Temperament- Cattle

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Docility is huge on our small farm (30 cows). A perfect example today:
Built Right embryo bull calf, born December. Crazy as a loon! We halter the calves every Sunday after church. We gave up on him, he literally tries to kill you if you try to settle him at all. I have so many bruises on my knees and legs from him. So, vet came out today to calfhood our heifers and I decided to get this crazy bull calf cut. We had him in the pen behind the chute, and tried to move him into the smaller pen behind the chute. He went nuts, ramed me hard, broke the hinges on the 14 foot gate, and slipped under the gate. Ran through two more hot fences, totally scared out of his mind. Vet told me to load him on the trailer as is, and sell the jerk. So, getting him on the trailer will be the fun part! I have only had one other calf like that on our place, and amazingly, it was this bull's flush brother! We had to do the same thing with him; load him on the trailer and hope we get to the stockyards without him killing himself or others!!!

 

[Stocker Steve]

Every so often, it is cheaper to use a deer rifle. :cowboy:

 

[Nesikep]

I'd say it's more important on small places.. Large places handle on horseback and will be set up so the cows just have to go where you want them to.
I've shipped out most of my freaks and have no regrets at all

 

[alisonb]

Judge each nut case on it's own merits
Thanks all!

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Judge each nut case on it's own merits
Thanks all!

Same goes for people.

 

[TCRanch]

I'd say it's more important on small places.. Large places handle on horseback and will be set up so the cows just have to go where you want them to.
I've shipped out most of my freaks and have no regrets at all

This! We've only had one bull with attitude and the decision to sell him was immediately after he tried to take out my husband. Told a friend about it the night it happened and he happens to work on a very large ranch in Oklahoma. His boss called us the next day, came over & bought the bull - they do everything on horseback & with dogs and he wanted that bulls EPD's. They still have him. I have a couple ornery cows & some divas but mean &/or flighty isn't tolerated. At all!

 

[Nesikep]

I'd say it's more important on small places.. Large places handle on horseback and will be set up so the cows just have to go where you want them to.
I've shipped out most of my freaks and have no regrets at all

This! We've only had one bull with attitude and the decision to sell him was immediately after he tried to take out my husband. Told a friend about it the night it happened and he happens to work on a very large ranch in Oklahoma. His boss called us the next day, came over & bought the bull - they do everything on horseback & with dogs and he wanted that bulls EPD's. They still have him. I have a couple ornery cows & some divas but mean &/or flighty isn't tolerated. At all!

I don't mind a cow that's a little snorty at calving time, though any little trouble with the calf takes 4 times more effort to fix.. Most of mine are pretty sweet though

 

[Ky hills]

Docility is huge on our small farm (30 cows). A perfect example today:
Built Right embryo bull calf, born December. Crazy as a loon! We halter the calves every Sunday after church. We gave up on him, he literally tries to kill you if you try to settle him at all. I have so many bruises on my knees and legs from him. So, vet came out today to calfhood our heifers and I decided to get this crazy bull calf cut. We had him in the pen behind the chute, and tried to move him into the smaller pen behind the chute. He went nuts, ramed me hard, broke the hinges on the 14 foot gate, and slipped under the gate. Ran through two more hot fences, totally scared out of his mind. Vet told me to load him on the trailer as is, and sell the jerk. So, getting him on the trailer will be the fun part! I have only had one other calf like that on our place, and amazingly, it was this bull's flush brother! We had to do the same thing with him; load him on the trailer and hope we get to the stockyards without him killing himself or others!!!

Your vet gave some good advice there. I know you will but please be extra careful getting that calf up and loaded. We have had to deal with a few of those mostly bought cattle or neighbors cattle that have gotten in on us. My advice is to say some prayers before and make some extra reinforcemts in the loading area and always have a clear escape plan beforehand.. Went through that a couple weeks ago with neighbors Jersey type bull.

 

[alisonb]

Every so often, it is cheaper to use a deer rifle. :cowboy:

A couple of year ago I bought 7 Bonsmara weaners. Offloaded them and 1 took off, clearing 3 fences, we could not get him back no matter what we tried :shock:

 

[Stocker Steve]

Ranch hunts are popular in some areas. :nod:

 

[Ky hills]

We have a fairly small cow herd and also run some purchased heifers along with our own weaned calves to breed each year. Disposition is Extremely important here. Bad actors and flighty high heads are not tolerated here for long. Our cows are now to the point of all being calm with the exceptions of a few when their calf is young, that is one thing they get a pass on. With the purchased heifers we try to be real picky with what we buy but sometimes I'm a group it's hard to identify a wild individual within the few seconds they are in the ring. If I get any indication that the group as a whole is flighty or happen to identify one that is I will pass on them even if they are of very good quality.
Less than a month ago we had a neighbors Jersey X bull get in our heifers. He was very wild and would charge at us, dangerous calf but we got him loaded and took to market. Now this morning I find another one in with our cows. Got it I'm the barn with some others and then when separating it from ours it took a run towards me but turned them we thought we had him and my wife came out to close a gate and he turned and went after her. She was able to get out of the way but couldn't get away if he came farther in. I got between them in time to get him turned back.

 

[snoopdog]

I don't want to pet them, I also don't want to get stomped. I have one that leads all the strays to the other end of the corral, not the entrance, that is bad behavior when I want to wean or vaccinate.

 

[Lazy M]

This wicked witch keeps punching her ticket every year by having a stand out calf. She's not too bad until that calf drops and then she doubles down on crazy. She's living proof that salers ain't for everyone..

 

[Bright Raven]

This wicked witch keeps punching her ticket every year by having a stand out calf. She's not too bad until that calfs drops and then she doubles down on crazy. She's living proof that salers ain't for everyone..

I was about half way between you and I a couple weeks ago to look at a bull I sold a guy. I like to see how they are looking and performing. The owner could not be there so he told me to go in alone. He had the bull in with about 25 cows on about 50 acres. I could not get within 300 yards of them. I have totally lost touch with wild cattle.

 

[Nesikep]

This wicked witch keeps punching her ticket every year by having a stand out calf. She's not too bad until that calf drops and then she doubles down on crazy. She's living proof that salers ain't for everyone..

I thought she was Salers... they are funny, my wildest witches and my tamest cows have been Salers. I have a line that tend to just be moody, one is just 1/8th and one day she freaks out at you and the next she's begging for her neck to be scratched... just a weird one.. Her mother (1/4) was the same, though her sisters are all really docile.

 

[Lazy M]

This wicked witch keeps punching her ticket every year by having a stand out calf. She's not too bad until that calfs drops and then she doubles down on crazy. She's living proof that salers ain't for everyone..

I was about half way between you and I a couple weeks ago to look at a bull I sold a guy. I like to see how they are looking and performing. The owner could not be there so he told me to go in alone. He had the bull in with about 25 cows on about 50 acres. I could not get within 300 yards of them. I have totally lost touch with wild cattle.

I don't like walking around cattle that aren't mine. We've been fortunate enough to retain and grow our herd within so I have a good idea about the temperament of all of ours and which ones to keep an eye on.

 

[alisonb]

She has the evil eye...actually her calf does too