Halter training for auctions - Sale of untrained stock

AlisonKirk · Post by **AlisonKirk** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:51 am

Beryl

What is Hydrocephalus please?

Alison

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon May 12, 2008 1:24 pm

Water on the brain.

Rutherford · Post by **Rutherford** » Mon May 12, 2008 2:50 pm

Monica I don’t think the board is the appropriate place to discuss the merits of specific bulls; I suggest you take a look at the Proceedings of Congress 1998.
Alyson, the hydrocephalus gene is a total recessive, the resulting calf is the complete antetheses of the bulldog calf, elongated limbs and head and born dead. Two of us were unlucky enough to buy in cows in-calf to the bull concerned, which went on to produce deformed calves.
Beryl (Woodmagic)

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Mon May 12, 2008 2:59 pm

It seems that as far as halter training at auction is concerned it isn't going to be possible to please everybody.

However as it is the Official Dexter Cattle Society Sale that is the particular topic of this argument, is it fair to exclude a large section of breeders from the sale who don't usually like to lead their stock but may well have good quality registered Dexters?

Particularly as they could then possibly learn from being in the "un haltered" section, if they found they made less money, maybe more people would halter train in the future.

Also would a bigger turnout at the sale be a good thing? People often buy as well as sell when they go to a sale - nothing like temptation. I admit I am asking these questions blind - as most of you know I am pretty new and have never been to the sale!!! So I am probably heading for a fall here - nothing new there!

It is unlikely that we will require to sell anything at auction for a long time as we only have a few and when/if we do ours will most probably be halter trained for everyones convenience.

Stephanie

ann · Post by **ann** » Tue May 13, 2008 10:54 pm

Just as a point of interest why do so many people have an aversion to halter training their cattle. Until recently I worked full time, showed dogs and ran herd of approx 15 cows and followers and try to make sure that all my females are halter trained. This makes life so much easier for me to handle them on my own and until recently I didn't even use a crush to test. However I do think some people put a halter on an animal at the sales that in theory is not actually halter trained and I think this is worse than selling one without a halter. As for the little cow who was very protective of her calf, I doubt very much that it was because she was halter trained and at least if you have a problem and they have been used to a halter you have something to tie them up with if if needs be.

P.S this has been a very interesting discussion even though it has been round the houses.

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed May 14, 2008 1:26 am

Ann, I was not suggesting that the cow was calf proud and dangerous because she was halter trained. I was just pointing out that the fact that she was halter-trained did not make her easy to handle in all circumstances which some people might think should be the case.

As for why we have not halter trained our Dexters, we had no plans to show them (an aversion to shows, not halters). We built up the herd to try to make a useful beef producing unit, reaching over 80 at one stage, and because ours come when they are called and haven't caused any problems it didn't occur to me that it was necessary.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed May 14, 2008 7:36 am

We don't halter train simply because we have over 100 dexters and they are whistle trained. The only problem we have is calving out in the field, which we are doing now with 20 heifers, where an animal used to a halter would make life easier when we need to help a calf suckle for example. I do this in a crush which I take out to the field in a corner.