I'm Probably Getting a Cow, What Should I know about them?

[4-Hgirl]

Weather you choose a heifer or steer you will definitely want to get it as a calf. I always show steers and sell them and use the money to pay for my other animals and feed. I get my show calves from the BeefBuilder program and I get them when they are done with their bottles and they are usually won't come up to you. The first thing I do to halter break him is tie him up in this shed we have for about a week and feed him and water him and go sit with him so he will get used to me. I have to do what you would at a show you go check him every so often to make sure he hasn't got his foot tangled in the halter or spilled his water and make sure he always has hay and plenty of clean bedding. Then when we take him out of the barn he wants to run but hold him tight and keep your hand on the halter rope right up against his head. Then from there take him out on walks twice a day never ever let him put his head down to eat or when he is big and weighs 1,300 pounds he will be putting his head down and fighting the rope. Once he leads good you can start training him in a show halter he needs to be used to the show halter before the show because he is used to the rope halter and the show halter is leather with a chain so he needs to be used to that before show. once I start with the show halter I use my show stick and start teaching him to set up his feet and stand still.

 

[4-Hgirl]

Make sure he stands still the last thing you want is a 1,300-pound calf trying to run you over in the show ring. after he is used to the show halter and can set up it is usually about 1 week before county fair. After county fair I usually let him give about a week off then start training him again I use a rope halter to lead him after the county fair. Well I have BeefBuilder calves and a BeefBuilder is a Dairy cow mom X Beef bull dad and the dairy in him keeps him calm and friendly but I don't train my calves in the winter unless there is a really nice day like this year then I will go out and lead him but then in about May when all the snow is gone and it is warm then I start training him he usually leads remembers how to lead but he will act a little crazy the first session in the spring then he will calm down and walk nice and he even remembers the show halter you will need a bigger show halter because they are about 1,000 to 1,200 pounds even the heifers that are for breeding. He even remembers how to set up his feet with the showstick and then since he is just a Dairy X Beef steer we will sell him about a week after county fair and not bring him to state fair.

 

[4-Hgirl]

You should get a BeefBuilder for your first calf they can come in a lot of different colors I have 2 lineback BeefBuilder heifers their dad was black but their mom was a lineback I have a bottle calf steer that looks like a Holstein and they also come in plain brown and black. Brown and black is the most common colors but there are other colors out there. BeefBuilders are also calmer then Beef cattle on the halter but they also aren't as stubborn as a dairy calf I mean I have had some real stubborn BeefBuilder calves that will fall over on their sides because they won't lead but they pretty much quit that once they learn that falling over is not going to stop you from leading them. But if you want to sell a BeefBuilder calf he will not sell for as much as a straight beef you can tell the difference between the BeefBuilders and the beef and no one pays as much for BeefBuilders. if you want to sell get a solid color brown or black they will look more beef then a patterned cow.

 

[4-Hgirl]

If a BeefBuilder heifer calves watch her because she has beef blood in her and beef moms are very protective of their babies every so often there is a dairy cow that is protective of her baby like a beef cow but rarely ever not saying they will be protective but there is a chance she will but my heifer that calved isn't overly protective and I can go pet her baby and she doesn't care but the dairy blood really makes them less likely to freak out if you are near their babies. my beefbuilder cows don't act crazy when they are in heat.

 

[Lilac The Cow]

If you want a pet get a heifer. You can show her and they are better pets then steers. Steers are harder to feed because once the show season ends the steer is normally finished if you keep a finished steer then it will be harder to feed. If you wanted a steer you would just have to feed them a lot less then what I would feed mine and it would be easier to just finish your steer. Some heifers will act crazy when in heat but we have 3 cows and 2 heifers they have never acted crazy they only jump on each other but they have never broken anything and they are not very loud. they are really nice you can just walk up to them and they are as nice as always. If you plan on breeding her you have to feed her less grain during breeding season and when they are pregnant If you have a fat heifer calving she will probably have problems and will need help. Even if you don't breed a heifer you still can't feed her too much or she will finish like the steers.

So, Either way. I i show them or not, I shoul get a Heifer?

 

[4-Hgirl]

So, Either way. I i show them or not, I shoul get a Heifer?

yes they are easier to feed and you can keep them longer

 

[Lilac The Cow]

yes they are easier to feed and you can keep them longer

Thank you! This is all very helpul!

 

[fuzzi]

Thank you @4-Hgirl , I learned a lot from reading your posts.

 

[4-Hgirl]

Thank you @4-Hgirl , I learned a lot from reading your posts.

I am glad someone learned something from my posts

 

[Baymule]

I am glad someone learned something from my posts

Don't sell yourself short. You have a lot of knowledge packed in your head!