Cow management principles have been fashioned by years of research and practice, and they may be used to any breed of dairy or beef cattle. Following these easy rules from the pros will help you become an expert.
Tension and release are the cornerstones of efficient cow handling. Cattle can be taught to be handled; they are smart creatures who try to respond appropriately. When cattle don’t perform what they’re supposed to, the handlers may be utilizing the wrong approaches.
3 main premises of cattle handling were defined by Bud Williams. These include employing natural handling techniques, refraining from using force, and avoiding handling tactics that agitate cattle; you want calves to behave calmly.
In stockmanship, a handler’s job is to get cattle moving and then use positioning to regulate and direct that motion to the desired outcome.
Here are some basic guidelines to assist you in becoming an expert:
Handling Techniques Should Be Guided by Cattle Behaviour
Since animals were first tamed, we’ve been researching animal behaviour, although informally, for thousands of years. There have also been instances of good and bad cattle management throughout history. We can use this information to enhance our own handling skills. Curt Pate suggests that everyone reads Ballie Buck’s novel, What The Cow Said To The Calf. In our livestock handling procedures, we are always developing and learning.
We can handle cattle with tension and release as much as they have somewhere else to go. Before you begin working, make a plan for handling the individual livestock. To effectively handle cattle, you must first understand the flight zone and then use your location to start or stop movements. You must keep cattle happy as a handler in order for them to follow you and accomplish what you desire.
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Reduce Your Speed
All of industry experts believe that moving too quickly, or attempting to drive cattle quicker than they are capable of moving, or before they will be ready, would only slow things down for your operation and may result in cow or handler accidents.
Cattle management should be deliberate, systematic, and exact. Slowing down your proper technique will result in a faster and more effective operation in the long run. Handling animals too quickly can also be harmful to their health and performance. The health of your herd will increase if you enhance your cattle handling practices.
Working Cattle from Behind Is Not Recommended
Livestock should not be worked from the back if possible. A blind spot exists immediately behind a cow’s tail and hindquarters. They are also predatory animals, and they perceive a caretaker as a predator when they are approached. Working livestock from behind isn’t essential until it’s absolutely necessary. Rather, work on one side or the other. To induce movement, you also should move in parallel lines; predators adopt an arch pattern.
Manage Smaller Cattle Groups
When cattle are in huge groups, it’s more difficult to control them properly. When handling cattle in big groups, we frequently witness cattle being pushed from behind, particularly those near the back of the herd. With bigger herds of cattle, speed is occasionally introduced, which obstructs progress and safety.
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