Calf hanging themselves with a halter

[SF]

I've read on several posts where people have stated that one shouldn't let calves drag their halter ropes, as the calf might hang itself. Has anyone actually seen this happen? Has anyone actually lost a calf due to it hanging itself?

Just wondering. I break quite a few calves to lead every year and I've not ever had to experience one hanging itself. The biggest pain I've experienced from letting them drag their halters is rubbing the halter off and then I have to find it.

Thanks
SF

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

The only thing I've ever seen is when a calf is tied up for some time with a long lead. My friends calf got the lead wraped around his back hock while he was laying down and his head was suck down under his belly. Luckily someone was there to let him loss. Personally I'm not favorable to letting the lead drag is since it goes threw the muk and everthing else.

 

[Ryan]

the only "hangings" i've known of is where the halter is on the animal incorrectly (usually too close to the nostrils) and the animal falls while being tied to stand up.

 

[Colorado2008]

I've read on several posts where people have stated that one shouldn't let calves drag their halter ropes, as the calf might hang itself. Has anyone actually seen this happen? Has anyone actually lost a calf due to it hanging itself?

Just wondering. I break quite a few calves to lead every year and I've not ever had to experience one hanging itself. The biggest pain I've experienced from letting them drag their halters is rubbing the halter off and then I have to find it.

Thanks
SF

I think they were more referring to tieing the calf up too high and it hanging itself. I have never seen or experinced a calf hanging itself by dragging the halter; nor have I heard of this. I suppose it could happen though. :roll:

 

[showmomof2]

We had an FFA student lose one to dragging a halter. The rope got stuck and the calf wrapped it around a pole until she flipped herself over and broke her neck.

 

[Keren]

I know of one person who used to let her animals drag the halter. She had a paddock of about ten animals and came to feed them. They all saw her, kicked up their heels and raced over for the feed. One got the halter stuck in the fence as it ran - was going quite fast and broke its neck.

Funnily enough she doesnt let them drag the halters anymore.


I also know of a steer that hung itself because it was tied too high and threw itself, and they didnt untie him quick enough.


I dont do it - mainly because I've never tried but I've always managed to break my calves the way I do. I do know a lot of people who do it though, who havent had any problems.

 

[Chris H]

We don't let them drag the halters because the leads get so dirty. Besides, ours never learned to stop when stepping on the lead, they just learned to jerk hard and get loose.
When we tie our animals, it's always to a fence or wall that they can not get over nor get entangled.
When training to tie with their heads high we stay close, and have a knife ready to cut the rope if needed. A calf that goes down with their head up often can not get up from that position. And with a lot of weight on the rope even a slip knot does not want to slip when untieing them.

 

[SF]

Thanks for your reply's. Interesting experiences. Guess we've been lucky. Have not experienced any hung calves during the past 40 years.

We only use the rope halters. We let them drag for a week or so, we tie them up for about 3 days. They are tied continuously, never released for about 3 days. They are fed and watered in the barn. Then they are led to feed and water for about a week maybe 10 days. By then they are rough halter broke and we take the halters off. There is always the stubborn one, we don't usually mess with them much. We just take them out to the pasture and release them. They become a brood cow.

 

[FlaAngus]

We had a girl in my FFA chapter whose mom tied her steer too high and went to feed the 20-30 horses and by the time she got back, her had gotten in a bind and somehow suffocated himself. I don't know all the particulars as I wasn't there but it was a very good steer and she is crushed. It's her senior year and our fair is next week. As I said, she is crushed.

 

[Daisy452]

I've read on several posts where people have stated that one shouldn't let calves drag their halter ropes, as the calf might hang itself. Has anyone actually seen this happen? Has anyone actually lost a calf due to it hanging itself?

Just wondering. I break quite a few calves to lead every year and I've not ever had to experience one hanging itself. The biggest pain I've experienced from letting them drag their halters is rubbing the halter off and then I have to find it.

Thanks
SF

I bought two wild angus steers and let them walk around with the lead rope dragging. They never killed themselves. The lead rope was quite digustingly dirty. Ive heard of steer hanging themselves when you tie them up. When first tied my wild ones up they nearly hung themselves but i got in there and cutem loose. I now just tie them down one rail and im slowly tieing there heads up further.