. Just make sure you take it off and don't leave it on 24/7. They learn how to put their head to the side and not step on it. Whenever you take the rope off, make sure that you rub her real good and take that halter off real easy.If she pulls away, once again bite down your anger and try again. All good things take time and patience. Don't rush it and the calf will do just fine. And also try to work from the shoulder. You can get stepped on, which will happen plenty, but she can't kick you if you're hugging that shoulder. Also, the shoulder is a good place to start rubbing on and gentling them down. Also, to help them get to like you more, use a little O-no-more. It's a cow/calf bonding powder, but put some on your glove or hand and let them lick away and get comfy. Sorry for running on and on, but that's my $0.02. Good Luck.

i think heifers are harder to break beacuse of the hormones. but when i take the halter off of any calf im breakign i loop the lead around their neck so that they can't pull away even if i have let them go. it teaches them to stand for just a second. and you won't get hurt trying to dodge them as they run by.

 

[VCC]

You have to watch leaving the rope halters on them all the time, if they are the rope halter and lead, they can get real sore between the toes where the rope will end up can also increase the chance of foot rot. The constant stepping on the halter and jerking their head every time they step is counter productive to trying to teach them to lead.
We have a small catch pen we run them into and halter them before we work them each time, plus it is easier to break them using the rope halter with the metal ring, it allows the halter to loosen up we they stop resisting, they learn fast if they don't pull it doesn't pinch.

We used to leave halters on them for the first couple of days but found that even in that short period of time it could cause problems.

Good luck at take your time, it will all work out.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

First, I would like to commend you for your patience. Most "newbies" get frustrated quickly.
There are tons of different methods for halter breaking. BUT, pretty much everything I have read & been exposed to, says to FIRST tie their head at an eye-level point. Tying high can cause injury to their neck or back. Plus, it is uncomforable for them & they will fight harder.
The object is to first teach them to tie - not stand. It's great if they relax and lay down. But if they are fighting & lay down, they can usually do so without hurting themselves. THEN, after they have been taught to tie, you should definately start tieing their head up higher.
I let my calves drag halter for a few days before tieing. Then I put one in a small pen, tie another rope on the end of their halter so I can hold on while they run around. I use a showstick to scratch them everytime I can get close enough. They will run around to stay away, but soon learn that it FEELS good & I'm not hurting them. Once they stop (and you will find that they generally stop in the same corner - their safe place) you can replace the showstick with your hand, first on the tail head area. They have a real hard time resisting raising their tail & licking the air when you get the "good spot". If you play with them for a while (maybe an hour) you will be able to pull on the rope & get them to turn their head to you, than you can "nudge" them into taking steps toward you. After working them like this a few times, THEN I tie them. Generally, they don't fight at all.
No matter what method you use - patience & reward. Reward is in the form of - rope loosens when they quit pulling or take a step forward. Leading to feed or water. Whatever it takes, just stay calm,
which it sounds like you have that down pat.
Good luck.