Taming the Beast

[dezeeuwgoats]

I have two calves that I got several months ago. Nothing we are doing seems to be gentling them. We've never traumatized them - other than the bringing them home from the auction, which I'm sure is scary for them. We did take a six week trip, but have never chased them, or even gotten a halter/rope on them yet. They continue to act like we are going to KILL them! They will creep in to lisp up a bit of grain, when we've been feeding them by hand since we bought them. WHY are they so scared, and what can we do to gentle them?

They were fed milk in a bucket the first several months also. Should I separate them - put them in smaller pens until they are more friendly?

Thanks;
Niki

[Rockin'B]

What kind of cows are they? I've had beef calves that never wanted a friend in the world. They would wait until I walked away from the grain before eating it.

I have no experience with dairy cattle except as crosses that I used for beef.

[Alice In TX/MO]

How much time are you spending with them? Take a book and a lawn chair and sit in their pen for a while every day. Put the feed pan close to you.

How gentle do you want them? If they are going to be hamburger, gentle isn't so important. If they are your future momma cows, you just need them gentle enough so you can walk up to them, but I don't think you want them petting gentle. Calves that get overly gentle can be a problem because they don't realize how BIG and STRONG they are when they are grown.

[Up North]

Train them with Treats.

[JulieLou42]

I have a 3 mo. old steer like that. He's really skittish. Takes two of us to catch him in a corner just to be able to take him out on the lead rope for a bit, which he doesn't seem to mind. Then I curry comb him and stroke him a lot, which he doesn't indicate that he likes at all. Just as nervous as can be. I tied him to the truck a coupla days ago, and left him, and he complained, tho' when I got out of his sight...called out at me. He gets his "treat" after I'm done doing what needs to be done with him. His halter needs adjustment about once a month, and I like to measure him every coupla weeks to see how his weight's coming along. He was haltered within the first week, when he was still small and easy to manage, but he's nearly 350# now.

He's going to be dinner one day, but I just can't let him run free and not be able to have some control over him. That is, just in case I ever need to take him to the vet or processor, I better have a way to work with him.

I may try your lawn chair and book in the pasture for awhile and see what happens. He's never tried to hurt us in any way so far.

[dezeeuwgoats]

One of the calves looks like an angus/corriente cross - whatever those cows are they use for roping - I'm no cow expert, just giving you my guesses! The other is either a holstein or dairy breed x - she is brown/white with the brown darkening into black. up North said possibly a milking shorthorn? So you get the idea of her looks. She's friendlier a bit more bold in coming up, but I'm thinking the other little calf is so skittish it is rubbing off on her.

The dairy cross is going to be our milk cow - I need to be able to handle her everywhere. The other calf will probably be sold as I was trying to get a jersey cross - both are heifers.

I've tried spending time in their pen - they stand at the other end of it....staring at me with those 'cow eyes'. lol I know that my son (whose project this is) would give an arm to be able to halter, groom, and handle his calf. He is gentle, patient, and loving with them - but they only come near if he has some grain and he can't lay a finger on them or they run off. Creepy little cows!

Niki

[Up North]

NIKI - When you have an afternoon to kill, LOL, Just go into their area and sit down on the ground, don't speak, and wait them out. their curiosity will get the best of them. Eventually they will come up to sniff you and check you out. Don't make any sudden moves or shoo them off. Once they check you out on their own terms, they will no longer be in fear. Rewarding them with treats like some Vanilla wafer Cookies will make them associate you with good things.
Ya, right, like you have time for all that, LOL.

[dezeeuwgoats]

Okay, we will try the 'sitting in their pen and waiting them out' bit. I will let you all know if there's any progress.

I really would like to be able to stake them out for a few hours at a time in strategic locations, but don't feel like I can because it would scare them to death. Maybe after sitting with them IN their pen, I can sit with them staked out, lol.

thanks;
Niki

[lgslgs]

Do you have any other animals that are easy to handle?

We did the lawn chair routine, and took along the comb and the one goat that liked combing the best. It took a while for the calf to get brave enough to accept combing, but it was easier for her when she could see how much one of her goat friends liked it.

In new situations, she often likes to hold back and watch what's happening before she dives in. Using another animal as the focus of our attention seems to ease her apprehension and she will eventually move in to see what's going on.

Lynda

[dezeeuwgoats]

Lynda - that's a good idea! I'll have to think if I have a goat that would be 'okay' doing that - cows are new on our property and I think most of my girls would probaby spaz - at the cows.

Didn't have the time today, but I am going to get a good book, a comfy chair and wait those little boogers out one of these days. With a grain bucket in my lap!

We are leaving Friday for NW Arkansas for a week, so I won't be able to do it several times in a row, but probably get in one afternoon before we go, and do it a few times a week once we are home again. We are checking out Arkansas/Missouri area and visiting family. We stayed in Washington/Oregon area for six weeks this summer - boy that's a gorgeous area - cost of land is pretty steep though.

Niki