Tips on Leading Beef Calves

Training a calf to lead is a learning and teaching experience for both the lead person and the calf. The lead person teaches the calf to lead, walk slowly and stand still at any given moment. In turn, the calf teaches the lead person to read his behavior and calm the calf when nervous or stressed. Successful leading involves a keen understanding of animal behavior and plenty of practice.

  1. Positive Experience

    • Use a rope halter on the calf during the initial training stages. Make sure the nose piece is about 2 inches below the eyes. Lead the calf to places that are familiar, such as the water tank or feed bunk. Calves new to the halter will pull back, tightening the rope below their chin. Carefully loosen the rope below their chin and continue leading. You can also hold on to the lead rope and the rope going under the chin to prevent the rope from tightening.

    Practice, Practice, Practice

    • Keep a halter on your calf and tie the halter in a box stall. This will help the calf become comfortable with the halter and learn not to pull or drag. Practice leading the calf after it has eaten to prevent anxiousness. Practice leading the calf in multiple locations so it learns and does not form a habit of cooperating only in one location. Moreover, enforce your rules and be consistent. Never let the calf decide where it wants to walk, and never let it run or try to drag you.

    Proper Leading

    • Control the calf by holding the lead strap directly next to the calf's face. Hold the extra slack in your other hand to keep you or the calf from stepping on it. Controlling the calf's head will help you stay in command. Keep the head up and walk next to the calf while pulling the halter. When you are confident leading the calf with one hand, introduce the show stick. Rub the calf gently and slowly with the show stick to avoid surprising him.

    Using a Show Stick

    • Always be ready for out-of-the-ordinary behavior. Keep a strong grip on the halter and utilize the show stick. The show stick can be used to keep a calf calm while standing in one place. Gently scratch the brisket or belly of the calf to keep him happy and relaxed. If the calf is nervous and begins to push or drag you, gently tap the front of his nose with the show stick to make him stop.