Calf chews on EVERYTHING

[SKF]

There is a steer at my barn that is owned by someone else that chews on everything. I am afraid  with all his chewing I am going to find him dead. He has chewed up several halters, chews on the fence and is now chewing up the shade screen that is on the stall. Do you think he could be jsut chewing becasue he is bored or missing something in his diet? I have talked to the people who own him about making sure he gets hay everyday but so far no luck because I thought that could be the problem. Anyone else have a calf that chews on everything all day? How do you break that? You can't tie him up overnight he will chew the halter off and if he can reach another calves halter he will chew it off. Thanks!

 

[qbcattle]

cut a couple hot peppers and rub them on his halter...he may not like it too much after that.

 

[coachmac]

SKF - that is funny.  not so much the calf chewing up stuff... but the way you put it.  You can always try removing everything but his halter anddo what qb said and soak his halter lead in something really nasty.  Never tried it but you could use pepper spray.  I would stay upwind and definately not spray it in the stall itself.  :'(  Of course I have no idea what the result could be.... shoot, he may love the stuff.  You might try a horse chew toy as well.  They are made for that kind of behavior and it might help curb his boredom.... or mental issue!    Good Luck and keep us posted.  You can not be the first person that has had or will have this problem. 

 

[Diamond]

had the same problem two years ago with a dr. who  steer I had ate anything in site (even tried to take a bite out of my mom one day lol) , any lead that guy would chew threw by morning. Not to mention the looks I got when I walked in from tie-outs with a chain wrapped around his neck, the 'getto steer' we even havd a few people ask my mother is he was that bad he needed a metal chain. Nope, he was the best behaved steer and a love, but no matter what we did, (and I tried the hot, he liked it) he never stopped chewing till his last day. I went threw 28 halters with that guy, he was lucky he won so much or his days would have been shorter, maybe not. Overall though, if they have one like mine, theres nothing you can do about it, some you can stop, but ones like him, nope.

 

[showstick09]

I think sullivans have calf muzzles. That would keep him from chewing through halter while tied.  It sounds a lot like a cribbing horse, never heard of it in cattle though.

 

[Ms Ray]

does he have a salt block?

 

[mooch]

Put out a mineral or salt block

 

[frostback]

I heard someone tell me about cutting two to three inch pieces of PVC pipe and put it over the halter and then tie it but it sounds like he would go after the knot too. Might be worth a try though when he is tied.

 

[simtal]

make sure he's getting enough phosphorous and not having a pica

 

[SeannyT]

animals can develop stereotypies, or random, continuous actions that have to purpose or stimulation. This usually happens with animals raised in a boring atmosphere with no sort of external stimulation. A lot of research has been done on this but once they develop them its hard to get rid of them. Fence biting and pacing back and forth are the big ones but I guess halter chewing could be right up there!