PROJECT CALF

FLAGSHIP MOMENT FOR MANY 4-H MEMBERS

Written by: Christopher Decubellis

Aflagship moment for many 4-H members is when they pick out their first steer, breeding heifer or even a dairy heifer. And lots of young people save up their money for months—maybe even years— in order to purchase that first project calf.

To have a successful project, the new bovine owner has to do several things correctly. Included are having a proper nutrition program, as well as properly controlling internal and external parasites. However, acclimating the animalto-human interaction and halter breaking the animal are imperative for youth to be able to safely interact with and exhibit their animals. This article offers tips to help young people initially gentle down and halter break their calves. Keep in mind that the younger the calf is at the time of halter breaking, the easier the process. It is important to have a solid and secure pen or paddock in which to work. It is best if the youth (with parental oversight and supervision) is the one who feeds and cares for the animal daily. This will allow the animal to become comfortable with the youth’s presence. A good training halter and lead is necessary to control the animal. Always make sure the halter is properly positioned high on the bridge of the animal’s nose so it won’t cut off air flow if the animal balks. Check the fit of the halter daily—these animals grow fast!

Tying cattle to a post, tree or something solid will go a long way in teaching the animal to lead, because it learns to respect the rope. But a person should never get between an animal and a fence until the animal has learned to be calm and no longer afraid of its handler.

Never tie an animal to something that is rickety, loose or easy to break. Tie animals high—about 3 feet to 4 feet off the ground—with about 12 inches to 18 inches of slack between the halter and whatever it is tied to.

Always tie the animal with a slip knot such as a “manger knot.” Once the animal is used to being tied and stands quietly while tied, start handling and petting the animal to get it used to being touched. Begin handling on the tail head and along the back. Don’t begin by rubbing the head because this can encourage the animal to head butt. Some cattle love to kick, so always proceed with care when handling.

When an animal is comfortable being handled, and respects being tied, it’s time to begin leading. Young people should be supervised at all times around large animals, and especially during leading. Leading an animal to and from water is often a good way to begin training. Sometimes it is helpful to find a treat your animal really likes and reward it with the treat during training.

After an animal is used to being handled, one can often calm it down by rubbing or brushing it. Eventually you can begin introducing a show stick with beef animals to help train the animal how to properly “set up.” The show stick can also be used to rub the animal to provide a soothing, calming effect. Practice with the show stick early and often at home.

Always keep the tip pointed down while leading. The show stick is a tool that should be used to calm your animal and help it set up its feet and legs and straighten its back. It is not a tool that should be used to hit your animal.

Leading an animal every day will increase its muscle definition and make it behave better at fairs and shows. Having a calm project animal will also help ensure a safe experience for the 4-H youth.

If you know a young person ages 8 to 18 who would like to have a beef or dairy 4-H project, have them contact their local UF/IFAS Extension office. Or they can email me at cdecube@ufl.edu and I will help them get information about their local office. FCM