WILD 4-H STEER...

[CrowinKing]

I wouldn't tie him through the fence he's likely to bust the fence or his neck!!! The tractor sounds like a better idea not a quad he's 800lbs the quad and you equal 500lbs prob not a good idea to use a quad! It sound like you got a pasture calf they are HARD to break there not used to much up close human contact! I've had pasture steers before and they never got real friendly.

 

[wynedot55]

i feel for you having to deal with a rank steer.do you have a chute or an ally.if so put the steer in the chute.an put a rope round his neck.an pull his head up an put the halter on him.an then tie him to the corral fence.open the chute gate an get out of the way.then get on the outsidean pull the calf up closer to the fence.but do not tie him so close to the fence that he fights the rope so bad that he falls down an chocks to death.leave him tied all day long.he has to learn the rope is boss.every 4 or 5hrs offer him some water.as well as feed while he is tied.now you may have to leave him tied for a day or 2.but give him room to lay down tied.talk to an spend time with him as he is tied.get him used to you.

 

[@migocontodos]

He's to old to be handled by a young teen who wants to be involved in the 4H.
A much smaller and YOUNGER steer is what you want to begin with.
He's dangerous, expecially if he's not be handled much since a calf!.
Be careful!
@

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

We had a steer a few yeears back at our fair that broke away and trampled five before before breaking an entire set of metal bleachers. He began running towards the poultry building and I didn't know what to do! It took about 15 strong guys to wrangle the steer and get him back on the trailer before he hurt anyone else. It was horrible.

I would see if you could find a more tame steer or at least get one now that you could train and you could always show him next year. I would not risk getting hurt or anyone else getting hurt, especially if he is not used to people! Any little hting could potentially set him off.

You might be better off showing a younger cow/steer or sticking with other 4-H projects for this year.

 

[Alycia]

Halters with that chain to apply pressure under their neck are helps too. Was the steer even halter-trained?

 

[Dodgegal79]

yes I would say he's not safe to handle. I thought 4Hers got their calves as little guys and then trained them to stand. there is no way he will calm down and be safe enough for you to handle in the showring around other kids and animals. Not trying sound like a downer, but its just not safe.

 

[Beekissed]

I was curious about that also. My kids always had to give the lineage, birth date, wt. at birth, total pounds of feed fed, wt. gains, etc. How can they let you just buy a steer and take it to the fair for 4-H if you didn't do the project book? Is the 4-H rules different in your state? I know that any steer at any given time can get a little rowdy, no matter how tame, but to turn a teen loose with one that has had no work or training is pretty dangerous and irresponsible. Don't mean to sound judgemental but a kid could get seriously injured in that way and for what? A 4-H show? Not worth it. Kids too important...can't really be replaced as easily as a steer!

 

[Dodgegal79]

4H rules are all the same from what understand. I remember even in horse 4H we had to do the project books with the amount of feed and all that we used on our horses.

 

[Moonwalker]

A first timer should NOT try to turn a rank, half grown steer into a 4-H project!
SOMEONE WILL GET HURT! and badly!
For 4-H you have to do the paperwork.
One of the aims is to teach kids that are future farmers exactly what it takes to turn a baby animal into a production animal. Whether it be a chicken raised for meat, sheep, pigs or steers, they have to have the records showing from when they are a baby to showtime that basically teach what it takes in feed and effort to get an animal to market quality. So whoever told you that you can take an almost adult animal and put a halter on it and take it to the show is not giving you the right info. You can take things like that to an open show or County Fair, but not as a 4-H project.

But the main thing is that this animal is not safe. Cattle are NOT like horses! You can take a horse that has been raised in a pasture or turned out for years and with a little patience and TLC you can have a good ridable horse, but cattle are wired differently, they just cannot be tamed after a certain point. They have no urge to please humans unless they are hand raised. Even then, without proper handling they can be dangerous. At this stage, even if you got him halter broke, he would be a time bomb. If something scared him, or got him mad, he would take off, or charge. If you get them young, they learn to repect you before they are big enough to push you around.
You can't treat them like pets, becasue they will hurt you trying to play or if they are in a bad mood. We had a bottle raised steer that we had to sell becasue someone thought it was cute that he would but you when he wanted his bottle. I told them not to let him, but when I wasn't around, she would push his head to get him to butt or charge. Very cute when he weighed 80 lbs. NOT so cute when he was 800!

 

[kstaven]

Send the steer back is all I have to say on the subject.