Across dairy and beef country, cattle are on the move. These activities give producers an opportunity to review good stockmanship practices with seasoned and new employees.
Anything that causes a cow to associate an action with something negative will cause her to be reluctant to repeat that action. It can be a huge source of frustration when cows don’t easily move when and where you want them to.
In her book Behavioral Principles of Livestock Handling animal welfare advocate Temple Grandin, PhD, identifies four areas to reduce stress during handling:
- Non-slip flooring
- No sudden or jerky motions
- Optimize pressure
- Block vision
Source: The Bullvine, May 23, 2022. Link. Understanding cow behavior and adjusting how producers act around them can save time, reduce stress, and increase farm safety.
Ultimately, the biggest question we should all ask about welfare is “are we giving them a good life?” – Temple Grandin, PhD
INSIGHTS: Having the producer and farm workers move the cattle into manageable pens or corrals before a veterinary crew arrives is much better on cows, workers and the vet team. Too often veterinarians arrive only to have to help chase down the cows. Consider the benefits of having a vet team member call ahead to urge producers to get their animals caught and confined to a manageable area.