Handling Cattle from a "Structured" Point of View

by Ann Barnhardt

As you all may know, I have been hanging out a lot lately with Bud & Eunice Williams. My relationship with Bud & Eunice revolves mostly around their cattle marketing schools, which they have invited me to be a part of, but if you spend any time with Bud & Eunice, you have to pick up on their world-famous low-stress stock handling methods. So, even though I am a desk jockey, I am going to switch gears and write about some stockmanship concepts.

Lately, I have seen an abundance of articles about stock handling that refer to the human-bovine interaction as a “predator-prey” dynamic. Even before I met Bud & Eunice Williams this always struck me as a little off-kilter. Yes, humans are raising cattle for food, but our interaction with cattle should never be driven by fear. From the point of birth on the range up to the point where cattle are incapacitated in the kill plant, we should be striving to keep them calm and contented. We do this because it makes economic sense. While cattle are growing, a low-stress environment translates to reduced gain costs. In the slaughter plant, a low-stress environment reduces the number of dark cutters that are produced. If we approach cattle with a “predator-prey” attitude, we will have a much harder time keeping the animals calm and contented, and a harder time making money from our cattle.

This concept was confirmed to me while attending one of Bud & Eunice’s Stockmanship Schools earlier this year. Eunice said, “If an animal regards you as a predator, then you’re through.” She went on to explain that animals are like very small children. They want and need structure in their lives. They want to be told where to go and what to do. We, as stockmen, should be the source of that direction. It makes sense. Think about a room full of pre-school aged children left alone. At first there would be chaos. There would be little kids running around and climbing the walls. After a while, the children would realize that there is no one present to give them help and direction, and the tears would start to flow. Compare this scene to a truckload of cattle that has just arrived. Fence running and other hyper activity is frequently seen. After that initial manic display has run its course, the cattle are usually lethargic, not eating, and even beginning to get sick. The parallels are undeniable.

Animals need structure and leadership. Without a human presence, they will organize it for themselves. In nature, males are usually the dominant, direction-givers in a group of animals. We all know how bulls, stallions and rams interact with other animals. In the absence of a dominant male, the most dominant female will emerge as the leader. Wolves and other pack dogs form strict hierarchies. Apes do the same. Flocking birds, schooling fish and, most remarkably, hiving insects form clear social structures. The need for structure has been built into the genetic code of our animals. We as stockmen need to learn how to tap that resource and place ourselves at the top of their social hierarchy.

If we do this, we can move, sort and work cattle with relative ease. We can easily exercise our stock, which only improves performance and reduces sickness. We can keep our stock contented with their environment and focused on eating and gaining weight. Can we do those things if our cattle regard us as predators? I can’t recommend Bud & Eunice Williams’ Stockmanship Schools strongly enough. Check out their free website, www.Stockmanship.com for more information and a calendar of upcoming schools. ©

Ann Barnhardt can be reached through her website at Barnhardt.biz.