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Broke to lead?

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George

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Do any of you ever train a bull to lead?

I like to have my bulls broke to lead as it is much easier to handle them.

Most of the time they do not have a halter on but I can throw a loop and part of my training is feed with a halter so most of the time even if I miss the loop as long as it drapes over the neck they will wait for a flake of alfalfa hay and the halter can go on and they will lead as they are sure they are going to something good!

My uncle always had a ring in their nose and a hook on a pole about 6' long so that you could keep them back as well as lead them. He died about 1960 and I have not been around anyone else using that system.
 
I'll break a yearling bull anyday over a weanling heifer but admit that I like to break any calf as a calf.
It all starts with a nose ring and after a few days then put him in a chute and put a halter on him, get him into a secure pen or even your trailer and tie them up. (even if you have to make an extention on the lead)
I use a show stick and hook the nose ring to get control and hook up a nose lead. Use the same procedures in breaking any show calf - slow and lots of patience. I also use a show stick to grab a halter lead so that I don't have to chase them around trying to get the lead.
 
I would rather have them move off of me than be gentle enough to halter.

In one of my dense moments I bought a Simmental yearling that was a member of the grand champion pen of three at Agribition. When the breeder met up with the fella I buy most of my bulls from that was going to deliver some bulls to me he asked if he should leave the halter with the bull.

Mac said he just as well keep it as the only ropes the bull would ever see again was when he was stretched between two horses. :D

Used him one year and all four front toes corkscrewed in and up. The breeder's printed warranty was worthless.
 
I agree with GCreek 100%. I think bulls that "gentle" have the potential to turn into the most dangerous animals on a ranch. One of the bulls we purchased this spring turned out to be a pet. After I figured that out, he got the message loud and clear that he wasn't going to be scratched, and that he better move off of pressure ASAP :wink: .
 
Gcreek is right as always.
Anything here that,s been barn yard raised and spoon fed,either melts in the summer or winter kills.
Looking at gcreeks pictures ,thinking that people and cattle have to be extra tough to survive there. Women in that country must be saints.Bet Debbie probably has little white wings. Hope to meet her one day.Know she has a dang fine husband.
 
I don't like a bull that tame either. Potential to be dangerous. A good friend had a bull broke like that show ch etc etc..... and was one day walking him into another pasture and he mauled her. She almost lost her life to.that bull. And he had been raised and shown by this same lady. I like a bull to move off pressure but prefer him to move calm and slow.
 
No need we only show them once in the sale ring.

If I want to pet something I prefer it a bit wild. :wink: :lol: :nod:
 
AS a Simmental breeder i like the bulls i sell to be quiet enough to work on the end of a halter rope for brushing up during the sale a 3 day event I"VE bought bulls that were pets till the day they were shipped out after 4 years {a C&B WESTERN 2ND son}i've also had a red angus bull that was one to watch any time you got him in a corral. i want my bulls quiet and respectful of humans whereever they are as most of my customers are mom& pop operations over 50. I have no use for a bull that comes up to me.but if i can walk up and scratch him on the rump and back during the winter season that is great but the bull has the ability to move away from me at any time.as do I
 
I do not allow any animals ( bull or cow ) to approach me in the field - - - that is not what I want but it sure is nice to be able to be on foot and toss a rope over the bull and then halter him if I'm going to move him. I normally have only one bull at a time and I doubt you could work this way with two or more in the same area.

When I had horses I wanted them the same way - - - I wanted them to be able to be caught easily but I did not want them coming to me as you can get steped on if nothing else.

If you get in the habit of petting them you could get hurt if they just swung their head at a fly!
 
We used to have a pure bred Pinzgauer bull that had been around people all of his life. He was Dangerous!!!!!! You never wanted to turn your back to him, because he would sneak up and "rub" on a person. He got me down once, and Dad down a couple times. I think Dad had WAY too much money in him to ship him, like what should have happened.
 
First of all an animal does not have to be a pet to be docile. Second never, I mean never trust a bull, a stallion, or a rooster! The reason a older bull is eaisier to break than a young heifer is that a bull's natural tendancy is to dominate where a heifer has the flight trait. If you say that you never want your cattle to approach you then you must have some issues with docility. You should be able to walk through your cattle without spooking them and they are comfortable with you being in their space. The rule is that you can always enter their space but they are only allowed to enter your's when allowed. Docile cattle work much eaiser.
No one can handle a mature bull if only using a halter. The nose ring is the answer. Even a "free" bull will learn not to approach when tapped on the nose ring with a stick or can be caught once broken by the nose ring. The is a lot of merit to having cattle that are docile but there is also no excuse to take chances and ignor good safety practices.
 
cutterone said:
First of all an animal does not have to be a pet to be docile. Second never, I mean never trust a bull, a stallion, or a rooster! The reason a older bull is eaisier to break than a young heifer is that a bull's natural tendancy is to dominate where a heifer has the flight trait. If you say that you never want your cattle to approach you then you must have some issues with docility. You should be able to walk through your cattle without spooking them and they are comfortable with you being in their space. The rule is that you can always enter their space but they are only allowed to enter your's when allowed. Docile cattle work much eaiser.
No one can handle a mature bull if only using a halter. The nose ring is the answer. Even a "free" bull will learn not to approach when tapped on the nose ring with a stick or can be caught once broken by the nose ring. The is a lot of merit to having cattle that are docile but there is also no excuse to take chances and ignor good safety practices.
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I can walk, ride or drive through our cattle without them running off most any time, just don't make pets of them intentionally. If we turned bulls loose here with nose rings in they would be hung up on brush and trees like Christmas lights. I also want an animal to move off of me before I could reach out and tap them on the nose.

I also feel that cattle that are too docile/gentle/spoiled are more difficult to handle than more active types. One person on a horse can move a herd of several hundred without much trouble most days while I have seen several people not get one gentle old bag into a corral. :wink:
 
If you insist on halter breaking him, I would vote on the donkey. I'm not sure I would though, unless I was going to take the donkey with me everywhere. :lol:
 
Agree, nose rings are not for every circumstance but if he wishes to move his around more which is the case in this part of the country it is applicable and only the safe way to handle a bull.
To the docility I've been in some cattle that spook at the very sight of man and I will not tollerate any fence jumping, gate busting cows that freak out every time moved through the chute or corral. No cow or bull is worth my safety and facilities.
 
cutterone said:
To the docility I've been in some cattle that spook at the very sight of man and I will not tollerate any fence jumping, gate busting cows that freak out every time moved through the chute or corral. No cow or bull is worth my safety and facilities.
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Have had a few of them over the years, they don't stick around long.

In the early 80's we were neighbors to Alkali Lake Ranch who handled their cattle exclusively on horseback. You had to kick them out of your way with your boot toe when you were mounted but it was worth your life to attempt to work them on foot.
 
Nose rings aren't always the answer either. I had a senepol bull once that decided he would go where ever he pleased. After several trips to neighbors to pick him up I decided a ring and chain may make him stay around. Well it didn't work. The day I put the ring in his nose and added 6ft of chain he walked through a new 5 strand barb wire fence. Chain get hung he would just jerk his head until free. I guess he enjoyed the pain?? But let me know a ring in the nose is not always going to control one. Needless to say he was short lived here.
 
I think we are dancing around the real issue. No nose ring, halter, hot wire, or anything else will deter unmanagable cattle. Leading a bull around pastures out in open country in big herds is not necessary or feasable. We are compairing apple to oranges in that respect.
George, with his conditions asked what was the best way to break a bull to lead if he chooses to. Not saying it is for everyones management.
If you had to put a nose ring and a 6 ft chain on a bull and he was going through fences then you ignored the real issue. His 1st issue should have ment grounds for dismissal.
 
LRAF said:
Nose rings aren't always the answer either. I had a senepol bull once that decided he would go where ever he pleased. After several trips to neighbors to pick him up I decided a ring and chain may make him stay around. Well it didn't work. The day I put the ring in his nose and added 6ft of chain he walked through a new 5 strand barb wire fence. Chain get hung he would just jerk his head until free. I guess he enjoyed the pain?? But let me know a ring in the nose is not always going to control one. Needless to say he was short lived here.
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Sometimes the best solution is to put the ring further back (and lower)... :twisted:
 
Well put Sean lol. Ourselves we work cattle both ways on horseback and on foot and don't have much trouble either way. We made great leaps forward by just getting rid of the cattle that don't get with the program. I think the industry starting with seedstock producers has to do a better job of just culling hard to handle cattle instead of just finding management panaceas to deal with them-they cost you money all along the production chain. From cows that are hard to move, cows that want to eat you and yearlings and feelot cattle that act like quail. Through the years I've had more cows cause trouble with their calves by being overagressive than have saved them from a coyote. A few of them can send a ripple effect through several hundred.
 

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