Livestock Handling Skills: I find them rare

[Dead Rabbits]

So as a person who has been around bovines the majority of my life, I can safely say I have met one person that I can tolerate working cattle with. Am I doing something wrong or is everyone else?

When I interact with any group of cattle, beef or dairy, my goals are: Get the cattle to want to do what I want. Haven't found an easier way to work cattle. However, any person I have worked with, or just observed, does almost everything backwards to me. There is yelling, whistling, running, shoving, odd movements, sticks, electric prods, consistently standing in the wrong place, loud talking, laughing and noise making, stressed cattle, stressed people, wasted time, injuries etc. This is seen as a normal cattle-people handling interaction. These are often individuals who have worked with cattle their entire lives.

When I am alone or with the one person who is on my wavelength, I move slow, talk little and can get the same job done in less time with little drama. I just do what feels right and natural and it seems to work well.

My question(s) is what is everyone's experience/technique when handling cattle? Do you handle cattle like a jackass or have a different calmer method? Do you regularly deal with new employees, if so, how do you teach them to interact with cattle?

Beef or dairy doesn't matter, see lack of skill in both industries.

Thanks

 

[Yale]

We had our TB test two weeks ago.

I do all the pen loading myself and have my father and drafted in brother in law working the race and crush.

It pees me off when they insist on having a chat with the vet in front.

The BIL also wore the brightest yellow hi vis jacket I’ve ever seen however I bit my lip.

My preferred method for a few years is no stick,just a 6ft hurdle which I use to send batches up a 12ft passage to the race.

The hurdle means they learn they cannot pass me.

I can also use the end of the hurdle to jab their backside if they need a shove.

The least amount of shouting however enough to be assertive and keep them moving.

It all depends on your cattle,ours are mainly limousin which need assertiveness.

Dairy cattle would be a different kettle of fish.

 

[CharcoalWally]

There are no real secrets to handling cattle. Be as quiet as you can, preferably always handle them in the same surroundings so they get to know the score. My cattle are all homebred so have gone through the same crush in the same place since they were calves. Point most of them at the crush and they walk in without too much fuss.

It helps if you can be through your cattle as much as possible as familiarity with human contact helps them to know you and your ways as much as the other way round.

It's important to remember to be firm but fair when you need to be. Like humans, some cows will take advantage if they can and the handler has to remember their own safety.

 

[Henarar]

I find some people don't seem to be able to keep there eye on the cattle and see what they are likely to do next, as CW said some cows will try there luck, a good lead cow though is worth their weight in gold
We hardly ever carry sticks but I will raise my voice if one is taking the pee but not if they won't go because they are nervous

 

[Netherfield]

We had a local haulier, no names given, but his nickname was 'Big stick B*****' , notorious for being very loud and using his stick, not a firm we had ever used, until one day when we had a herd of cattle out on some rented land, when it came to moving them off it was decided to use any hauliers possible to save chasing them around a lot, we had walked them across a main road on the sunday in to a friendly neighbouring farm, last load were going in to this chaps truck, I can still remember dad warning him "If that stick comes down on any of these cattle you'll be buying them for yourself".
He stood back and let us load the truck, all he did was drive that time.

 

[scholland]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2019172071636155&id=1427594774127224

 

[Netherfield]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2019172071636155&id=1427594774127224

Karma

 

[Gulli]

Not just you. I've only ever worked with one person who doesn't drive me mad sorting or moving cattle!

Much easier on my own. I work in silence often put some headphones in with music on. Usually use a stick but mostly only to reach over cattle and stop the next one.
Cattle prods (the little ones) are very good if you use them properly as you don't have to make any noise or flap a stick around, depends on the cattle though.


Most people on this thread wouldn't be able to work cattle together though i expect!

 

[matthew]

One of our milk recorders used to say that we talked to our cattle as if we 3xpected an answer
Always said good morning, How are you? As we walked through.
All quiet.

 

[Henarar]

One of our milk recorders used to say that we talked to our cattle as if we 3xpected an answer
Always said good morning, How are you? As we walked through.
All quiet.

we had a cow that would always answer

 

[multi power]

@Dead Rabbits I know EXACTLY what you are getting at

 

[Treg]

I'm not sure it's something you can teach to someone, surely it's a natural ability?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

@Dead Rabbits I know EXACTLY what you are getting at

And I may be coming across a bit abrasive here but I am getting rather fed up. I have been shoved to the side and been "educated" on how to train heifers to the rotary. Also been told I am not aggressive enough when sorting cows. It's getting old being the weird one when it comes to cattle handling.

 

[haymaker80]

I'm not sure it's something you can teach to someone, surely it's a natural ability?

Partly natural ability, but mainly something you learn from experience. Some people are better learners than others!
My old man is not able to help with the cattle anymore so we've found a couple of people in the last year that we can call on to come and help and luckily they are both very good with the cattle.

 

[Pigken]

Is it not a combination of stock ability, common sense, patience, predicting, and experience, surely a stick can have a purpose as an extention of one's arm or for self protection should the need arise. But totally agree the handling of stock be it cattle sheep or pigs leaves a lot to be desired in the wrong company, some seem to think it just needs noise and aggression, everything has its time and place, best person I have sorted cattle with recently been a 17 year old female who has common sense, anticipates what's going on and keeps a calm head, with only 3.5 years experience, some people seem to have it or learn it others just think they got it or just talk the talk.

 

[CharcoalWally]

I'm not sure it's something you can teach to someone, surely it's a natural ability?

It's certainly an affinity with cattle , or a sensitivity to their moods and personalities , that some people have much much more of than others.

I suspect a lot of livestock farmers only see cattle as one solid group. They don't see the differences in them. Cattle are not alike . Some are bold , some are shy , some are nervous , some are inquisitive. Some will give you the runaround if you let them , and others need kid gloves treatment. If you understand that , then you're well on the way to understanding how they need different handling.

And there is a huge range in how much farmers understand this.

 

[Willie adie]

Try at marts.
Cattle in late, needing tags read with hairy dirty tags.
I know drovers are often maligned.
But we deal with cattle of every nature, expected to risk life too

 

[AJR75]

My Grandfather's advice of "don't force them, let them see where they're going" some 35+ years ago now is something that holds true for me now, what I didn't understand then was the difference between a bit of pressure when required and downright force, which should rarely be needed. Much prefer to work on my own with the dogs (sheep for me) as in spite of some willing helpers I really find it hard work especially when they can't read the stock and react and move at the appropriate times. Knowing your stock has to be key to the approach taken surely?

 

[multi power]

And I may be coming across a bit abrasive here but I am getting rather fed up. I have been shoved to the side and been "educated" on how to train heifers to the rotary. Also been told I am not aggressive enough when sorting cows. It's getting old being the weird one when it comes to cattle handling.

I've just been to a staff management meeting, got to ask someone to do a job, rather than tell them, cows are no different, except cows are probably smarter

 

[M-J-G]

I think farmers tend to have the head start if working with animals that are used to them, as the cattle tend to understand the farmer as much as the farmer understands the cattle.
A balance which I believe gets upset when a stranger comes into play, which annoys many farmers, and makes farmers think that many others are poor at handling their stock.
When the truth is that if the cattle got used to the strangers ways, the cattle may handle perfectly fine with the other person.

Those who work on different farms, like vets, scanners, market staff, haulers etc. require a different set of skills as they don't have the advantage of knowing the cattle.

Then again, some people are just poor at handling cattle, but since animals are not machines, given time livestock often just get used to them and accept them as the norm.