Spooky Calf

[oakie]

I'd really like to get the kid some fresh ideas, so let's just let the rest of that go. Any other suggestions? 

 

[DL]

I'd really like to get the kid some fresh ideas, so let's just let the rest of that go. Any other suggestions? 

OK try this - and it will take time and patience, which many teenagers do not have an abundance of, as well as the ability to "read" cattle - again something that most teenaged boys do not have in excess

Cattle that are forced to do things are fearful - ie if you let them explore things they will often do it but if forced into the situation they will be afraid and spooky

Cattle also associate places and people (either "generic people" - ie the guy in the yellow coat or specific individuals) with previous negative experiences - ie they don't trust them and will react with fear

I would not do this if the calf is dangerous or aggressive - there MUST be enough room in the pen so the calf does not feel trapped. If the calf is dangerous or aggressive I would change his career path asap

Put the calf (with his friend?) in a new different pen
Have the kid wear totally different clothes from the usual chore clothes and a different hat
Have the kid sit quiet and silent in the pen, probably in a corner - there must be enough room in the pen so that the spooky calf does not feel pressured or threatened -

Then the kid just sits there - not looking at the calves - actually with his elbows on his knees and looking down (he needs to look small and non threatening) - he sits there for some amount of time - he doesn't do anything else - just sits there - chances are good the calf friend will come up and sniff him - if the spooky calf takes a step or two toward the kid and then backs up or moves away the kid quietly leaves the pen. If the spooky calf sniffs and then moves away the kid leaves the pen (the reward to the calf for approaching the kid is for the kid to leave).

When and if the spooky calf sniffs the kid repeatedly (ie every time the kid goes into the pen) then we have to devise another protocol - thinking out loud here - maybe it involves food -

IMHO if the spooky calf does not make any effort to approach the kid  in some period of time (a week - I don't know) then perhaps he is not the kind of calf that likes being around people or he will never trust humans

The goal is to get the calf to "feel safe" and to recognize the kid as non threatening - it may not work - and I would say that if the kid does this twice a day for a week and the spooky calf makes no progress toward sniffing the kid it won't work

In general this is a time consuming approach and most teenage boys do not have the patience to do it - he has to be committed and know that it is not a quick fix and may not be a fix at all - he also has to be able to read the calf - ie what makes him more afraid and to be willing to back away -

Most calves will approach a human in that position - they do so out of curiosity - most calves will do so within 30 min or less - if this calf does not approach the kid I would be worried that he (the calf) is so fearful that fear will always be his primary emotion and fearful cattle are dangerous

Before I start doing anything with my calves I sit in the feed bunk and wait to be sniffed (or licked) - it is a good way to assess the overall temperament, curiosity and overall "mental stability" of the calf and determine his or her career path