markt
Member
my son has a charolais heifer thats broke to tie,wash,blow dry everything but will not lead, any ideals we have broke alot of heifers but nothing works on this one.
thanks mark
thanks mark
heifer won't lead
- Thread starter markt
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TheBullLady
Well-known member
What does she do when he tries to lead her? Balk up? Run off? Have you tried starting her in a very small area?
I generally pen them up short, and work at getting just one step at a time. It takes a bunch of patience! I pull the calf forward until she takes ONE STEP.. then immediately release the pressure on the halter and scratch and praise her. It may take a short time, or long, but they'll eventually figure it out. You'll go from one step to two... then four or five, etc., but always remember to release and praise. If she likes being handled, it will be easier to accomplish.
Good luck!
I generally pen them up short, and work at getting just one step at a time. It takes a bunch of patience! I pull the calf forward until she takes ONE STEP.. then immediately release the pressure on the halter and scratch and praise her. It may take a short time, or long, but they'll eventually figure it out. You'll go from one step to two... then four or five, etc., but always remember to release and praise. If she likes being handled, it will be easier to accomplish.
Good luck!
limi chick fitter
Well-known member
how old is she?
markt
Member
she is 7 months old
angusheifers5722
Member
When she walks is she just stubborn?????If she is try (if you can) to have someone behind her at all times to just twist her tail and maybe hit her on the butt.We had one like that once and we had 3 strong men on her halter pulling as hard as they could and we finnally got her to lead that way. 
GOOD LUCK!!!
GOOD LUCK!!! 
jaydill
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For a while my Simbrah steer was like that. For about a week, I used the end of the rope halter to reach back and whack him on the butt. On the 8th day, he walked perfectly and did so everyday since then. I used either the end of the rope halter or the show stick.. both worked.
limi chick fitter
Well-known member
theres alot of ways to make a heifer lead ever try.. having someone follow behind? twisting tail? if she locks up her legs, going side to side? hitting on the butt? having a showstick in ur hand and doing it that way? donkey? if she takes one step, praising her? having another cow in front of her (maybe shes a follower and not a leader)? just some lol
mturner719
Well-known member
markt":35ij134a said:
She will walk when she is ready. Keep tying her up and messing with her and walk to the side of her head instead of directly in front of her to try to make her think she can walk. If you take her somewhere you might be surprised that she walks better in a strange place than she does at yours.
A
Anonymous
You say she doesn't walk.... so, what exactly does she do when she refuses to walk? Does she lock her legs in one spot? If so, start slowly by rocking her sideways, so that her own weight forces her to take a step. Doesn't matter if it's sideways, she's moving. Then rock her back the other way. Take your time with her, and don't pressure her for too long. Move her round a few steps like this, don't worry if it's circles.
Try getting her to walk a few steps at a time. Pull her round her pen using the rocking method. This is how I start all my heifers after they've had their first couple of tie-ups, whether they refuse to move or run. They can't go anywhere in the pen. Then move to walking them from one pen across to another (depending on your shed set-up), and finally out into a large yard. From there you can move to open spaces.
If she really refuses to walk, get someone to push from behind and tie her to the back of a ute. Make sure you have two halters on her here- one tied to the ute (quick release knot) and one that the person leading holds. DON'T drag her, put it in low first gear and just roll slowly. At some point she will have to take a step. Let me reiterate though- don't drag her! If she really refuses to move, stop, give her a few minutes to think about it and a bit of a scratch with the show stick or around her neck, and try again. This might take a while, you just need a lot of patience.
One thing I suggest you never do is use a hot shot.
You haven't really told us much about what she does other than that she won't walk- it's a bit hard to give much advice without any info.
Good luck.
Try getting her to walk a few steps at a time. Pull her round her pen using the rocking method. This is how I start all my heifers after they've had their first couple of tie-ups, whether they refuse to move or run. They can't go anywhere in the pen. Then move to walking them from one pen across to another (depending on your shed set-up), and finally out into a large yard. From there you can move to open spaces.
If she really refuses to walk, get someone to push from behind and tie her to the back of a ute. Make sure you have two halters on her here- one tied to the ute (quick release knot) and one that the person leading holds. DON'T drag her, put it in low first gear and just roll slowly. At some point she will have to take a step. Let me reiterate though- don't drag her! If she really refuses to move, stop, give her a few minutes to think about it and a bit of a scratch with the show stick or around her neck, and try again. This might take a while, you just need a lot of patience.
One thing I suggest you never do is use a hot shot.
You haven't really told us much about what she does other than that she won't walk- it's a bit hard to give much advice without any info.
Good luck.
Miss Daisy
Well-known member
limi chick fitter":8d8eay68 said:
all but one of these suggestions has already been mentioned
limi chick fitter
Well-known member
ok?
Had a couple of stubborn ones over the years. Have tied them away from water and each morning and afternoon attempted to lead them to water. If they don't go then they don't drink. Eventually they will get thirsty and will lead to water. May work, may not.
A
Anonymous
farmwife":1hxkka39 said:
That's different. I know several of the animals I've broken in would have never given in to that- far too stubborn and would rather suffer than give in.
But I guess if it's worked for you.... :kid:
TheBullLady
Well-known member
I don't have luck with that approach either. But then, I prefer the animal trust me and want to be next to me... then I don't have to worry about them getting away and running off.
Everyone has a way that works for them!
Everyone has a way that works for them!
A
Anonymous
cowboy13":2ygnrl4p said:
Actually yes, I did try that with one. But I was more concerned with the animal's welfare in the short and long term. I took them back and used the methods I've outlined in my previous post and was quite successful. (I've never had an animal that one of those methods hasn't worked on.)
I'm a pretty stubborn person, and don't give in easily, but some animals will put up a fight until they are near death rather than give in, particularly in that sort of situation.
Anyway, I'd rather have an animal that is content to work with me, not doing it because they are scared, and that they then trust me enough to take them through any situation. I have a very good relationship with all my animals because of this.
We have a homemade walker that we pull with the truck to work with the 4H calves that don't want to walk. We have only had 1 that it didn't work on and she broke the lead rope and halter. we had to put a nose lead on her, I hated it but we had tried everything else we could think of.
Good luck!
Good luck!
A
Anonymous
gertfan":1hgfma7e said:
We've had a couple damn stubborn bulls break leads and rope halters, and a couple of halter chains too. That's mainly to do with the driver not paying enough attention to the leader tho!
Is it not usual for you to use nose clamps on your heifers? We don't use them at home but at every show it is a requirement that heifers, cows, bulls and steers have a nose clamp/ring, for OH&S.
