new fair steer

[mattk50]

We just picked up my daughters(17yo) fair steer on Saturday.He is 5 months old 640lbs and extermely agressive;pawing the ground, charging the fence and very high headed.He is a ranch steer from a commercial cow calf operation not a club calf.He was just branded and weaned Monday the 29th.
Angus Gelbvieh cross. Any hope to make this a well mannered fair project or should we replace it?This is not her first steer and she really wants to make a go of it but her safety is my first concern.
We bought him from my brother and he said he would take it back.He really is a nice looking steer
and should do well at fair. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Colorado2008]

I would give him a chance before taking him back. Let him calm down for a couple weeks and start spending some time with him and feeding him.
You did say though that he is extremely agressive, that would worry me especially for a first steer. If he doesn't calm down in twoo weeks, I would take him back and find another.

 

[VCC]

I would give him some time, take it easy and do not get in a hurry. More than likely he is scared, sounds like allot has happened to him in a very short period of time. Is he penned by himself, if he is it usually takes a little longer for them to calm down. Have your daughter talk to him and let him know she is the one that is feeding him, after awhile he will be happy to see her. If he does not stop blowing snot in about a week or so then you might thank about taking him back.

We had a calf that went through a similar situation, weaned a week before we picked him, put on a trailer, at 4 pm, fed and watered in the trailer, left ranch at 1am to miss the dessert heat, 10 hours travel time, no other calves at the house at the time. Into the feeder over the fence through the gate down the road. Hid in the creek bed for 3 days, ended up with some horse down the road. Had to get a cowboy to rope him from horseback and run him into the trailer.
Left in the trailer for 2 more days blowing snot and mud. Third day we put him in the pen (feeder removed) bounced off the rails for awhile. 3 day later had his halter on and tied to the rail, 2 more days and had him in the wash rack rinsing him. Once he calmed down he was not mean at all.

Fear, once you get past it things should get better fast.

 

[CPL]

You said his not a club calf and being that he was branded I'm going to assume he was out in range type conditions. In that case I'd want my cows to be a bit flighty so they can take care of themselves out in the wild. I'd let him have time to calm down like other suggested. After a while you'll be able to tell whether its in his genes to be mean, or whether that's just the way he was raised by mom and when he gets used to you guys he'll be fine. Time will tell.

 

[grand chaser09]

give him his time. don't go out there and mess with him but go spend time in the barn walking around his stall and play a radio. just let him calm down, it will take him some time but he will mellow down. once you can get a halter on him if you cant get very close to him use a broom or a small rake to touch him and move up the stick till you can touch him. talk to him or sing to him the whole time you do this.

 

[VCC]

TNMBP, you always have the same advice, I wonder how many good calves you have passed on because they were spooked. My guess is that this calf was calm when he was in a pen with the other calves. He now is in a completely new environment. If he adjust everything will be fine if he does not then they should send him back.

My boys all started with Commercial Angus calves, we avoided the calves with their heads and tails sticking in the air. Every time we took home a calf that was by itself, it took more time to calm them down. If we had a pair they calmed down faster.

There is a big difference between scared and mean, scared can be changed, mean can't.

 

[CPL]

TNMBP, you always have the same advice, I wonder how many good calves you have passed on because they were spooked.

I wonder how many family members he ticked off. I don't think telling your brother, thanks but no thanks and taking off in your truck is not good advice.