Help please!

[RbarJ]

I just got a show steer that was just pulled out of pasture and away from him mom yesterday. He was also worked much harder than was needed, doing nothing but rile him up. After trailering him home, I got him tied up to a good sturdy post. When I went out early this morning to give him feed and water he pulled back and broke the chain on his halter. He then continued to bust out of his pen, break down a gate, and blow through an eight strand hotwire fence and getting out into a pasture. I'll be penning him tomorrow afternoon. The plan is to tie him up the same as before, this time with a stronger halter.
He was born in December and is about 600lbs.
I think the issue is him being used to being out at pasture with a herd and with his momma. I have him away from all other cattle. If need be I can put a show heifer in with him to help with weaning.
The weigh in is Saturday. I've already turned in my entry form for the calf. It's too late to get another calf.
This is my second calf already this year, and believe it or not, the first one was far worse.
Any thoughts are welcome and appreciated!
Thanks!
Robby

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Do whatever you did with the first one since he was "far worse". Sounds like you've been down this road once before and you prevailed.

Putting another animal in with him makes logical sense to me.

 

[VCC]

He needs a buddy for sure; they are herd animals and will tend to relax with at least one companion. The other thing is you are pushing way too hard, it sounds like that is due to time constraints. Weaning, moved away from other calves, and tied to a post all in the same day. I think most if not all calves would freak.
Put him with a calm heifer, put a rope halter on him and let him drag it for a few days, in my opinion the nylon halters with chains are worthless when a calf is not already halter broke, they tend to fail at the worst time.
Spend as much time around the pen, do not do much but be around, so he finds out you are not a monster intent on destroying him.
I would haul him with the heifer to weigh in and I might load him up on melatonin for a few days prior to weighing him in, just to make it safer for all concerned.
After weigh in start slow, Let him drag the halter, tie him for about a half hour to an hour at a time, move slow and let him know you are the one he gets his feed from, not sure when your show is but you should have plenty of time to break him and still take your time doing it.
We try and just get them use to a routine, feed, tie, rinse, groom, at the same times each day, if you add a step or steps to your routine ease them into it. Change can upset them and his life has had some drastic changes in it in the last day.
As soon as you get him where you can catch and tie without him flipping out, you start the rinsing process; once he can be rinsed without freaking you start the grooming process. Little victories each day, you cannot win the war in a day but you can win the battles most days.

 

[RbarJ]

Thanks for the advice!
TennesseeTuxedo, as soon as we got that first calf back on the trailer we took him back to the breeder.
Unfortunately, when we went to pen it earlier it was nowhere to be found. That calf is somewhere down our road.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Thanks for the advice!
TennesseeTuxedo, as soon as we got that first calf back on the trailer we took him back to the breeder.
Unfortunately, when we went to pen it earlier it was nowhere to be found. That calf is somewhere down our road.

So he's just gone?

 

[TN Cattle Man]

Thanks for the advice!
TennesseeTuxedo, as soon as we got that first calf back on the trailer we took him back to the breeder.
Unfortunately, when we went to pen it earlier it was nowhere to be found. That calf is somewhere down our road.

So he's just gone?

That's not good!!

 

[RbarJ]

Well, we went out again after looking for hours already, and sure enough, he just pops up out of nowhere. We were able to get him into a smaller pasture with a bunch of 20 or 30. We're going to try to get him penned tomorrow afternoon.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Glad to hear you got him back. Remember to give him a little company when you pen him up.

 

[Kingfisher]

I'd put two girls in with him! .

 

[gabbyellepaige]

When you get him pinned keep a rope halter on him and let him drag it. Tie him up each day, adding time each day, while he's tied up continue with barn duties cleaning the stall mixing feed, etc. Playing music also helps them get used to noise and the general going abouts of things. When you feel he's ready start brushing him then move to washing him. After he's been tied up lead him to feed as a reward, cattle cubes are great too.

 

[SPH]

Lots of good advice in this thread. I do agree when someone mentioned a lot going on too soon. Just take it 1 step at a time and give him some company. Ease into each step and if he gets wound up then ease back and try again later. Best thing with show cattle is just spend time with them and do as much as you can before you take them to their first show. Leave a radio on in the barn, have a fan running, do anything you can to simulate some of the noises that goes on in the show barn. The last thing you want is an animal freaking out over the noise of fans, blowers, clippers, etc. so make sure he gets a good dose of work around those devices before you take him to his first show. When I showed as a youth we'd try to use the blower on them daily and made sure we washed and clipped them a few times before we started taking them to shows and it was amazing just how calm they usually were once you got them there because they were already used to all the sounds. Also helps because if a calf is stressed at a show he/she likely won't eat or drink as much and not look as full as they should on show day.

 

[RbarJ]

Thanks for all the advice! We have him tied with a heifer in the pen with him. I'm bringing him feed and water everyday, and brush him, using a broom to begin with and slowly moving closer. He's starting to come along.

 

[VCC]

That's the way to do it, once they settle down and figure out you are not there to hurt them they usually come along fine. Take your time, things will work out better for you and the calf.

Good Luck