aplusmnt
Well-known member
milkmaid":2wzcucod said:kaneranch":2wzcucod said:Tieing up for long hours is the best way to halter break one. We have broke some pretty rank calves this year by this method.
Step one-Tie them about 15 feet away from food and water, and leave them there for about 1-2 days.
Step two-Walk them to food and water. The first time is the hardest, a few suggetions is have more than one person on the end of the lead rope, dally to a fence and ease on down, have someone behind you if stubborn.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong, I don't know.
I agree with the first paragraph - tying a calf up is arguably the easiest way to teach them the basics of respecting a rope. Tie them and let them fight the rope and the post until they learn there isn't any way out of it. Very little work on your part.
Second paragraph - tying up without feed or water I can understand, but for 24 to 48 hours? and what about in the middle of the summer when the sun's beating down and temperatures are over 80'F?
Not on my place.
To me, 30 minutes a day every day of being tied and worked around achieves good results (too?). I haven't had problems with that method, and by the time I feel they're ready to start being led, they're tame enough as well they aren't going to bolt into the next county at the slightest unusual sound or movement on your part.
CACattleGirl99":2wzcucod said:im just 15,and i have a replacment heifer that im going to sell/show at fair, and she needs to be halter broken, but shes to much for me and im the olny dairy/cattle :shock: person in my entire family. I need some tips to help me do it :lol: and have it not stress full on her. shes alredy stresed out enough, shes part way blind in one eye!!!
Sorry, but she doesn't sound like replacement material to me. Pet or nurse cow material (I take it she's dairy?) perhaps, but not anything that you'd run on a dairy. What's she weigh? calf is easy to halter break, 1,000lb heifer is not. LOL.
Halter breaking is stressful on a calf to some extent no matter what way you look at it.
Milkmaid I agree, I would never tie them up for that long and or without feed. We do tie then lead them to feed, but for me just an hour or so before their regular feed time, and then take feed to them let them get a bite or two then, take feed a little ways away and lead them over and let them eat, keep repeating, also throw in a drink of water on the trips. But do not need a long time away from feed or water, just as long as it is their normal time to eat.