I need some advice for our steer

[4Rcattle]

This will be my daughter's first year to show, she is 8. We've had her steer for about a little over a month now. He came to us pretty much broke and gentle. While he is still gentle and pretty calm most of the time, we are having an issue with him. When she's walking him, she has a hard time keeping his head up the entire time. Whenever she allows him to get his head down he automatically starts head butting her - this has happened several times. I don't want her to start being afraid of him but I understand why she has a hard time. I would like advice in regards to this - should we try a nose ring (clip in or permanent), spiked halter??? Just trying to think of things that would help her keep his head up. This is really the only issue we have with him- he's great other than that. I just don't want her getting hurt or becoming fearful of him. Thanks in advance to everyone who can share their experience/advice

 

[hj.380]

I’m no expert, but my heifer last year did that, and I just took her and when she started doing that, I just tied her head up on a gate and leave her for a hour an hour. Continue this and when you untie her, make her walk, and when they put their head down, tie them back up. (Give them rests between.). This is just my advice, I cannot garuntee, but it worked with my heifer.

 

[WinterSpringsFarm]

Practice practice practice on holding the head up. Plus I imagine its hard for an 8yr old to hold his head up for extended amount of time.

When I showed dairy fitting and showing all my animals were cows because they practically held their own heads up, but they had been shown so many times that it was natural for them.

 

[Chuck Wagon]

Don't let your 8 yr old treat him like a pet by scratching and rubbing his head.  He was broke and gentle, and now he want more head scratching so he is head butting.  Not saying it has happened to you but to my daughter, and her steer got better.  As previous poster said, it takes practice and tying head up an hour a day safely.  His muscles need to get used to being in a show ring with head up.  He will come around eventually.

 

[4Rcattle]

She has not been allowed to "baby" him by rubbing on him and scratching his head - I know what that can lead to. I usually tie him up for about 2-3 hours a day total - about 1 1/2 hours in the morning and about an hour before we work with him each evening. We just got back from the barn - I tried letting her relax his head a little bit - the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking that maybe she was holding his head too high. Anyway, she relaxed his head a little and the first sign of him trying to head butt her she jerked it up and away from her - he did well after that. I appreciate everyone's advice and sharing your experiences with me. Thank you!

 

[knabe]

Quick, early, clear, non-threatening reinforcement works wonders.

 

[rf21970]

Something about little kids, regardless of how gentle the calf is they will try to get their bluff in one way or another. A larger person can lead the calf with no issues. A small child-maybe a little nervous, maybe just their size- and he will try them. A second lead on the opposite side of the steer has been helpful to us. The adult can maintain control of the situation and apply the reinforcement the previous poster suggested. We try to keep it from happening at all cost and hopefully both the steer and child will soon forget about it.

 

[looking4champions]

My son started showing when he was 7.  Like someone said in the posts, its something with small kids and steers.  I don't know.  The steers tend to mellow out as they mature, and as they get more familiar with the kids.  Start slow.  Let your daughter walk the steer for short distances to start, only if the steer behaves. Teach her to kind of shove him back a little when he wants to head butt. Just to show some assertiveness.  Start by letting her walk the steer ten feet, then 15 feet, then 20.  Back and forth in a controlled/fenced area in a straight line.  Then work your way up.  Have your daughter stand at the steers head and brush him with a rice root brush while he is in the chute being washed, clipped, etc. by you or someone else.  Let her wear that rice root brush out on him.  This will help your daughter and the steer get accustomed to each other.  Start slow.  That's the key.  Don't rush your daughter or the steer.  The main objective is to teach your child how to position herself, be alert and be assertive with the steer.  All while NOT getting hurt. Starting off small will help her gain confidence.  Good luck!