Low Stress Cattle Handling

Understanding how cattle think and the way they view the world is very helpful in understanding low stress handling and processing facilities. Handling cattle in a low stress manner is easier and safer for both the cattle and the people involved. It is important to gain the knowledge of how to “ask” the cattle to work for you instead of force them to go where you want them to go.

Flight Zone/ Point of Balance

When you get too close to an animal you enter what is called their flight zone, it is much like a personal space bubble for a human. Entering this flight zone asks them to move. Cattle don’t like to be forced and if they are pushed too hard will react in a way that will force back rather than move in the desired direction. 

Control the direction in which the cattle move by applying pressure according to the point of balance.  Approach cattle from behind the shoulder to move them forward, and from in front of the shoulder to turn them and get them to change direction.

Anatomy/Instincts

Cattle are prey animals and are built with their eyes on the sides of their heads. A cow can see 300 degrees around itself, compared to a human who can see only 140 degrees. Cattle see most things with only one eye and do not have very good depth perception. Cattle have a blind spot directly behind them and have limited vertical vision, they must put their heads down to see the ground in front of them.

Cattle are herd animals and like to travel in a group. They also like to move towards light, and uphill instead of downhill. Cattle are easily startle at quick movements or loud noises. Research has shown that loud yelling can be more stressful to cattle than a hot shot. 

Acclimation

Cattle can be conditioned to behave in a certain way. They quickly learn that the feed wagon means food or that going in the alley might mean a shot needle.  It is important to acclimate cattle by working them in a way they learn to trust you and no longer view you as a predator. 

When receiving or moving cattle to a new pen this can be done by quietly hanging around the pen until the animals become accustomed to your presence, and by slowly moving the group from corner to corner to acclimate them to their new surroundings. Exercising them up and down the alley will condition them to know that every time they leave the pen, they will not face a chute, needle, or other factor inducing stress.

Facilities

Facilities don’t need to be fancy, but they do need to be functional. Temporary working facilities can even be made from portable panels. Permanent processing facilities may include milk parlors, hospital barns, etc. No matter what kind of facility it is, it should be made functional considering the instincts and characteristics of the cattle they will be holding.

There are a few systems that are very popular for funneling cattle to the chute or even onto a trailer.

1. Bud Box - (1) Bud Box animation - YouTube
2. Tub System - (1) Cattle Handling Facility Design for Meat Plants - YouTube
3. Bud Tub - (1) Brute Bud Tub - YouTube

No matter the system, the most important variable is the people that are working the animals. They need to be familiar with the processing system, and how to best handle the cattle in that system.

The lower the stress we can impose on our cattle will pay off in better immune response, better quality end food product, safer for employees, and increased efficiencies. 

Written by: Mariah Gull, M.S.