[ivy]

I wanted to post an update and say that Lucky (that’s my steer) caught on really fast after a few slaps with the rod to get him going. He walks next to me now pretty well. I have to tap him sometimes when he forgets, but it seems like another advantage of this is that if I just touch the rod on his hind-end he speeds up, no need to hit him hard. You know what they say … “spare the rod …”

Thanks
Ivy

[ivy]

oh goodness, i should have put this in the equipment for sale section. it doesn’t seem that i can move my own posts or delete them, but if a moderator would like to move it, that would be great. however, i see i’ve gotten a few PMs on this post, so you all have adaped to my misfiling nicely.

[ivy]

I wanted to post a little update here for any other novices out there. The feeding upon return to the barn thing was totally the problem. Within two or three days of not doing that and having some treats on hand during our lesson, the problem was much better. Now it’s not even a problem anymore. No pulling, no racing back to the barn, nothing. Now we can work on learning gee and haw (until something new comes up).

[ivy]

I am totally guilty of feeding and watering upon return to the barn. I was doing it before we left, but he seemed reluctant to leave once fed. Gah! I’ll see if I can’t make feeding unrelated to lesson-ing.

Thanks for that tip and for all the other advice.

cheers
ivy

[ivy]

those are both good ideas. i will definitely start working on them tomorrow.
thanks for your helpful response!
cheers
ivy

[ivy]

Well, perhaps driving from behind could be a goal some day. For right now it’s mostly enforcing the idea of “okay, we’re stopped now and I’m going to go pick up something 10 feet away and you’re going to stay stopped – not come with me or wander over there and eat some grass or take off back to the barn.” I don’t expect my animal to be perfectly trained at 2 months old but I am wondering how I teach him an idea like “stay still while i move.” Thanks for responding.
-ivy

[ivy]

This conversation has been so helpful. I think I will keep one of the next bull calves we have. I don’t want to be stressing out a good heifer for what, frankly, is my own amusement at this point. I will keep the horns on him as well, even if they are not “necessary” with a britchen.

I am not really in a position to tell anyone, even my boyfriend, to dehorn or not dehorn his or her cattle. But by the same stroke, couldn’t one say: if god had intended animals to be worked, they wouldn’t have to be trained?

[ivy]

thanks for all the replies!

howie mentioned training a hefier, which was something else i had been thinking about. that way she could still be milked when not doing forest or field work. are working dairy cows ever dehorned? i read that the horns keep the yoke on the animal when backing up (http://www.prairieoxdrovers.com/moreinfo.html). she would have to be with the cows in the barn and the pasture. they are all dehorned. i wonder if it would be dangerous for the other cows, since they wouldn’t have their own horns to fight back with when establishing the pecking order. i would hate to have my friend goring the rest of the herd.

could anyone comment on this? also, any words of wisdom for working with horned cattle in general?

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