– Steve Boyles, Ohio State University Beef Extension Specialist
When handling cattle, we need to create movement in cattle and then use position to control the movement. Working cattle is kind of like committee work. All you really need are the people that are going to do the work. The is just one of the concepts that will be discussed in a hands on approach during Stockmanship & Stewardship at the OARDC Eastern Agricultural Research Station in Caldwell on September 29 and 30, 2023.
Cattle think of one thing at a time: If humans could do this we would not have ulcers. They focus on detail instead of larger concepts. Keep the cattle’s attention on where you want them to go. Get their heads or noses in the direction you want them to go. Pick up all the trash and anything else that might distract them. Foreign objects easily distract cattle can cause cattle stop moving and pause to investigate. A shadow or a flapping shirt on a post or some other distraction can prevent smooth cattle flow. Properly designed facilities reduce their confusion and reducing fear/crowding.
Cattle want to see you: Get their attention before you start working cattle. It is like introducing yourself. Their initial reaction might be fear but give them a moment to calm down after you have introduced yourself. Think about where you want to position yourself after you have gotten their attention.
If you are having trouble working cattle, look at the work through their eyes. Animals communicate through vision. What is the shape of a cow’s pupil? (Answer: oval to the point of being rectangular).
Boyles et al. 2002
Because of the location of their eyes:
- Cattle have panoramic vision (310-340 degrees)
- Blind spot is directly behind their head
- Vertical vision: Cattle = 60 degrees, Humans = 140 degrees
- Sensitive to unusual movements
- Depth perception is poor
- Ability to focus on items close up is poor
Cattle can perhaps see color, but not in the same way as humans. Eyes are made of rods and cones. Rods allow for vision in low light, and cones allow for colors. Cattle are dichromats, which means they have two cones in the eye. This means colors appear differently. Because they have a higher ratio of rods to cones, things they see are also blurrier.
Cattle want to go around you: We have all met a few head of cattle that want to go through you but that is the exception. In general cattle that have enough room will want to go around you. Certainly pay attention to animal posture. Also alleyways in corrals have to be wide enough to allow cattle to move past you with some ease.
Cattle want to be with and go to other cattle: Take advantage of their herd like instinct. If you only need to treat one animal in a pen take 2-3 more to reduce the chances of them trying to escape back to the main herd.
Cattle want to move away from pressure exerted on them (flight zone): When working cattle from behind, it is important to keep moving from side to side (call it a lazy Z) to prevent cattle from turning to keep you in their line of sight. Notice that moving from side to side is better than just following the cattle.
Cattle want to be with other cattle. Cows have a hierarchy in the herd. The dominant cow in non-stressful situation may be the lead animal. However the dominant cow may push to the middle of the herd in stressful situations. You can use a “Lazy Z” motion behind the cattle to get the group to move together.
When the majority of the herd has come together into a loose bunch, increase pressure on the collective flight zone to initiate movement in the desired direction.
When exiting a pen, make market cattle walk: Cattle that exit a pen and are running can add stress to the cattle. This is undesirable for cattle that being moved to a packing plant. This can increase stress and the possibility of dark cutting beef. If needed, consider a person on horseback ahead of the group to slow them down.
Start by getting the front cattle moving. This can be done if the cattle are “not” overly afraid of you. Some people say the point of balance (where cattle will move forward/backward) is at the point of the shoulder (see the above diagram). Others feel it is at the eye/ear area.
Proper use of applying pressure: Think ahead of the cattle. Know what location you need to be to enter their flight zone so they will move in the direction you want them to. Move out of the flight zone once the cattle are moving in the direction you want them to go. Continual pressure will cause stress and crowding. Remember, cattle time versus human time.
When working cattle, move in triangles: Move in straight lines. Move into their flight zone to get the movement, then move out of it. Come in from a different angle (i.e the triangle) if they are not moving in the direction you want them to go. Cattle are not moving in the wrong direction – you entered their flight zone from the wrong direction. Therefore the fault is yours not the animals.
Going with the flow of cattle: As you move in the same direction the cattle are going (i.e. towards the head chute), when you approach their point of balance, they will slow down as you pass the point of balance or they will stop or reverse direction.
Going against the flow of cattle: Ever filled the chute, then pushed on the last animals in line to push/move the other forward? The back animal likely has nowhere to go. Instead, exit the flight zone, move to the front and walk along the side. This is a lower stress method of getting animals in front to move rather than pushing on the last animal. Beside the crazy calf may be last calf through chute.
Cattle don’t necessarily want to hear you: Does your voice calm a cat or dog? Perhaps yes. Has your voice “regularly” calmed a cow? In the past when you have talked to cattle has your voice been more of a woop or holler? If you can’t say anything nice (or in a nice tone) to them, it is better to not say anything at all. Keep the animals in a thinking mode rather than a survival mode. Therefore, we need to learn how to apply proper pressure and move at the proper speed.
- They can hear both low volume and higher frequency sounds better than we do.
- However they have trouble locating sounds
- Humans can pinpoint a sound within 5 degrees
- Cattle can pinpoint a sound within 30 degrees.
Moving Cattle from a Pen: You may only need to enter the pen and stay near the gate. Consider a rocking motion to get their attention or walking in a circular fashion to get their attention. If you need to enter the pen, move cattle that are near the gate back with the main group. Otherwise, they will remain standing near the gate and not move with the group to exit the pen.
Speed and Animal Handling: There is cattle speed and human speed. Guess which one is low stress handling on cattle? Human speed increases the chance of putting excessive or incorrect pressure on cattle. Chasing cattle to a new location may make the animals feel that the new location is unsafe. Frightened, scared cattle may try to return to the original location because they may have the perception they were safe there.
EDITOR’s NOTE: Hands on activities including the cattle handling concepts discussed in this article will be just one of the features participants can experience during Stockmanship & Stewardship, being hosted at the OARDC Eastern Agricultural Research Station in Caldwell on September 29 and 30, 2023. Stockmanship & Stewardship is a unique two-day educational experience featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance educational sessions, facility design sessions to best run your operation and industry updates you won’t find anywhere else. Learn from stockmanship experts Curt Pate and Ron Gill and get BQA certified! Find more details or register at https://www.stockmanshipandstewardship.org/