Any help would be great! Just bought 600 lb steer to raise for fair next year. Can't get near it. Has on halter, but no lead rope. Need help. In 4H but going it alone --no ohter kids had interest in steers. Web sites, etc.......Ann
Try <A HREF="http://www.showsteers.com">www.showsteers.com</A>. Ask this same question there and they will probably tell you everything you need to know.
> Any help would be great! Just
> bought 600 lb steer to raise for
> fair next year. Can't get near it.
> Has on halter, but no lead rope.
> Need help. In 4H but going it
> alone --no other kids had interest
> in steers. Web sites,
> etc.......Ann I admire your ambition. Do you have a pen you can get him in so you can catch him? If not suggest you make one and take that existing halter off before it eats into his head. Invest in a good poly halter or rope with a lead rope on it and catch him to tie up for just an hour the 1st. time. The 1st. time is always the worse, but chances are he has been caught before since you said he has a halter on. Each time you tie him up it should get easier. Gain his trust by talking, singing or just staying with him until he lets you curry him. They love back scratches. After he is calm to be tied, then start trying to lead him in a small enclosed area so he won't be able to drag you or get away. Please don't wrap the halter around your waist or hands!!!! Wear leather gloves so you won't get any rope burns. It takes time, but be patient. Let me know how you get along. Good luck!
Last year I had a pretty rank steer myself, I ended up hand feeding him his grain, to where he couldnt eat it unless he came up to me and got it out of the bucket. It took a lot of time but finally he calmed down and ended up being a teddy bear. good luck!
Ann My daughter is a similar boat. She has a heifer that hides behind a tree that is only 2 inches around. We tried everything. 1) only feed it out of your hand and get a good lead rope about 8 to 10 feet long with a bull snap on it the steer will get hungry enough to eat out of your hand and when he does snap the lead rope on him. 2) find some thing to tie him to it will need to be sturdy.e-mail w/any questions <A HREF="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A>
Here's a great site: <A HREF="http://home.talkcity.com/NonProfitBlvd/bowieffa/index.html">http://home.talkcity.com/NonProfitBlvd/bowieffa/index.html</A>
I halter break all our cattle. I'm female & weigh 110#. Right now I'm breaking 6 weaned heifers that average 750#. Put him in a small area - preferable an enclosed pen. Put a regular rope halter on him that tightens under his chin when pulled. Let him drag it for about 1 week. In the mean time, feed him am & pm in same spot. After 1 week, in a small confined pen, have someone STRONG get ahold of his lead (you can use a cane to snag the dragging lead). Tie him with a slip knot to something solid at about eye-ball level. Let him fight it, but stay with him in case something goes wrong. (we wrap the rope around a ring twice before tieing the slip knot). After he finishes fighting and will stand without pulling, carefully let him free - but don't let him pull free. After 2-3 times, feed him while he's tied. Then, tie him on one side of the pen, brush him, and lead him to his feed - on the other side of the pen. Never get in a large area that he can pull and get away until you are VERY sure he won't pull. Jeanne
> Any help would be great! Just
> bought 600 lb steer to raise for
> fair next year. Can't get near it.
> Has on halter, but no lead rope.
> Need help. In 4H but going it
> alone --no ohter kids had interest
> in steers. Web sites,
> etc.......Ann A good way to make friends with a steer when you get him calm enough to get up near to him. Scratch in right all over the shoulders. They love it. Also always use a rope halter because I had a heifer that the chain on the regular halter grew into her. When you get him leading, if he tries to butt you take a wooden stake and hit him across the head a couple of times and he will get the picture that you mean business. Never walk right up in front of him because he might try to butt.
