How do I lead an untrained bull?

Laura Workman · #1 01/22/13, 02:52 PM

Dexter bull a year old, never been handled much, has horns, probably around 600 pounds. The way our property is set up, I can't just truck him to where I need him. I have to be able to lead him. Any recommendations for not getting squished or having the bull go tearing out into traffic (possible bad outcomes)? I have those halters with chains under the jaw, and can buy a bull lead, if that will help. Thoughts?

collegeboundgal · #2 01/22/13, 03:50 PM

with a bucket of grain.

Oakshire_Farm · #3 01/22/13, 03:51 PM

Build loading facilities at each end! For your safety and everyone elses! A bull is not something to mess with. You can not simply put a halter on a bull (even a yearling) and lead it! 600lbs turns into 6,000lbs in a real hurry when he is not happy about the situation!

MO_cows · #4 01/22/13, 04:03 PM

If he isn't already halter trained, putting a chin chain or a nose lead on him is just gonna start a fight. You will lose.

I would try to get him to follow the feed bucket, too. And have some extra help come in on moving day, in case he doesn't follow the bucket they can help drive him where he needs to go.

G. Seddon · #5 01/22/13, 05:13 PM

No way to get any type of trailer in there at all?

How about a trained stock dog in addition to the other people?

haypoint · #6 01/22/13, 05:45 PM

I have never owned a Dexter bull. But lots of folks here on HT all tell how calm Dexters are and that a Dexter's horns aren't used to hurt you.
Is this a bull that you just bought?

francismilker · #7 01/22/13, 06:30 PM

I'm with haypoint. I'd start by asking all the folks who sing the "dexters are gentle" praises if they'd come and move him for you.

After that, I'd get him real good and addicted to grain and lead him with a bucket hung out the pickup window. I wouldn't walk in front of him. Many a good animal leader have been trampled by a rambunctious young bull who wasn't patient enough to wait until he got to the feed trough to eat grain.

dkhern · #8 01/22/13, 06:51 PM

dont know your physical capabilities how much help you have back in the day id have gotten a nose clamp and moved him. id suggest locking the dog away

Rosepath · #9 01/22/13, 07:43 PM

Please have your life insurance paid up.

Laura Workman · #10 01/22/13, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francismilker

I'm with haypoint. I'd start by asking all the folks who sing the "dexters are gentle" praises if they'd come and move him for you.

After that, I'd get him real good and addicted to grain and lead him with a bucket hung out the pickup window. I wouldn't walk in front of him. Many a good animal leader have been trampled by a rambunctious young bull who wasn't patient enough to wait until he got to the feed trough to eat grain.

Heh, if a pickup were an option, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I sure hope my cow's preg test comes back positive, as I'd rather just not deal with this at all. I like Dexters, but they're still a lot bigger than me, and I don't want to be the only thing between a frightened one and his escape route. Living in suburbia as I do, I'll need to come up with a way to guarantee he won't escape, as a cow tearing across a five-lane surface street is bound to cause more trouble than I'm interested in dealing with.

With all of the input from this thread (thank you everyone!), I'm thinking I need to hold out for a bull that's been handled, if I wind up needing one at all.

Laura Workman · #11 01/22/13, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

I have never owned a Dexter bull. But lots of folks here on HT all tell how calm Dexters are and that a Dexter's horns aren't used to hurt you.
Is this a bull that you just bought?

I haven't bought him yet, just thinking about it. I've AI'd my cow twice, and she still seems to be cycling. I've sent in blood for a preg test, and if it comes back negative, I want to try live cover.

lakeportfarms · #12 01/23/13, 05:44 AM

If you don't have good handling facilities, please wait until you can get a bull that can be well handled. They are out there. Our Dexter (and Highland) bulls will go where we want them to by placing our hand on their tailhead and steering them where we want them to go. You probably won't find one like that, but get one that at least has been lead on a halter, and if he's older he should probably have a nose ring.

Chixarecute · #13 01/23/13, 05:59 AM

Can you lead your cow to HIM?

G. Seddon · #14 01/23/13, 07:47 AM

Temperament is not the same thing as training. Those of you with cattle experience should know that. But certainly, attempting to lead an unhandled bull is asking for trouble, no matter how good natured the animal is.

Laura, I'm not sure what your circumstances are or why you are unable to get a stock trailer into your place, but I think you need to consider moving the cow to the bull. It's the safest way to move a large animal -- for the people involved and the animal.

I'm not a big fan of "renting" a bull, but this might be what you should investigate (taking your cow to the bull). It doesn't sound as if your premises are meant to keep a bull.

CJBegins · #15 01/23/13, 08:51 AM

I will be praying that the preg tests come back positive and that you can stay safe!

haypoint · #16 01/23/13, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G. Seddon

Temperament is not the same thing as training. Those of you with cattle experience should know that. But certainly, attempting to lead an unhandled bull is asking for trouble, no matter how good natured the animal is.

Laura, I'm not sure what your circumstances are or why you are unable to get a stock trailer into your place, but I think you need to consider moving the cow to the bull. It's the safest way to move a large animal -- for the people involved and the animal.

I'm not a big fan of "renting" a bull, but this might be what you should investigate (taking your cow to the bull). It doesn't sound as if your premises are meant to keep a bull.

True, temperament is not the same thing as training. But animals with a quiet temperment and a corrasponding low flight instinct are much easier to train. Think of the difference between teaching a Jersey to hand milk and teaching a Bison to stand over a pail.

oregon woodsmok · #17 01/23/13, 05:11 PM

This is insane. you are risking getting yourself killed. You are not going to lead an untrained yearling bull down the street.

With a very sturdy halter with a chain, you might be able to drag him with a tractor, but he will spend half the trip climbing up the back of the driver and the other half being dragged down the road on his side.

He is not going to follow a bucket of grain down the street. Don't even try it.

Rent enough cattle panels to chase him out to where you can get your stock trailer. You'll probably have to get him in the trailer with a stock dog and a cattle prod.

Me, if a truck and trailer won't go in there and he isn't trained, I'd take him out as steaks.

oregon woodsmok · #18 01/23/13, 05:14 PM

Additional:

If it is not far, and there are good fences on both sides of the road, you can sometimes close the road, place rented cattle panels at both ends of the road and across all driveways and move him out to the road and down the road and into your driveway. It'll take a stock dog or a couple of cowboys on good trained horses, but you can get him moved.

Herds of cattle get moved that way in my area, but it is a heck of a lot easier to move a herd than it is to move a solitary animal.

genebo · #19 01/23/13, 07:26 PM

My Dexter bull is the sweetest gentleman you will find, but I would not attempt what you are considering. There are so many things that can startle him or cause him to take flight.

You can't control 600# of 'fight or flight' bull with a lead or a nose ring. If you see someone else doing it, it's with a bull that was trained to do it. Even so, they are themselves well trained to know when to cut and run.

With an untrained bull, I think the time to cut and run is before you start.

See if there aren't some cowboys in your area. Calf ropers and such. They would probably be glad to shepherd your bull for gas money. They train all the time and this could be fun to them. A couple of riders on horses can do what you alone couldn't possibly do: control the bull.

DJ in WA · #20 01/23/13, 09:54 PM

I had a bull a couple of times and won't again. Alot of hassle for one or two cows. Besides the expense of buying and feeding, they just like beating things up, even if they're considered gentle. Boys will be boys.

Since then, I've done AI about 10 times with different cows, and have only failed twice, and they were my fault for calling him too early on one and too late on the other.

If you get the timing down, and a cow won't settle with a competent technician, I'd probably get a different cow instead of having to deal with a bull.

BTW, what is the breeding history of the cow? Has she been a hard breeder in past years?

Is she your only cow? Sometimes hard to determine the stage of heat when they are single. Might could get a calf to see when she'll ride or be ridden.