Heifer attitudes

[HOSS]

I hate how heifers seem to take forever to calm down. I weaned off two and put them in a pasture about 2 miles away. I check on the about every day. They throw that head up and act like I am a predator or something and run off a ways to see what I am going to do. It seems like every heifer I have bought or kept doesn't wind down until they have a calf. Bull calves seem to adjust better. I have one heifer that is wilder than the rest. If she don't calm down she may grow wheels soon.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Some like to play and many are independent, but my heifers come up when they see me.
Do you give them a treat when you visit?

 

[HOSS]

Some like to play and many are independent, but my heifers come up when they see me.
Do you give them a treat when you visit?

No treats. Some of my older cows come up for an ear scratch. Just seems like a heifer thing.

 

[gizmom]

Mine are so dang nosey all you have to do is walk into the field and they are going to come check you out. I went out yesterday afternoon to try to get a photo of a heifer out of a cow that we are consigning to the South East Classic sale this year. This is a super nice looking Missing Link heifer, the problem with getting a picture is she was so curious of the camera I couldn't get a good shot of her.

Gizmom

 

[MO_cows]

At least their brains grow in by the time they calve. They remind me of silly 14 year old girls, nothing they like better than a good scare and some drama even if they have to create it. All of ours have settled down, but I hate that "drama queen" phase, too.

 

[Aaron]

Anything that is heads up and does a fast trot or gallop away from me goes. Especially tough on attitude when they hit a year old. They can fly around and be 'care free' in someone's feedlot. The rest of the bunch calms down quick once the bad ones leave.

 

[Stocker Steve]

It seems like every heifer I have bought or kept doesn't wind down until they have a calf. Bull calves seem to adjust better. I have one heifer that is wilder than the rest.

I select for docility so I don't have many problems with home raised heifers. About 10% are problems in the chute, so they don't get the right ear wear and then they have to leave with the steer calves. The same cows usually have the couple problem calves.

Treats work pretty well with purchased heifers, and a trailer works even faster. :banana:

 

[cmf1]

At least their brains grow in by the time they calve. They remind me of silly 14 year old girls, nothing they like better than a good scare and some drama even if they have to create it. All of ours have settled down, but I hate that "drama queen" phase, too.

That's a great description of my experience with them.

 

[Jake]

Seems like ours will always come up to you but they never calm down completely until they have a calf. Have to lead them everywhere, can't drive them hardly for the first two years of their life.

 

[pdfangus]

my observation is that cattle need to be taught how to be driven....

especially cattle that are normally called or tolled.....they can be a bear to drive....

I have taken to moving them when ever I am horseback in the field.....just gently getting them to be directed by the horse....good for the horse and good for the cows...everybody learns pretty quickly....

 

[Caustic Burno]

Some like to play and many are independent, but my heifers come up when they see me.
Do you give them a treat when you visit?

No treats. Some of my older cows come up for an ear scratch. Just seems like a heifer thing.

Mine are pest. Are washing enough?

 

[SPH]

HOSS, know exactly what you mean! We have one we hope calms down this year because she's just too high strung for our likes to be that way in another year when she will calve let alone cause chaos this summer in the pasture when we are trying to round up the herd. She's too good of a heifer it would be a shame if she has to go to the sale barn but at some point all the frustration she causes may not be worth keeping her around. We're feeding out our remaining 4 replacement heifers and we usually like to get them on a halter a few times at this age just so they are used to be worked with a little so they aren't scared of us if we have to ever halter them for something later. Three of the 4 were real easy, didn't even really fight the halter once we tied them up but this 4th you couldn't get anywhere close to her in the barn stall and I even got kicked right in the thigh in the process which was black and blue and pretty sore for several days. We had to run her through the chute just to get her in a spot to get a halter on her then backed her up to tie her up and she fought the halter the entire afternoon even with another heifer we tied up right next to her that somehow was able to stay as calm as could be despite the struggle this heifer was giving us. When we feed them the 3 calm ones will come right up to the bunk and eat and she'll stand away about 20 feet and watch us until we leave and then come up to the bunk to eat. Both her sire and dam are very calm animals and her 1/2 sister and a full brother we sold as a yearling bull last year have good disposition so don't know where she is getting it from.

 

[pdfangus]

HOSS, know exactly what you mean! We have one we hope calms down this year because she's just too high strung for our likes to be that way in another year when she will calve let alone cause chaos this summer in the pasture when we are trying to round up the herd. She's too good of a heifer it would be a shame if she has to go to the sale barn but at some point all the frustration she causes may not be worth keeping her around. We're feeding out our remaining 4 replacement heifers and we usually like to get them on a halter a few times at this age just so they are used to be worked with a little so they aren't scared of us if we have to ever halter them for something later. Three of the 4 were real easy, didn't even really fight the halter once we tied them up but this 4th you couldn't get anywhere close to her in the barn stall and I even got kicked right in the thigh in the process which was black and blue and pretty sore for several days. We had to run her through the chute just to get her in a spot to get a halter on her then backed her up to tie her up and she fought the halter the entire afternoon even with another heifer we tied up right next to her that somehow was able to stay as calm as could be despite the struggle this heifer was giving us. When we feed them the 3 calm ones will come right up to the bunk and eat and she'll stand away about 20 feet and watch us until we leave and then come up to the bunk to eat. Both her sire and dam are very calm animals and her 1/2 sister and a full brother we sold as a yearling bull last year have good disposition so don't know where she is getting it from.

Don't matter where she got it....sounds like she got the whole load.....they will fool you into thinking they have calmed down and them BAM a couple years later she causes a real wreck.....silly is as silly does....bite the bullet now while she still has feedlot value.

 

[Rafter S]

You said you check on them about every day. I'd suggest giving them a little feed when you check on them. That will gentle them down quicker than anything, unless they were just born wild.

My heifers are in a little pasture beside my house and I feed them every day. I bought some of them from an individual and the others at the auction barn, but they all come running when they see me.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Some times talking to them in a calm voice helps.

Some times walking slowly and not raising your arms above your head helps.

Some times not making eye contact until they're used to your presence helps.

Some times only showing them your profile (instead of a front-on stance) until they're used to your presence helps.

I've gone out with a book, a six-pack of my favorite beverage, a lawn chair and have sat under a tree in the pasture (or in the paddock with them) and did nothing for a few hours -- no eye contact, no discussion, no nothing. Rinse. Repeat. Do that a half-dozen times, and you'll get a book you've been meaning to get read, read ... and your heifer may slow down a bit when you're around next time.

Otherwise, you can hope she'll be real tasty.

 

[Nesikep]

we fought wild cows for 15 years... some were just born stupid and nothing you did would change anything. the last 5 years I've changed the program up and every replacement heifer MUST be tame at weaning, and most are halterbroke from a month or 2 old. Now I can make a halter out of 1 strand of bale twine and lead them anywhere. After a while the whole herd will be calmer, but if you don't get rid of the freak shows, it'll rub off on the good ones. All mine are now pests too, but I'd rather have it that way.

I've found that the first couple hours of a calf's life are very important, if you're there when they're born and visit them often in the first day, half the battle is won no matter what Momma is telling them, they'll know you're not a threat

 

[Kscattle]

Last year I halter broke my replacements along with my sons 4-h steer to calm them all down. It was recommended by a friend of mine who does the same to his keeper heifers. It'll be interesting to see if it works out or I wasted a lot of my time. I didn't break to lead, just to tie and comb. They got feed as a treat, while I worked with them.

 

[Nesikep]

Over time I think you will see a difference, and if you ever need to work with them again, the first minute or two might again be a rodeo, but it'll come back to them. All my heifers get belly rubs, which they really like, and while I'm at it they get used to me fiddling with the udder, and I think in a few years I'll never need to have more than a quart of colostrum in the fridge because it'll be easy enough to just get fresh stuff on demand.. I can milk most of the halterbroke animals, with a couple exceptions. Comes in handy when you're a little short on milk for your morning coffee too. On my best broke animals, a couple wear a belt with a bell on it in the summertime, and I can lead them with a couple fingers hooked under the belt, and the rest of the herd will follow.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have brimmer girls that are halter broke. I can lead them anywhere.
Might be interesting to see the rodeo if a stranger tried. I have made an effort through the years to support
the kids in FFA and 4H. There is a county fair I attend every year that has a commercial heifer show and sale.
Categories are greater that 50% Brahman and less than. The heifers have to be halter broke and shown in the ring
like at any other show. Talk about a lead cow go out in the pasture with a sack of cubes the rest better be running if they want any.

 

[Backbone Ranch]

Our heifers can get a bit annoying at times, but it is well worth it when you have to work them. They don't kick or run at you. The majority of our yearling heifers like a good scratch, but one in particular will follow you around the pasture like a dog. She is our favorite heifer.