Volume VIII Number 1 January/February 2000

To Easily Maneuver Cattle, Put Yourself in Their Hooves




If you want cattle to perform better and be calmer in the chute, get down at their level and see what they are seeing, says Dr. Temple Grandin.

Grandin is the world's foremost expert on livestock handling facilities and behavior, according to a news release from the North Dakota Stockmen's Association.

There are many things producers can do to improve livestock handling and cattle temperament that don't cost a dime, Grandin says.

First, she recommends, "Remove the distractions." Something as small as a piece of chain hanging down in the chute, a styrofoam
Styrofoam cups, dangling chains, or a coat
hanging on the fence can cause cattle to
balk at walking through the snake.
Removing distractions can drastically improve
cattle flow.
cup in the pan or a coat hanging on the fence could cause cattle to balk and refuse to go where you want them to go, she says. Putting cardboard or another material on open-sided panels or chutes can also prevent animals from getting distracted from things outside the chute.

Another freebie that can improve livestock handling is reducing high-pitch, intermittent noise. The most common high-pitched, intermittent noises are whistling and screaming at cattle. Research shows that screaming at them is just as stressful to cattle as being shocked with an electric cattle prod, she says.

Moving slowly and steadily likewise costs nothing, but will likely improve the pace in which you get your work done. Grandin says that, "Most often, slower is faster, since quick, sudden movements scare."

An understanding of an animal's flight zone also can aid in working cattle, Grandin says. An animal keeps a certain distance away from people, she explains, and the size of the flight zone depends on genetics, amount of people contact and previous experiences.

Working an animal's flight zone involves a system of pressure and release. To get an animal to move forward, Grandin says, enter its flight zone. Once it starts moving, release the pressure.

The same goes for twisting an animal's tail to get it to move forward. "The instance a calf moves, let go of his tail," she says. "Your timing has got to be right in order for the cow to get the message."

Because first experiences make tremendous impressions on animals, as they store fear memories in a special fear center in their brain, Grandin says it is important to concentrate on making first experiences pleasant ones. For instance, an animal's first trip through the chute should not be for dehorning or some other stressful procedure, or the next time it needs to come back through the chute again, those fear memories will be triggered and poor behavior will result.

Not only does calm handling make work go smoother, it also saves money, Grandin says. She cites a study that showed hogs with fear stress gained less weight and had smaller litters than those who did not suffer from fear stress.

In another study, beef cattle handled roughly with cattle prods were shown to have higher cortisol levels, the body's natural response to stress, than deer shot
Solid sides on chutes will prevent
cattle from being distracted.
with tranquilizer guns.

Cattle producers can determine the level of stress in their cattle by keeping track of those that moo in the chute. Grandin says, "You shouldn't have more than two or three percent doing any mooing in the chute.

"Most of this sounds like pretty obvious stuff, because it is. For the best results, use common sense and get down to the calf's level to see what he is seeing."


 








  

   
   

   


   

   		
  
   



  

    



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