Please help me with this steer if you can

[ShowGirl22]

Hi everyone I'm new here and i hope i can learn some things that I don't know yet. But anyway I need some really important advice QUICK!!! OK so I have been showing 4-h steers at my county fair for seven years (sense i was 8, I'm almost 16 now), but anyway I have always bought my steers either from a local farmer or if I was lucky enough my cow would have a bull at the right time, and I would buy them at weaning time (when they were still a little small and halter brake them there), but this year it's a whole different story, so my 4-h beef club has where they have a weigh-in in January then in May a practice beef day, then in July is the fair!!!! So I had a hard time finding a steer this year so I bought one in January like two weeks before the weigh-in so I had no time at all to break him, he was just getting use to the place at that time, so I took him to the weigh-in weighed him and he did OK, so I have been out there about three to four time's a week putting a halter on him and tying him up, but i am having a lot off trouble leading him, I try to lead him he run's off and I try to keep a hold of him but I can't always keep hold of the rope, he won't lead for me most of the time and when I'm leading him he try's to run off and I try to tie him up with his head up for about an half hour but it just seems to make him worse, I'm trying very very hard to teach him that I am the boss not him but it won't click I guess, like i said I have been showing steers for seven years and by now I can usually have them halter broke and loving around on them all the time but this one is a problem. This beef day is in about 38 days and I'm worried that I'm not going have him broke by then, If anyone has any little piece of advice please share it with me I don't want me or anyone else getting hurt because I don't have him tamed down by then!!!!!!! I can brush him, give him baths and that kind of stuff. I was wandering maybe using a show halter with the chain under it I might have more control? So please just share away. Thanks Everyone!!!!

 

[Bigfoot]

Do a google search for a big Jim breaking halter.

 

[3waycross]

Borrow a good sized donkey and tie them halter to halter for a week.

 

[ffamom]

Nose ring does wonders too.

 

[ShowGirl22]

ok i guess i can try one

 

[TheBullLady]

I have to tell you , unfortunately, once they get away from you, they are VERY hard to hold on to! They are quick learners, and I've seen some that can't be broke from that habit. Is there anyone you know that is bigger / stronger that can walk with you when you lead him? If you're quick enough, and can jerk his head around as SOON as he starts to run off, you can usually stop him, but once his head is straight out in front of you, you won't be able to hold on.

 

[heath]

Donkeys work good as already suggested.

 

[sackshowcattle]

There are a couple ways to help fix the problem first I would try is tying him up for a couple hours a night with head high. Wash, dry, comb and all the other fun stuff while he us tied so your there if he does get himself in trouble. after he has been tied high that long his neck muscles will not be as strong from being stretched so his head should be easier to turn. It might take a few weeks but time is what fixes problem calves. Most the kids around here that show spend 4 to 6 hours a night working calves that are constantly in the top. The saying bustn ours to kick yours isn't just something made up. if the time and tie method doesn't work the other option is to lead to water. Its usually the last resort on a calf nothing else will work on they will learn to walk for you if its how they get to the water trough.

 

[BC]

This has worked for me for a long time. When my kids got a new heifer or steer, I would tie them up in the front end of our 20 ft gooseneck cattle trailer with enough slack to be able to get up and get down. A water bucket is put in the back of the trailer. Twice a day (3 times a day if it is really hot) the calf/yearling is eased to the back of the trailer to get a drink and then back to the front to be tied again and fed. It may take ten to fifteen minutes to go front the front to the back the first time going from post to post. If by chance the calf breaks away, it can not get very far. Take a show stick and pick up the lead rope and start again. Your on the outside and can't get run over or kicked.

Normally a calf will begin to give to his head and quit pulling as hard after a couple of days. When they will walk to get a drink with little pulling and will stop when pulled back, they are ready to come off trailer and go to a pen. Had one year old heifer take 10 days before she gave up.

This has worked for me for more than 15 years.