They are here!!!

DollyDaisy · #1 09/09/11, 01:23 PM

But the heifer isn't used to humans at all! We tired roping her and bringing her in but my father and I aren't very good with roping a live target let alone a moving one. My idea was to just sit out there with my kindle for a while and let her curiosity get the better of her. Course the steer loves me so much he licks me (which feels weird since their tongues are like giant cat tongues) so she will hide behind him and stare at me.
Should I just keep doing what I'm doing? Or would calling my cowboy neighbor and having him rope her in the evening be better?

G. Seddon · #2 09/09/11, 01:36 PM

Having no clue what your setup is, I would think roping either or both would just terrify them. Why don't you try laying out a few flakes of good hay or some grain in the smaller enclosure (I guess that's where you want them to go?) and do this until they both come in to eat, then calmly shut the gate behind them. It may take a little longer, but they are new to your place and need time to adjust to new surroundings and new people. Just my opinion.

DollyDaisy · #3 09/12/11, 12:49 PM

We just want to tame her because she is going to be our next dairy cow.

bruce2288 · #4 09/12/11, 04:56 PM

Don't rope her. A little patience and feeding will gain some trust especially if the steer is friendly, he will show her the drill.

francismilker · #5 09/12/11, 06:24 PM

I'd make sure she was in a small pen where you could get up close and personal with her once you're comfortable that she's not a nut-job who's gonna try to hurt you. Once she's used to feed and her new surroundings it will just take time for her to get used to you. I've gentled some and I've had some that were never friendly and remained skittish and standoffish. That's just the nature of the beast.

65284 · #6 09/12/11, 08:08 PM

I have found a bit of patience and a sack of cow cookies (range cubes) will almost always get the desired result.

Just sit and toss a few cubes to them, once they taste them, the battle is half won. My cows will follow me anywhere, as long as I have a bucket of goodies.

myersfarm · #7 09/12/11, 08:39 PM

I use a 5 gallon bucket of sweet feed...that way I can shake it and make a noise...and call the WORD...Bessie if I want the milk cows or come on babies if I want the calfs......plus you can set the bucket down and walk back a little they can come up and get a mouth full then you can walk to them...if you walk slow you will find the distance that scares them...and each day it will get less and less till you can walk up and take the bucket away from them.......makes it real easy if a cow gets out you can lead them back with a bucket full of rocks...making a noise ... when they get hooked

you might us 2 buckets at first to make sure the scared one get the taste of it

RosewoodfarmVA · #8 09/14/11, 10:26 PM

Repeated chasing and roping and otherwise aggressive behavior is teaching the calf that you are a predator to be avoided. I've bought cows and calves before that would run to the other side of the pasture and go through the fence, would stay hundreds of ft away, but after a few weeks of feeding and gentle conversation with them they quickly become tame. Never chase or corral them, just feed them regularly an stand at a comfortable distance, they'll quickly get used to your presence, then you can go on with training etc.