questions about raising/training bottle calves

[angusorphans]

Some background info first, I am being given feedlot calves for free. These are coming off of Angus heifers who are NOT on a hot feed ration and are in the yard for other reasons. I have sold all but two... The first one I received who is a bull calf and is about 2.5 months old now, and a little spunky heifer who is about 2 weeks old. The bull calf was halter trained by day 5 and led perfectly by a week and a half. He was super exposed to humans and just about everything I could think of (he lived with dogs in a backyard when he didnt have any companion cows around) He is bombproof and was led down main street in a parade at only 5 weeks old... The heifer is just a little busy-body who was keep as a possibly permanent companion when we realized she has the spunk and energy to not only keep up with the older calf but out play him even! She hasnt been halter trained yet...

Now comes the questions...

How do you teach a calf to respect a human's space and keep away from stepping on a human's toes?

Will they out grow the being overly eager and sucking on arms, pants and anything else it can reach? Anything I can do to atleast lessen this?

The heifer sucks on the bull calf's ears when she gets too excited, any issue that could arise from that? Anyway to get her to stop, especially when I am not around?

I would like the bull calf to develop a bit to look like a bull and not just a steer but I dont want to let him stay a bull too long if it will affect his laid back, good nature... any ideas on a good age for him to be castrated? (as a side note, the heifer will likely be spayed just in case, I dont want her pregnant on her first cycles!)

 

[SheepGirl]

I'm not a bovine person, so I don't have any answers for you. But is it possible to spay a heifer? I know there are heat suppressors, but I didn't know people spayed them.

 

[angusorphans]

Yep. Spayed heifers actually out prepreform nonspayed heifers when both are implanted and they save on feed cost in the feedyard.

LOL, I want it done on her for other reasons, but still totally doable.

 

[redtailgal]

How do you teach a calf to respect a human's space and keep away from stepping on a human's toes?

Bop them on the nose.....not hard, just a light bump or even a finger thump, the wet part of their nose is very sensitive, you wont need to be harsh. If you intend to keep them as pets, this would be a good time to add a "NO" command as well.

Will they out grow the being overly eager and sucking on arms, pants and anything else it can reach? Anything I can do to atleast lessen this?

Yes, this will lessen as they are weaned, in the meantime see the answer to your first question.

The heifer sucks on the bull calf's ears when she gets too excited, any issue that could arise from that? Anyway to get her to stop, especially when I am not around?

The only way to stop it is to separate them. If you leave them together, you'll need to watch for sores that may develop on the body parts being sucked on. * Please pay close attention to this, I PROMISE you she will suck on other parts too. The ears, nose, tail and well, boy parts. (boys parts will develop sores very quickly and they can be very hard to heal.

I would like the bull calf to develop a bit to look like a bull and not just a steer but I dont want to let him stay a bull too long if it will affect his laid back, good nature... any ideas on a good age for him to be castrated? (as a side note, the heifer will likely be spayed just in case, I dont want her pregnant on her first cycles!)

I'd castrate him as soon as I could get both testicles in the bander (meaning ASAP)