How do you train a cow to become a house cow?!?!?!?

[KlinoClucks]

Wow, thanks for all the tips!
We have been feeding her by hand ever since we got her in May, and she isn't worried to stick her head in a bucket to eat while we're holding it at all. She also doesn't mind too much to step into the stanchion, as long as we're all quiet around her and give her some space.
We have been trying to pet her in stages, starting near her face and on her head, and sometimes she'd let us do that for a very brief period of time while her head is in the bucket. But once she realizes that we're touching her she backs off and gets bossy about the food we're holding.
She is pushy and bossy when it comes to food. Often times when we are holding the food she starts shaking her head at us to move away. She has got excited a few times, running with her head low (not at us) but around and near us with the food. Not quite sure how to address that?
Her calf, on the other hand, is the sweetest little thing. she loves cuddles and pats and treats and comes right up to us for cuddles when we're around. We can even walk right up tp her and pet her. So cute. Her mother doesn't mind this in the least. She'll still be watching out for her little one carefully and has shown herself very protective on the slightest notice.
I've got a feeling that she might be trying to boss us around and see how far she can get. She comes from a herd where she's probably had to stand her ground and she hasn't been milked for 4 plus years. How would you work with her on this? Could it help with her training for milking?

 

[NatJ]

We have been feeding her by hand ever since we got her in May, and she isn't worried to stick her head in a bucket to eat while we're holding it at all. She also doesn't mind too much to step into the stanchion, as long as we're all quiet around her and give her some space.

Maybe you could have her go into the stanchion to eat her grain, and you work on the handling while she's restrained and eating. That would also keep her from shaking her head at you or chasing you.

When you can touch her at all, of course you will want to work toward touching her udder and milking her. I don't know whether she will tolerate having her udder handled immediately (memories of the past), or whether you will have to start stroking other areas and gradually work toward the udder.

Many animals are ticklish on the underside, but obviously dairy cows get used to milking, and since she's got a the calf at present she will be used to having it touch her udder to nurse. So she might react better to udder-touching than to having her head touched (or she might not.)

For some animals it's best to start petting at the head (so they see & smell you), but for some others it's better to start at the shoulder (because animals can be ticklish or defensive about their heads.)

What you've been doing sounds like a good start, and whatever you do will probably get modified as you see how it goes

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Just to think outside the box a little bit here .... if the calf is a heifer and is already pretty tame ... why not consider using her as your milk cow? I'm thinking by the time you get mama tamed and ready to handle, baby might be old enough to freshen and start milking. Just a thought.

 

[cassie]

If the cow was previously trained to be tied up, and handled, and brushed, and milked: she might have completely forgotten, and it will be all new and scary to her. Or she might remember perfectly well how to behave, and is just trying to see what you will let her get away with. Reality is probably somewhere in between

Just a comment. Maybe my experience is different from that of most people, but I have never known a horse or a cow to forget that they were halter broken no matter how long ago it may have been. They might have a short temper tantrum when they first get caught, but that is about it. I have never had one go berserk. They learn very quickly that being tied up for short periods, while they get their grain and get groomed, is a good thing.

 

[JaeG]

Cows generally love having the base of their tails rubbed with a rough brush. Under the chin and round their cheeks are other good scritching spots. Don't touch the front of her face as that can stimulate them to push back/head butt.

It does sound like she is being pushy with you and it's very important to train her (from what I've researched in my journey towards having a housecow) to respect your space. I watched a video of a woman halter training a new jersey she'd bought and she would physically hit the cow whenever she got too pushy (the cow would back off slightly but the cow was completely fine - a whack from a human is nothing compared to how they head butt and ram each other). I've found a quick, light tap with our girls and a growly voice works well, but they are big animals and they can seriously injure you, so they need to respect you. Even more so if your cow has horns.

We have 3 heifers who love being handled, brushed and scritched (1 in particular is a scratch and food hog), 1 heifer who hates us and nothing we can do will change that, and 3 heifers who I don't think were ever touched while being hand reared because they all hate being touched even slightly. I suspect they were given milk in a stand and left to it and it's sad because they are sweet things, but they just can't handle being touched. One desperately wants to be friendly and she's such a beautiful girl, but as soon as you touch her she'll move away. So personality and experience will have a lot to do with how she reacts towards you.

 

[cooingdove]

hi, how is your cow training project going?
good luck!

 

[Folly's place]

I'll add that Temple Grandin's book about handling livestock is well worth buying! She mostly talks about cattle, and is very helpful.
Have you talked to her previous owner about her behaviors? She is definitely working at pushing you around, very dangerous! Also, be very careful when you are handling this cute calf, it's all too easy to raise a critter who has no respect for your space and is very dangerous! This is your first experience with cattle, apparently, so getting some in person help would be a very good idea.
I don't know where you are, but there are folks who train oxen, often starting with very young calves. There's a MidWest Ox Drovers Association, and there are others, with people who do know how to raise polite cattle.
Your county extension office may be a resource, check there too.
Mary

 

[Araucana Nest]

I once purchased a half Jersey half Holstein cow that was bred to a Limousin bull. She had been used to being milked by a man. Had been in his family for years providing milk for his children. She was healthy and lovely and behaved perfectly at her farm but when I brought her home, she was MAD and dangerous. Cows are creatures of habit. Unless they are pets, they need time to acclimate slowly. Ironically what changed her toward me was that her calf was born unable to stand. He had contracted tendons (he was huge). I had to prop him up on a hay bale for three days. And he had to be bottle fed with her milk for those days. She fully copperated- it was hormonal- they are very peaceful after freshening. When he was finally able to stand up and I held him while he nursed from her, she changed toward me and was thereafter a good girl. Go slowly.

 

[Araucana Nest]

She is pushy and bossy when it comes to food. Often times when we are holding the food she starts shaking her head at us to move away. She has got excited a few times, running with her head low (not at us) but around and near us with the food. Not quite sure how to address that?
Her calf, on the other hand, is the sweetest little thing. she loves cuddles and pats and treats and comes right up to us for cuddles when we're around. We can even walk right up tp her and pet her. So cute. Her mother doesn't mind this in the least. She'll still be watching out for her little one carefully and has shown herself very protective on the slightest notice.
I've got a feeling that she might be trying to boss us around and see how far she can get. She comes from a herd where she's probably had to stand her ground and she hasn't been milked for 4 plus years. How would you work with her on this? Could it help with her training for milking?

That running around with her head low behavior means she is happy for the food. It doesn't make it less dangerous but you should know she is not trying to be pushy/ bossy. Mine are very tame and yet when feeding time comes around I have to be careful. Cows are large and they are dangerous simply due to their size. Also they are protective mothers, just like a human mother would be toward her own baby but if she lets you handle the baby that means she is comfortable with you. What you want to do at this point is just brush her, talk to her, lead her around with her baby beside her. Walk her into the stanchion with her calf beside her and brush her there and feed her and while she is eating, try to milk her. Let the calf nurse at the same time ad if possible on the same side. Be careful of her legs.

 

[Folly's place]

Cattle kick sideways, not straight backwards. Horses can do both! Dr. Grandin says that rubbing a cow on her forehead is asking for head tossing. It's fine for horses, not cattle.
Head tossing right near you is dangerous, and then if you back up, she's in charge. Not good!
Mary