Unruley show steers

[M.Magis]

My two sons each have a market steer for the upcoming fair. We have 6 weeks to go, so I think we have time to fix these issues, just not sure the best way. Had them since September, they were already broke and shown, 650 and 750 lbs at the time. Worked with nearly every day since then, of course not a lot on the bad winter days but worked with regularly. Never any issues, ones a bit stubborn but no big deal. They have spent their entire time in a small 24x24 barn with a small pad outside. Been washing/blow drying them 4-5 times per week, no issues. We noticed last week they have terrible separation anxiety when one can't see the other, one is far worse but both act up. The far bigger issue is behavior when we tried walking them in a larger area today. The one started jumping and bucking and managed to pull away from my son. Same thing happened a few days ago in the small pad when he didn't want to go out in the sun. I walked up to him with other steer, grabbed his halter and we traded steers. Walked them a few 50' diameter laps then took them back to the barn. The "bad"'one usually gives up without a big fight, but I don't want any fight at all. We've had a couple train wrecks at the fair and I don't want another. Any thoughts on what to do with them to get them to more cooperative? I have some, but would like some ideas from those with more experience. We're still fairly new to show cattle.

 

[GoWyo]

We used to exercise my son's show cattle by turning them out in a big pen -- roping arena at that time -- and let them run around, whatever they wanted, them when they would stop we would drive them with rattle paddles or stock whip to make them keep walking for another 10 minutes or so and let them back in their pen for evening feeding. By driving them after they were done screwing around, they seemed to be easier to work in every way because the novelty wore off and it became work for a fat steer or show heifer.

Usually worked on showmanship for 5-10 minutes before exercise time. As soon as they learned how to walk into a rear leg scissor side pose we would do 3-4 set ups and then turn out for exercise time.

 

[Warren Allison]

My two sons each have a market steer for the upcoming fair. We have 6 weeks to go, so I think we have time to fix these issues, just not sure the best way. Had them since September, they were already broke and shown, 650 and 750 lbs at the time. Worked with nearly every day since then, of course not a lot on the bad winter days but worked with regularly. Never any issues, ones a bit stubborn but no big deal. They have spent their entire time in a small 24x24 barn with a small pad outside. Been washing/blow drying them 4-5 times per week, no issues. We noticed last week they have terrible separation anxiety when one can't see the other, one is far worse but both act up. The far bigger issue is behavior when we tried walking them in a larger area today. The one started jumping and bucking and managed to pull away from my son. Same thing happened a few days ago in the small pad when he didn't want to go out in the sun. I walked up to him with other steer, grabbed his halter and we traded steers. Walked them a few 50' diameter laps then took them back to the barn. The "bad"'one usually gives up without a big fight, but I don't want any fight at all. We've had a couple train wrecks at the fair and I don't want another. Any thoughts on what to do with them to get them to more cooperative? I have some, but would like some ideas from those with more experience. We're still fairly new to show cattle.

do you have a larger area to turn them out in...like an arena or something? I see dummies that keep their horses in stalls all the time. They wonder why the horse is so wild and rambunctious when they get it out and try to so something with it. Leave them out so they can get their running and bucking out of their systems before you try to handle them.

 

[M.Magis]

I figured the tight quarters were a part of the problem, we turned them out into the larger area tonight for about 45 minutes before the evening feeding. We'll do that every evening from now on.

 

[M.Magis]

Can't say we've made much progress. Of course the evening exercise stopped the exited jumping, but I wasn't so worried about that. Its the pulling away and trying to take off that has to stop. We've never had one act like this before so not sure how to fix it. They each seem to be acting based off of the others actions, I suspect if they were alone they would be fine. But they're not, and the one starts acting up as soon as he feels the other is too far away. Once he starts his crap, putting his head down and just pulling until my son can't hold on, the other starts acting up his own way. Not as bad, but it all needs fixed. I've started separating them at night. They're still next to each other, but there's a divider they can't see through. Next step might be taking one to another barn several hundred yards away. But I'm afraid once he gets back around his buddy, or other steers at the fair, he'll go right back to acting like a baby.

I'm all ears to any suggestions anyone might have. I've always thought the "hook em to a tractor" advice people have talked about seemed a bit extreme. But these two are getting real close to trying it.

 

[GoWyo]

Try a longer rope (30' or so) and play it out when he takes off and then reel him back in. Be careful about getting tangled up in the rope.

A cable halter or nose bug may help get a little more bite to break their bad habits. Do not tie them up with either device.

Phantom Cattle Cable Halter w/Ghost Grip – Sullivan Supply, Inc.

www.sullivansupply.com

 

[mncowboy]

Can't say we've made much progress. Of course the evening exercise stopped the exited jumping, but I wasn't so worried about that. Its the pulling away and trying to take off that has to stop. We've never had one act like this before so not sure how to fix it. They each seem to be acting based off of the others actions, I suspect if they were alone they would be fine. But they're not, and the one starts acting up as soon as he feels the other is too far away. Once he starts his crap, putting his head down and just pulling until my son can't hold on, the other starts acting up his own way. Not as bad, but it all needs fixed. I've started separating them at night. They're still next to each other, but there's a divider they can't see through. Next step might be taking one to another barn several hundred yards away. But I'm afraid once he gets back around his buddy, or other steers at the fair, he'll go right back to acting like a baby.

I'm all ears to any suggestions anyone might have. I've always thought the "hook em to a tractor" advice people have talked about seemed a bit extreme. But these two are getting real close to trying it.

ferappease might be worth a try if you think its more a stressed animal reaction rather than just a steer "feeling his oats"

 

[M.Magis]

Figured I'd update for anyone else with similar questions in the future. We're one week out, I feel we've made good progress. No trouble for the last couple weeks. We've done all sorts of things, I'm sure all helped some.
- Bought some cable halters, they absolutely do not like pulling on them too much. We mostly use the rope halters for daily work, but we've still been using the the cables on the super hot evenings where they just don't want to walk.

-Also got a nose lead to have on hand, that thing is like an emergency brake. I don't want to depend on it, but it'll be in my pocket.

-Walked the trouble steer a couple times with a 30' lead attached. If he acted like he was going to pull away, I'd give him a little slack then jerk his head back. He wasn't a fan. Only had to do it a couple times.

- Probably the biggest thing, we took the halters off. Someone told me years ago to leave the halters on. Seems like it just teaches them that if they pull hard enough, they can do what they want. Now, if the halter is on, they're doing exactly what want them to.

We've also loaded them in the trailer a couple times, took them into town to get feed and such. Just so its not a new or scary experience. They're washed and dried 5 or 6 days a week. Tied each day for a couple hours and walked each evening just before dark. These steers have been worked with, by far, more than any others we've had and more than probably 90% of the steers at the fair. At this point we've done all we can do I think. Just counting the days til its over for the year.

 

[GoWyo]

Figured I'd update for anyone else with similar questions in the future. We're one week out, I feel we've made good progress. No trouble for the last couple weeks. We've done all sorts of things, I'm sure all helped some.
- Bought some cable halters, they absolutely do not like pulling on them too much. We mostly use the rope halters for daily work, but we've still been using the the cables on the super hot evenings where they just don't want to walk.

-Also got a nose lead to have on hand, that thing is like an emergency brake. I don't want to depend on it, but it'll be in my pocket.

-Walked the trouble steer a couple times with a 30' lead attached. If he acted like he was going to pull away, I'd give him a little slack then jerk his head back. He wasn't a fan. Only had to do it a couple times.

- Probably the biggest thing, we took the halters off. Someone told me years ago to leave the halters on. Seems like it just teaches them that if they pull hard enough, they can do what they want. Now, if the halter is on, they're doing exactly what want them to.

We've also loaded them in the trailer a couple times, took them into town to get feed and such. Just so its not a new or scary experience. They're washed and dried 5 or 6 days a week. Tied each day for a couple hours and walked each evening just before dark. These steers have been worked with, by far, more than any others we've had and more than probably 90% of the steers at the fair. At this point we've done all we can do I think. Just counting the days til its over for the year.

Good work. Stay alert and careful, but I bet you will get through fair in good shape.

 

[M.Magis]

We're on day three of the county fair. They still get nervous walking around all the people and constant golf carts and tractors, and this mornings weigh in had all of the steers a bit worked up. But I feel fairly confident they respect the halter enough that we won't have any real issues.

 

[VCC]

Just saw this post, we never keep the halters on them, we use the rope halter and it only on them when working with them or tying them up. I would have tried melatonin on them just to see if it took the edge off. I would have started with 30 3mg pills and watch and see the results and adjust from there. If a little to sluggish cut back 0 pills, if still to much edge increase by 10 pills. Wont hurt them, effect the meat and is not something they test for.

 

[M.Magis]

I have used melatonin in the past. But these steers have been on a daily regimine of melatonin powder my son wanted to try for some extra hair. Not sure if it did anything for hair or not, but I assumed they would have built up a tolerance that would make it difficult finding the right dosage. I'm about convinced leaving the halters on was causing the problem now. We've had no issues since we took them off and started only using them when working with the steers. They both got walked through a very crowded fair twice yesterday, and through a crowded colluseum for their practice run before todays show. Other than some jumpy feeder calves spooking them a little, they've done just fine. Three more days and we're done for the year…

 

[M.Magis]

They're as tired of this as I am.

 

[M.Magis]

Wrong picture and for whatever reason I can't edit

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

They make 10 mg 'Mellow Tonin' pills. You can get a bottle of 240 cheap at Walmart. Spring Valley brand.

 

[Warren Allison]

Wrong picture and for whatever reason I can't edit

You have to be a CT supporter to be able to edit.

 

[coachg]

From what I can see of them they look like you've done a good job with them , good luck at the show !

 

[M.Magis]

Thank you. They didn't show well, but behavior was fine, and frankly thats all I care about. We knew the smokey wouldn't do well, he's built poorly, very uneven front to back, and just a very poor gait. Second one like that from the same breeder, so we'll avoid that in the future. The black one belongs to my son that does most of the work. It has issues too, but he hoped to do better than he did, 6th of 7, same as the smoke. It was a really tough class, but there were a couple of head scratchers. But, considering our facilities and the fact they weren't even fitted, I told him he should be proud of how nice he got him to look. Biggest thing was we got them to the weights we felt they should finish at, 1300 and 1486, and we learned a lot.

 

[kenny thomas]

They do look finished and seems they are showing well.

 

[M.Magis]

Well, they're on the road. Sale was pretty horrible. Expected it to be low, but it was worse than expected. I can't imagine many people even broke even, including the field calves that barely made weight. Last years grand champion brought $15.50/lb. Some friends of ours won it this year, it brought $4.50/ lb. The vast majority of steers were under $3, just a handful of spikes throughout the sale, usually younger girls. Most of the boys in our group all got $2.50. Chalk it up to an expensive learning experience. My youngest also had a tough time with it this year. Never had a problem with it before , and he insisted he wouldn't this time. He was wrong, it hit him pretty hard. On the other hand, I can relax for the first time in months. We get a five week break and then its time to buy next years steer. Unless I can talk him into raising a rabbit.