My steer is acting up and fair is really close

[angusguy]

Hi, I live in Washington and am part of our FFA chapter. I am raising a steer for my county fair and I have noticed that he is starting to act up a lot and fair is in a month. He has started to head butt me a lot and it is getting to be pretty bad, as I was walking him today he put is head on my lower back and picked me up off the ground and sometimes he will just turn into me and start head butting me (Every time he does that I do smack him on his nose). Also I noticed he is starting to walk a lot faster than me, I have tried to put a show stick in front of his nose to slow him down but he just keeps going. Any advice would help. Thank you

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

I have -0- experience w/ show cattle, angusguy, but I'll bump this up and maybe someone else will respond. And welcome to CTB -- nice to see others from WA here.

 

[CKC1586]

Sounds like he needs a lesson in respect your space.
Tie him up and work with him everyday , by waling around his head and do not allow him to do any of that head butting stuff. Is there a chain under his chin on your lead? That will help if you don't. When he misbehaves, pick his head up and make him keep it up. If he is really getting unruly get a nose lead and use it till he gets the message. Do not let him win.

 

[chippie]

He does not respect you. Ditto nose lead. You really need an experienced adult to help you before he seriously hurts you. Someone needs to have a Come to Jesus meeting with him.

I don't know how you handle him, but you can not treat a steer like a pet or dog. It only ends up badly. Good Luck.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Sounds like he needs some real love, and kindness in the form of a nose lead with a short rope, and someone strong enough to put him in his place.

 

[herefordhandler16]

If he doesn't stop when you use the rope across the nose you need to keep hold of a short length of it and snap him good right on the tip of his nose and stop him, turn him around and keep walking him try not to get in front of him when you walk, if you stay next to him it might help, the bull ring is also a good idea, but its a little late in the game for that.

Some real advise, get a heifer next year. Steers are hormonally unbalanced and dangerous pains in the butt. after your done with them you butcher them, get a heifer, show her and breed her then you can have a cow calf pair the next year.

 

[TN Cattle Man]

Sounds like he needs some real love, and kindness in the form of a nose lead with a short rope, and someone strong enough to put him in his place.

Sound advise!!

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Angusguy -- are you out there, checking your post?

 

[DLD]

Definitely get a nose lead and/or a pronged show halter chain, they will enable you to hold his head away from you. If he's butting you in the back, you're giving him too much slack - remember he needs to walk beside you, not behind you. If he's getting ahead of you, don't just hold the stick in front of him, whack him across the nose with it, firmly enough to get his attention. After you've done that a few times at home, then just holding it in front of him or maybe just lightly tapping him with it will be all you need to do in the show ring.

Some real advise, get a heifer next year. Steers are hormonally unbalanced and dangerous pains in the butt. after your done with them you butcher them, get a heifer, show her and breed her then you can have a cow calf pair the next year.

Sorry, but this is just not right. Steers are far more even tempered than heifers as a general rule - yes, there are some with bad attitudes, but no more with steers than heifers, and steers are much more predictable. Your hormonally imbalanced theory doesn't fly, unless they still have a testicle up in them, or are being given something artificially - the sweetest show heifer ever can be a complete idiot if she's in heat, or maybe even if the one next to her is.