[Anne]

Hallo Howard!
I´m still very happy, that I have bought your britchen. I wish your shop would be near by! Keep on the good work!

[Anne]

The DVDs Lorene send to me didn´t have undertitle.
My ability to speak French is also very limited. The portrait about Olivier Courthiade is a very silent film. Most parts are uncommented.

[Anne]

Hello!

I´m also training heifers. Cows were the most popular working animals in Germany. There were once more than two Million working cows. Especially small farms used to work with them. An old man, whos familiy used to work with cows told me, that they had five cows – and worked with all of them. He said, that most farmers trained several animals, to share the work. Most working cows worked only half the day.
Usually field tools which were designed for one horse, were used with two cows. And those which were designed for two, were used with three cows.
Farmers who used their milking cows to work calculated 10-15% less milk.
If a cow had to do very light work, the milk production increased. If she had to do light work, she had a little less milk, but the cream production wasn´t reduced. If she had to do hard work, milk and cream production were reduced.
If a cow had to do to much work the milk changed and got snowy while cooking.
If cow has worked in the morning, her next milk production (in the evening) will be normal, but there may be less milk, the next morning.
In general the advantage of their work was more valuable, than the disadvantage of a little less milk. As one farmer said: “You will find no one else, who brings in your fire wood for a liter of milk!”
The most common harness for working cows was the three pad collar.

Literatur: Heinrich Steinmetz: Kuhanspannung in Deutschland. Reprint von 1936. ISBN 3 – 9808675 – 1 – X. Starke Pferde Verlag D-32657 Lemgo 2006.

[Anne]

I have seen a video of an ox drover in France who uses a head yoke, which is made for three animals. He uses it to get an grown up (2 years old) but novice animal used to work in a yoke. He places the new animal in the middle position, right between his old pair of oxen.

[Anne]

That´s an important aspect!
I´m just starting to train two Brown Swiss calves, which seem to be much more spirited, than the ones I´ve trained before!

[Anne]

I would not say, that Brown Swiss is a perfect breed for a beginner in general.
In my opinion you have to consider both: The temperament and character of the animals you choose , and your own temperament and character. Another question is, if you are already used to work with cattle of a typical breed. If so, I would stay with it.
If you belong to an area with a local breeding tradition, I would chose that breed. In most cases the people of an area fit very well, to the cattle which are breed there.

I was used to German red and white ones (Deutsche Rotbunte), of the old dual purpose type. They were the traditional cattle of the area, I grew up. I think their character is comparable to Holstein.I found them easy to train and was very confident with them. Than we moved to Switzerland and I started to train Brown Swiss. It´s true. Brown Swiss are tame, docil and slow. Some are to slow. Their slowness is an advantage and a disadvantage.
While other breeds may react with movement, when they get into trouble, the Brown Swiss will freeze. If they dont know what to do, they will freeze and refuse to walk. Some tend to be stubborn. They are slow learners, but if they once got it, they will do it. They are very trustworthy.
At the moment I´m training two animals, to work together. One is a Brown Swiss of the old type (Original Braunvieh), the other one is a Limousin-Simmental cross.

Examples of their different character:
Teaching them to lead:
Brown Swiss: Freezes, refuses to walk.

Limousin-Simmental: Jumps, trys to run, throws herself on the ground.

Back up:
Brown Swiss: Didn´t get it for a long while. Shakes her head. Get´s angry.
Got it in the end. Walks backwards step by step, if demanded.
Will do it under all circumstances.

Limousin-Simmental: Got it very fast. Walks backwards in a high speed, for a
long distance. If something else is more interesting, it
will catch her interest. Could happen that she refuses
to back up, if she gets nervous.

First pulling experience:

Brown Swiss: slow walking

Limousin-Simmental: Tryed to run away

I personally like both animals. They teach each other a lot. The Brown Swiss calms down the L-S and the L-S speeds up the Brown Swiss. If I want them to learn something new, it´s the L-S, that shows me, if I teach it right. She will get it very fast and do it perfectly, – if she does it. The Brown Swiss will get it slower and do it slower, – but under all cirumstances. I dont know, if I would be patient enough, to train the Brown Swiss, if she were my only animal. It´s good to have the L-S, which shows me, if it is possible to understand, what I want them to do. And it´s good to have the Brown Swiss, which does it in the end!

I´m also training a group of Brown Swiss – Herford crosses. They wouldn´t win a beauty contest, but their characters are wonderful! Tame and calm as Brown Swiss, but a little faster!

[Anne]

Hallo Victoria!
I usually start to ride/sit on my animals, when they are about 1,5-2 years old.
My vet says, that it should be ok for cattle to carry about 10% of their own bodywight.
This is how I start:
I brush them a lot, to make sure that we are both in a relaxed mood. A good time for the first sit is during their chewing break at midday, when they lay dow to chew their cut. I brush them, while they are laying down, lean against them, continue brushing, sit on them, continue brushing, lay on them, continue brushing… They love it, and it is easy and relaxed for everyone. This can be done at an early age.
Then I do the same, while they are grasing at the pasture.
Brushing, untill both of us are calm and relaxed. I lean over them and continue brushing. Then I jump a little, so that my feet dont touch the ground and continue brushing. Sometimes they walk a few steps, so that I slide back on my feet. That doesn´t matter. I just continue brushing and repeat it. If I recognize, that the animal is getting to nervous, I stop my attempts, brush them a little more and try it again the next day.
It´s worth to wait for a relaxed day-mood. If you want to train a heifer, it´s the easiest to start while they are in heat!

Summary of my first steps:
1. Brushing
2. lean, sit and lay on them, while they lay down (brushing)
3. lean over them, while they are grasing (brushing)
4. sit and lay on them while they are grasing (brushing)
5. repeat to jump on and of, from all sides and possible positions
6. if the animal is still small, lead a kid
7. If the animal is big enough try to ride a well known way.
For example: From the pasture back home to the stable!
Most times it is easy to make them accept a rider, but difficult to make
them move with a rider! So choose a way, they realy want to walk.
And then just sit there and let them walk.
8. Get them used to reins. Lead/Drive them as usually, while a kid is riding.
Reduce your commands, if you recognize that they start to response to
the rider.

It´s easier to start in autum than in spring.

I wouldn´t try things with a dead load! It will only make the animal nervous and afrain; and may cause an accident. Forget the sack with beans!
Cattle are so relaxed animals. Try to be slow and relaxed yourself and there is no reason to be afraid.

[Anne]

Hallo everyone!
I´m from Switzerland and I´m also training heifers.
In Germany the working cow was the common draft animal for small farmers, because no extra food was needed. There were once 2,5 Million working cows in Germany… Now may be 20?
I think a good reason to start with a heifer is the following: If your training is not effective, she can still live her life as a normal milking cow. And if you are successful, you can still decide, if she should get a calf or not.
Anne

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