Haltering calf

defadman

I have a suck calf and want to halter train him. However the cow is very protective of the calf and i find it very difficult to get near the calf. i was wondering how should i approach the situation and what would be the best way to go about it!

Figerty

I'd approach with a bucket of dairy nuts!

kay 9

As above, nothing to distract a cow like a bucket of nuts or grain. Remain cautious if it's a heifer though.

whelan1

run the cow into the crush and put halter on calf , leave cow in the crush and work away... if you are going to be showing the calf without the mother , it would be no harm to take him away from her a little bit every so often so she doesnt freak when you do bring him away iykwim.

vanderbadger

whelan1 wrote: »

run the cow into the crush and put halter on calf , leave cow in the crush and work away... if you are going to be showing the calf without the mother , it would be no harm to take him away from her a little bit every so often so she doesnt freak when you do bring him away iykwim.

whats the best age to start training a calf whelan?

whelan1

as young as possible! even just let them get used to being handled , maybe if they are eating meal give them a rub or talk to them to let them get used to you... tie them up for a little while every so often ... dont leave them tied up all day and dont get thick with them

whelan1

also a kick off a young calf is the worst kick you can get so be careful - i speak from experience , still cringe when i think of the ****ing flyer of a kick i got years ago

defadman

i am fiding difficult even to get the cow in the shoot! previoous calves she has bred have tended to be fairly nervous. im finding it really hard to distract her, even with nuts!

Nutcase

whelan1 wrote: »

also a kick off a young calf is the worst kick you can get so be careful - i speak from experience , still cringe when i think of the ****ing flyer of a kick i got years ago

I got a kick off a big long leggy bullock during the summer caught me right in the balls.. I near died well near fainted anyways. The man standing beside me said his feet went up the height of my head he was kicking as though he just got let out of the shed from a very long winter:D

pakalasa

Don't take any chances with a cow like that, especially if you are going to be distracted putting a halter on the calf. Better to seperate completely with a gate or put in a crush like Whelan1 said. Too many people hurt on irish farms around livestock. They get caught out with simple things like cows protecting their young calves.

Feargal as Luimneach

defadman wrote: »

i am fiding difficult even to get the cow in the shoot! previoous calves she has bred have tended to be fairly nervous. im finding it really hard to distract her, even with nuts!

Put her into the crush with some quiet cows. She will be less nervous with other cattle around her.

snowman707

pakalasa wrote: »

Don't take any chances with a cow like that, especially if you are going to be distracted putting a halter on the calf. Better to seperate completely with a gate or put in a crush like Whelan1 said. Too many people hurt on irish farms around livestock. They get caught out with simple things like cows protecting their young calves.

very true, IMO that cow could get very excited when she sees her baby being "attacked" as it would appear to her

I would try separate them with view of each other for a few occasions, and then take the calf out of view and tie him up before trying to walk him.

needn't very elaborate but you DO need some sort of safe handling facilities when dealing with stock

Figerty

Nutcase wrote: »

I got a kick off a big long leggy bullock during the summer caught me right in the balls.. I near died well near fainted anyways. The man standing beside me said his feet went up the height of my head he was kicking as though he just got let out of the shed from a very long winter:D

Would that explain your user name?.... are your nut's in a case somewhere after the incident? Nothing sorer than, in snooker parlance, right ball side pocket...

Nutcase

haha well spotted Figerty but no fine now!

Sundy

Delighted to see theis thread. My GF has a full bred charolais bull calf that looks promising so we want to get him on track for showing next year. Having not much of experience of leading etc can people pass on some hints or tips please.

Also what stage should a nose leader be introduced?

whelan1

a nose leader is a very last resort we NEVER used one .....

Sundy

whelan1 wrote: »

a nose leader is a very last resort we NEVER used one .....

Ok so if he is leading ok without the nose leader its best to leave it?

The do seem to be very popular at shows. How come your so reluctant to use one?

whelan1

i worked with a pedigree lim breeder for a few months and picked up a few tricks , the nose piece is only to be used as punishment , we breed aa

Sundy

whelan1 wrote: »

i worked with a pedigree lim breeder for a few months and picked up a few tricks , the nose piece is only to be used as punishment , we breed aa

Cool well thats good to know, he has been going fine so far so we wont use it unless we really have to.

snowman707

if they are difficult a training halter usually puts manners on them

pajero12

snowman707 wrote: »

if they are difficult a training halter usually puts manners on them

There the only job for training an animal. Should be used from the start!

_walsh_

we train calfs every year, best think is to lock the cow in the next pin so she can see you and the calf, and just handle the calf at first nothing major. then put a training halter on him, ty him up for an hour and let him settle wirth the halter on. slowly walk him short distances then stop and get him to stand witrh his back feet together and his front feet together with his head up. when it comes to showing time, everytime you stop in the ring he'll straighten up!