The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-08-24
Breaking Heifers.
,om the American Agriculturist.

From the American Agrlcuturist
Some cows may be naturally vicious,
but nearly always viciousness is the re-
suit of i'll treatment. Calving is severe
nervous strain and leaves the COW
nervous and irritable. If the calf is her
first one she is very much afraid that it
will be injured; in this she is like all
young mothers. Milking is an entirely
new operation to her; likely drawing
the milk from her udder gives her pain.
Her condition, her fears, and the oper-
alton all call for the exercise of the
greatest patience and gentleness. But
instead, her solicitude for her calf is
resented; if she shows shyness when it
is attempted to milk her-an operation
she knows nothing of and which her in.
stinct to nourish her offspring would
cause her not to submit to readily-she
is scolded; If the pain caused by the
milk being drawn leads her to kick she
is kicked in return. Thus her fright
and nervousness are increased and soon
she is angered. If this treatment is
continued she is made vicious; and we
have never known of a heifer being
conquered in this way After her tor
mentor has worn himself out she is yet
ready to kick, or to use her horns, II
need be. 1t does not do better to tie her
head or put her between poles; this only
frightens her and angers her the more.
Her temper is ruined; and a cow, no
matter how liberal mixer she may be,
is fit for the shambles only if she is
vicious. 1t is no rare thing for man
to throw fifty dollars to the wind by
striking young COW.
Some years ago we bought five heifers
about to calve and that had never been
handled, and the plan we adopted has
proven so satisfactory that we have
made use of 1t on like occasions ever
since. We built q high pen, ten feet
square, of rails, driving stake down
outside of each corner to make the pen
secure, and making slip gap in one
side. The calf, when day old, was
set in the pen, the gap being open.
The mother at once followed the calf.
Then the calf was taken out of the pen,
and the gap closed. Next we entered
the pen, speaking gently, all the time,
to the cow AS soon as we laid our
hand on her side she started to run
around the pen. We could keep our
hand on her side by moving in much
smaller circle, and soon she tired her
self ont and stopped Then we patted
her flank lightly, spoke to her gently,
and soon could put our hand on any
part of her body. But when we grasped
teat the trip around the pen began,
but soon to terminate, and soon we
could handle her udder without remon.
STRANGE from her. When we tried to
draw the milk there was third trip
around the pen and this terminated as
the others had and in half an hour after
the COW walked into the pen she was
MIXED clean and without harsh word
or blow In three days the COW could
be MIXED anywhere in the lot. We
have broken (if broken is the proper
term to use) upwards of score of
heifers since then that gave evidence of
being ripe for viciousness, and better
dispositioned cows we never had, or
course all heifers should be handled I'M
til they are quite gentle; yet very few
will never have occasion to put to good
use the plan above given.