To wild to tame her?

[Rockhollow1009]

We just got 2 new mini frame 0 hereford cows with calves on their side and 2 yearling heifers. The heifers have become very tame in the last few weeks... put the halter on them, "force cuddled them" while in a chute, they have learned quickly my presence means food and scratches, and when in a pen i can walk up and scratch them, and moving them they are quiet and cooperative. The one momma cow is also fairly quiet and behaves the same and her bull calf enjoys a butt scratch without complaining if i have them locked inside. The problem is the one cow and her heifer calf. I can walk up to the cow and scratch her when in an emclosed area, but any attempt to move her or if she gets a hint i am up to anything and want her in shes pawing at the ground, bawling, and going the opposite direction I want her to. Once shes in shes fine to work around...

But her heifer calf is NUTS. At 7 weeks old, shes a stoudt 150 lbs at least, and if i so much as walk by her in the pen she will NAIL me in the shins. I have haltered her till she calmed down and scratched her till she all but fell asleep, Cornered her and just scratched for a while, tried to get her to eat out of my hand multiple times etc, to learn i mean happiness and scratches but she remains wild. Not just wild, but will actually turn her butt towards me in the pen and kick at me if im walking by. Tonight while AI'ing the big gals i was walking thru the pen and she spun around and nailed me in the shin it all but dropped me to my knees... she isnt joking when she kicks... she could easily compare once shes bigger to my old mule when he would kick. Ive been around cattle since i was younger, showed steers and had dairy cattle as well, etc but should i cut my losses with this one and sell her or ship her? Im afraid i will never be able to trust her. Years ago i had my jaw dislocated by a psycho show steer that i should have shipped and my typical rule is if they arent quiet they go down the road, but i cant help but want to think i can tame the crazy out of this one since shes so young. Shes a super nice looking calf and i would love to keep her as a replacement. Anyone else have experience? If a calfs this crazy at 7 weeks should i just give up?

 

[76 Bar]

my typical rule is if they arent quiet they go down the road

There's your answer. :roll:

 

[Son of Butch]

I wonder if hobbling her by tying one rear foot/leg to the other would break her from kicking at you.
You'd have to leave enough slack to allow her to get up and down and not hinder her too much to walk.
just thinking out loud..........probably a dumb idea..... but that's all I've got.

 

[farmerjan]

Have hobbled dairy cows that want to kick calves. I'd try it on the calf. Seems like she may have been threatened by something to automatically kick at anything that is close to her hind end. But the cow has an attitude and she is passing it on to the calf. Disposition has been proved to be heritable, I think that both of their days are numbered.

 

[Bright Raven]

I would not want to keep one with that disposition. As Farmerjan said - I also have noticed that the disposition follows family lines.

 

[Rockhollow1009]

Yeah i totally agree with all of you. I just needed a bit of a "shove" i suppose... kills me to ship her shes such a fancy calf, perhaps ill find someone close looking who has better setup to handle the untame ones but i will be honest about her attitude. She definetly draws from her momma not just genetics but even day to day behavior. Her momma was in heat yesterday and must have gotten jumped a lot. She was down this am and very slow to walk when I did get her up. Amazingly the calf was quiet and allowed me to scratch her (out of hoof range) the entire time momma was down. Vet came, mom got some dex and torb, mommas up 30 mins later and boom heifers wound again. Thanks everyone.

 

[Rockhollow1009]

Yeah I think her days are numbered. Thanks everyone, I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else... im going to keep trying to work with her safely and see where we get, but if she doesnt make huge leaps and bounds by weaning shes out.

 

[76 Bar]

Wise decision. It doesn't matter how fancy she is if her disposition is poor and at such a tender age, demonstrated belligerent, unacceptable behavior.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Wise decision. It doesn't matter how fancy she is if her disposition is poor and at such a tender age, demonstrated belligerent, unacceptable behavior.

Sounds like my wife! But you can tame anything if you've got enough rope and a big stick :hide:

 

[True Grit Farms]

Wise decision. It doesn't matter how fancy she is if her disposition is poor and at such a tender age, demonstrated belligerent, unacceptable behavior.

Sounds like my wife! But you can tame anything if you've got enough rope and a big stick :hide:

Yep, your proof of that.

 

[greybeard]

Wise decision. It doesn't matter how fancy she is if her disposition is poor and at such a tender age, demonstrated belligerent, unacceptable behavior.

Sounds like my wife! But you can tame anything if you've got enough rope and a big stick :hide:

Lots of folks got tamed with a rope around their neck......I glad that didn't catch on with my wife tho.