Dairy Cow Halters

Awnry Abe · #1 07/29/12, 01:43 PM

We have 3 dairy cows that we purchased about a year ago when they were about 4-6 months old. They are super friendly and love attention.

We would like to get them used to a halter and being led around and going into the barn to be milked (milking in the spring). The problem that I am having is where do I purchase a halter and how do I know what size to get?

Cliff · #2 07/29/12, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrownRanch

We have 3 dairy cows that we purchased about a year ago when they were about 4-6 months old. They are super friendly and love attention.

We would like to get them used to a halter and being led around and going into the barn to be milked (milking in the spring). The problem that I am having is where do I purchase a halter and how do I know what size to get?

Jeffers carries them. Theirs are sized by weight.

Jeffers® Nylon Cow Halter - Jeffers

Don't let the halter stay on out in the pasture, they can get hung up and get in trouble.

Other places carry them too, just google cow halter.

SpaceCadet12364 · #3 07/29/12, 02:04 PM

Tractor supply, farm and fleet,Feed store. They are adjustable so you will need either a heifer or a cow halter, a Calf halter is small. I recommend using a head-gate to put it on
then tie them out till they get use to it. Then work with them and stay on their left short
lead works best till you feel comfortable then give more and more. You have to be stern at first or they will lead you. We train my Daughters Angus Cow to lead that way. You can get her and lead her anywhere she is now 5yrs old.

Cliff · #4 07/29/12, 02:13 PM

Yeah tie them securely but with a quick release knot to something very sturdy and leave them tied till they stop pulling. Stay with them in case they get in trouble and need released. Then after they will stand on a loose rope calmly let them go and the next day do it again. When they reliably aren't pulling back then start with the leading. It's a pressure release thing. You releasing the pressure is their reward for a movement in the direction you are wanting them to go. First just stand at shoulder level facing them and pull their head around. Don't forget to release pressure when they make a move, at first just turn their heads towards you then release. Next stand the same place but keep asking with steady pressure till they move a foot. Then release pressure for a minute till next attempt. It doesn't have to be a big step at first. It's way easier to get them to move in a circle like that, they have to take a step to keep their balance. It's hard to force them to move straight ahead if they don't want to but you can always get them to take a step sideways.

Anyway then just progress from there and soon they'll be leading.

willow_girl · #5 07/29/12, 05:30 PM

If you don't have a way to restrain them while you put the halter on, you can try an old horseman's trick. Take a 5-gallon bucket, put a little grain in the bottom, then put the halter inside the bucket so that when they stick their nose in, it will go through the nose hole of the halter. Hopefully the grain will distract them long enough for you to cinch the buckle!

arnie · #6 07/29/12, 06:21 PM

we had a jersey many years ago that was broke to lead and I raised a bucket heifer that I broke while she was to small to fight but they were a dream to handlle taki g to visit a neabours bull ect. Now my 7 year old 1200 pound brown swiss can be led with a bucket of feed or driven fairly well but she won,t lead and I,m to old to cowboy train her now besides she's gentle ..train your heifers as soon as posible while they are still young do not start and then stop 1/2 way that is what happend to my cow she now is a sweet heart and will even stand while tied but try to lead her and the battle is on her previous ouner let her winn the battle and gave up.get the job done and they will handle great from now on

Jessilee7 · #7 07/30/12, 02:24 AM

We bought some off ebay recently. Cheaper than the catalogs and better halter in my opinion. We need to order more for the calves that are on their way.

Awnry Abe · #8 07/30/12, 01:10 PM

All of this is bringing back a flood of childhood memories of our family milk cow. I do recall having at least some form of collar on her, because she had a bell. (I still have the bell). One of my fondest recollections of her was watching her double-time it over to the neighbor's bull 1/4 mile away. All we had to do was get out of the way.

2 of these 3 are super-gentle. They were bottle calves. They are also super-pests when I go out and do anything else in their domain. Maybe the question we should be asking is "Is a halter helpful/necessary for dairy cows that are going to be hand-milked?" I am struggling to remember a time when Dolly didn't come voluntarily for milking. In my early days growing up on the farm, I remember using her as a lawn-mower with about a 25' rope. That would be handy for us, as well.

SpaceCadet12364 · #9 07/30/12, 01:18 PM

IT doesn't hurt.But it helps if they need to go to the vet. Or anywhere else. I like loading with a halter allot less stress and work for me. I got our bull to the point, You didn't need a halter just grab his ear or horn tell him lets go. And he would follow right along. Walk him out the gate and on the trailer. No fuss.

Ness · #10 07/30/12, 01:34 PM

Yes you should halter train them, and while they're young, so that you always have that. In case they get out, or have to go to the vet, or whatever; just because it's much easier while they're young.

I would go with a rope halter, I just bought one for our bucket calf & have been teaching her to lead. They are cheap, adjustable, and very easy to use. You can make them too, for the $7 I bought mine for, it's worth it to buy one.

Also makes a great emergency halter to have around, used it the day after I bought it to tie up one of our goats to fix his leg.

willow_girl · #11 07/30/12, 09:37 PM

I wish I had halter-trained my heifer when she was young. If I had a do-over, I'd also train her to stand the way horses do for the farrier.