Q&A for How to Halter Train Cattle

You may have pushed her too hard or rushed things and confused her as a result. You may need to start fresh, putting the halter on at first for only a few minutes, the removing it right after. Leave it on for longer and longer times, and REWARD her while it's on. When ever you put the halter on, give her treats, scratches, pats, and not always the same things in that order. She needs to start to learn that the halter is a GOOD thing, and not bad. She's most like not accepting it now because she associates it with stress or pain.

At least she associates you with feeding, which will make catching her easier. Try putting the halter on this time and getting her used to it. Let her drag around the lead rope, but do so for only a few minutes the first time. The next times you do it let her have it on for longer. This way, she will be learning something because she's giving you opportunity to start teaching her. Be grateful, again, that she has such a diminished flight zone as she does to make her easy to catch to start training her on the halter in the first place!

Try pushing the top of her tail or walking in front of her with the milk bottle.

With your help, use the method of pressure and release. Pressure on the halter if the calf isn't moving, release when he begins to move. Your son, if he's young and not big enough to control a 4-wk old calf, will need your help and supervision to do this, especially if the calf decides to go for a run.

Get a wheelbarrow and broad-ended shovel, and start cleaning out the soiled bedding. Dump the wheelbarrow in a place away from the pen where you can store manure without noticing the smell or sight of it, and repeat until finished. Put new bedding in the stall after you clean it.

If you cannot get your calf to walk, try asking a friend to help! I've had this problem many times with my 7-month steer, but I have my friend get behind him and push on his back or twist his tail until he gets moving. Always keep pressure on the halter until he starts to move. DO NOT let the pressure decrease because then your calf will know how to wear you down. Always reward the calf when it starts to walk.

Of course! Just don't work her calf too much at that age. Let her get used to it and you and being handled. All you have to do is get her to be calm and trust you.

You don't. Get another person to lead the other cow while you lead the first. Safety should be the priority with any animal.

Start by getting your steer used to you just being around him by brushing him or tying him up and petting him. Also, talk to him! Animals tend to be easier to work with when you talk to them gently about anything. After he gets used to you and trusts you, he should be much easier to handle and will not dance around much.

Two ways: Either use treats, or pressure-and-release with the halter; the latter is probably the best and most effective. Pressure when she's not moving, release when she begins to move forward, even if it's just the movement of the body, not with a leg. It's just like training a stubborn horse or dog. The release is the "reward" for good behavior. The key is to ASK her to move, not have the mindset to MAKE her move. This is also really important.

Patience first, and persistence next. Don't let slack of the halter if the calf attempts to lead you because that's where you can have problems. Pull on the lead when he's not coming, and release tension when he makes even the most subtle move forward. This rewards him to come to you. This will take some repeating. Tying up to a fence post or fence will also get him used to pressure on the halter, joining him with an animal like a donkey (used to cattle) or another halter-trained bovine may help too, or leading with a quad, but do so CAREFULLY! You can ruin a calf with a quad or tractor.

This happens to most calves who haven't been handled very much. First, try to have the calf associate the halter with food. Put the halter on the calf while it's eating. If they still fight you, remain calm, but also keep hold of the lead to the halter. If you cannot get the halter on with food, you might need to corner it to put on the halter. Ask a friend to help you! Try to calm the calf down by talking softly to it or giving it treats. Try to tie the calf to a fence as well, and groom the calf while it's tied. Eventually it will get easier.

You should do this as soon as possible. They will catch on quickly and be more manageable at a young age.

No. It is better to start training your calf to follow with the halter as soon a possible.

That all depends on if the cow is halter-trained already and used to you being around her little one as well. If yes to both, then maybe you can start getting her halter-trained first before separating her from her mother. If no to both, then maybe the best way is to get her used to your presence first before trying on the halter the first time. And, it also depends if the calf is already attentive to you and trying to eat out of your hand already. If you can't get near her enough to touch her, then too you may have to think about getting her alone with you first before trying the halter.

It is likely she is feeling threatened. Take your time. Just stand near her and talk to her. Do this several times a day, and when you see she is getting more comfortable with you being around her, you can come a little closer. Stop when you see she is getting tense or agitated again, and repeat the whole process.

Assuming that you walk her outside, start by walking a few times around in the barn/pen. Take some treats with you; when she does walk, give her a little. When she lies down, walk a little farther and show her the treats. If you are training her to be in a show and she still will not get up when seeing food, it might be time to try another calf or make sure that she has just not ate her meal. If you are just taking her out to have fun, just let her lie there; she probably enjoys that.

Follow the same steps from above, only dairy will not be as hard to handle, depending on the bloodline. Just get ready for long sessions if you plan on showing this calf.

Every time you start to feel them trying to stand still, do little yanks on their halter to encourage them to move forward.

I had a very easy young bull. But, realizing that he was a bull, I always carried a three-pronged rake with me. I used it for pulling up matted bedding or I turned the fingers up and bopped the bull under the nose if he ever dropped his head when I was in with him. Not to draw blood, just to make him put his head up again. But a bull can't unconditionally be trusted no matter how nice they are. Always be aware.