Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-06-24
aaeilultural Department.
Training Steers.


Break steers, is an Old and very CON-
mon phrase, we are aware; but as time
honorsd as il is, and as often as our
friends and fathers have used it, and as
kindly as they have transmitted il down to
Us we DO not like it. Breaking boys
What an expression that would be IN an
age Of refinement, when the fact in the
else assured US that the wholesome process
gone through with, simply mant 10 educate
them. To teach them to for5ale what is
wrong, and practice what is right for its
oHa puee sake. So we consider The pro-
cess which accustoms the animal 10 enter
the stall, and the steer to submit to the
yoke and practice the operations peculiar
to oxen, a system Of educacation and moth
ing else.
Then We would say Of animals as we'll
- men, if You would thoroughly and easi-
l. educate them, commence while they are
young. In both cases, if this matter is
delayed, both animals, the bipad and the
quadfup5d, grow wild and less approach
able, bad habits are apt TO insinuate them
selves, Incidence becomes characteristic,
insubordinaSion takes deep root.
So then, we suppose, and our expert
eace goes to establish the theory, that the
earlier steers are trained to the yoke and
the habits they are TO exercise when grown
10 oxen, the more useful, valuable animals
they will become. We have seen steers
accustomed TO the yoke, learned to draw
light burthens Oh small sleds, aud on the
gfound-indeed 10 perform all the feats
that old and well educated dign:iied oxen
are expected TO perform, the winter before
they We're a year old. It looks like small
business, We know to be teaching 50 Young
animals 70 hav and gee, to back, ,u.n
roual and So forward at your pleasure
But il IS light, easy labor, to learn them
these things then-a great saving of man.
u labor from what 1t is everafter. Tnev
are Enoce tractable, and submit 10 teaching
without the fear which comes Of age; and
taen they acquire habits Of gen,laness.
winch vii ever after operate to their BEN
Ell. These first teachings are never for
gotten. Il initiated In these thinrs in
eaif-hool, they will remember them in
seer and ox-hood, viii always be better
All more valuable animals, Frequently of
larger size than if left to run wild until
the aga Of two or three v,a~s. Thi;
Is slown from tho fact that the mora do
Iaestic al doeile a animal IS, tn less
1904 Il vii consume to acquire given
amount Of weight. VINO ever saw a wild.
beAoTiag animal, the fear of all who an
preached II, and afraid of coming into near
approach Of eivl;zed maa or best unless
II were IN token Of warfare, we'll clad with
tiasa-or iae and silky hair!
when we were in the habit of raising
steers, II was our first practice to learn
item to lead b. rope fastened loosely
around their horns. Haring them thus
equipped with the rope IN one haad AMI a
lglt switch in the other, we indoetcined
them n the act Of going and stopping
having aad goeing when we pleas d, and
what vas more, 7f teaching them by kind
ness, that they had nothing to fear but
much 10 hope from US, for we always gave
them 4 good lo1k Of sweet hav when the
tolls Of the day were over. After one or
tTo lessons Of one or two hours each, in
this way, We yolled them, and with the
rope still on the horns Of the near steer,
learned them - act together, accustominr
them 10 the chain and neap as circu.n-
stances dictated. \ few lessons. which
nrst Be mere paztime for boys TO give,
laoulcated IN this way, viii settle the mat
tsr Wit them forever. They viii come
e y1a moe readily when you visit their
pasture through the grazing season, and
The next winter they will come to the
= almost without labor or any Of the
11z.- . yosr own lie and limbs, or dan
8 % themselves, which would be coase-
eva'1t on wild stout pair.
TO habit of learning all horned ami
mails 70 lead, while young, we consider
one OF great Importance to the farmer. for I
/ once learned they VIII never forget it.
lead Tree Tops What shall he Done: