The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: SheepMad95 on March 18, 2013, 09:37:38 pm

Title: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SheepMad95 on March 18, 2013, 09:37:38 pm
I have a little tame calve, pedigree blonde! thinking about halter training her to go to shows etc,

any tips? i dont actually know how to halter train at all so anything will be appriected

:D
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: mark@farmhouse on March 18, 2013, 11:06:05 pm
Hi I would put the halter on and tie upto a strong post for 1/2 hr or so do this for 4 days and reward with nuts scratch/ comb leave the lead rope short so they cannot work free, they will pull and push but will quieten down once they are quiet you can leave a longer rope  then you can start the walking bit ( fun begins) start off in a penned area and if you can get someone they know to walk behind them this will help them to walk better do this until you can lead with ease once you have mastered this advance into a bigger space then it is cracked (simple) I halter train highlanders and find this works well I will always tie up when about them even if only for 5-10 mins gthis really does quiet them down have recently done this with 12 month aax bullock who was just in from the rodeo !!!!!!!! but after 2 weeks like a mouse and walking great
good luck
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 18, 2013, 11:51:21 pm
A completely different approach is described here (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=17215.msg163680#msg163680)
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: scarlettoara on March 19, 2013, 09:19:31 pm
a weaned calf isnt much different from a weaned foal, except the danger zone is in a different area. hang on tight for the first attempt in an open space   :roflanim:

i have heard that some cattle (maybe bulls) are halter trained by tying them to a truck and slowly driving off - in a controlled manner - not to drag them or hurt them. never tried it tho.  :eyelashes:
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: YorkshireLass on March 19, 2013, 09:48:14 pm
I helped with a bit of halter training.


We did tying-up-and-leaving-with-bucket-of-food, later on a bit of grooming when tied up. We (well, the lads) did the rodeo style hang-on-for-grim-death as each youngster was first haltered in the crush then let out - but these were older beasts, not young calves.
I was told that as long as they never get away from you to begin with, they never work out that they can just mush you against a wall and wander off when they're fully grown - they always see themselves as the calf.


Something I picked up with other animals - if they freak out when you're doing something, don't back off until they calm down (within reason etc etc) - otherwise they learn that freaking out = getting their own way. Like kids and tantrums I guess.


Ooo, also when teaching to lead, turn etc don't just have a steady pull on the halter. Gently tug/release/tug/release, it's harder to resist.


Have fun!
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SheepMad95 on March 19, 2013, 10:47:13 pm
thank you for the replys! i hope it works :D xxx
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: scarlettoara on March 19, 2013, 10:49:46 pm
i use pony headcollars and ropes as i although the fit isnt perfect, they are easier than faffying with rope halters.
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: Rosemary on March 20, 2013, 08:41:58 am
Storm, our bull calf, is being halter trained just now and I'm finding him quite a different prospect from our two original heifers and from their 2012 calves. To be fair, he's on his own and shut in (in quarantine) but yesterday he was going like a bronco. Fortunately, the byre is quite small so all he could do was buck in a circle round me.

He did get me one kick on the thigh but it's well padded  ;D so it will just be a bruise. Just high spirits I think - and spring coming (maybe he knows something we don't).

Just hold in your head that whatever they do, they are not doing it to upset you - they're just being cattle - so just smile and relax.
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: scarlettoara on March 20, 2013, 09:48:15 am
ooh, halter training a bull calf is very different to halter training heifers/castrated bullocks.
keep us posted rosemary, would be interesting to find out how it goes.
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SheepMad95 on March 20, 2013, 12:40:13 pm
yes all the animals defentiely know spring is coming!
thank you for the tips.

Like scarlettoara says, keep us posted on how you do :)

Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: sokel on March 31, 2013, 07:45:15 pm
I am looking at this thread thinking I am going to have to try and get our too lads halter trained. I cant see any other way of getting them from the stable down to the field they will be going in once the grass starts growing or even getting them into the trailer  ::)
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 01, 2013, 12:05:30 am
Graham, I halter-trained my first Jersey calf using the pressure-and-release method no bother.

My older Jersey - her mum, bought as an in-calf heifer - has never taken to a halter, but accepts a neck strap.

The Tinkers' Bubble Jerseys were halter-trained and were led from field to field this way, just as you would a pony.

All my Jerseys more-or-less follow me / come when called, no halters or straps required, because I usually mean good things.  ;)  However, I would not rely on this on the road, no.  When we need to move our cattle on the road we have one of us in front stopping the traffic and the other behind, shoo-ing the beasts along and stopping traffic driving up their backsides.  With quiet cattle on reasonably quiet country roads, this works fine with suckler cattle - it should be no bother with Jerseys, I'd have thought?  Unless you're talking miles, of course, or major roads.

As to getting them into the trailer - all my Jerseys would load no bother at all if they were used to getting cake in the trailer ;)
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: sokel on April 01, 2013, 06:56:34 am
Thanks Sally, at first it would just be down the drive into our little padock and back up into the stable but once the grass is really through it would be along a very quiet lane up to the 22 acres at most we see 2 or 3  cars a day on there
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 01, 2013, 04:34:10 pm
Graham, they'll soon learn the routine, especially being a dairy breed.  Once they've been up and down a couple of times they'll trot along by themselves.  (Which doesn't mean you can dispense with the traffic lookouts, mind.)
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: scarlettoara on April 01, 2013, 10:48:56 pm
our girls are halter trained tho one is quite shy, but still follows a bucket. we control the bull with a stick or a bucket. we havent halter trained our meat calves as wel just use a crush if we need to handle them.
Title: Re: Any tips on halter training?
Post by: SheepMad95 on June 21, 2013, 07:13:22 pm
sorry i never reyplyed ive been proper busy! ... i have been doing the tug/release/tug/release method and its working so far :) thinking about entering her in a show in august :)

thanks for the tips