Working with cattle

[DanL99]

I recently got a job on a farm and I absolutely love it, they have around 180 dairy cows as well some arable, I've always grew up more into arable farming and have always been more interested in arable farming and still am, however I am obviously involved in a lot of the cattle work, I never really look forward to this work as I'm nervous around the cattle, I'm fine around calfs but not the others, I feel like I'm slowing the job down due to not being comfortable around them and I need some help or tips, I can round them up fine, I just make myself big, but when it comes to sorting them or trying to get them in the stock trailer I struggle, firstly I'm worried about getting kicked and secondly I don't really shout as I haven't been there long I don't have the confidence to shout, sorry for the long question, I just don't feel comfortable around them and take a back seat, I have improved from when I first started but I just want to comfortable around them so I can enjoy the cattle work, any tips? Or just time?

 

[gone up the hill]

For starters shouting at them is just about the worst thing you can do!! secondly don't show them your scared/ fear them as they will sense it!

One way or another you will get kicked at some point!!

Always make sure you place yourself so that you have a quick/ easy access from the pen if they turn on you ( ie : don't get stuck in the corner against a wall/ thick hedge etc ).

TBH it will take time/ experience to know what is right and wrong to do! common sense is half the battle.

 

[kernowcluck]

No need to shout, you'll wind them up . Dairy cattle usually respond to quiet handling. Always keep yourself safe, don't put yourself in a corner or stuck against a wall. Don't go into a bull pen alone and watch your hands if you're putting them through a crush. Put yourself in the cow's position and think like her, then you will have some idea of what she is going to do next. Don't forget they're not thought readers, make it clear what you want them to do and don't hassle them.

You'll get the job done much quicker and safer if you're calm. Thank your lucky stars you're not working a herd of psycho Limos, most dairy cows are a joy to work WITH.

 

[DanL99]

Thanks for the advice

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

One of my old gaffers would shout and ball wave his arms around and generally go red in the face, he got kicked several times. me and the other tractor driver always got on better on our own going quiet and steady we never got kicked..........

 

[AvonValleyFarmer]

Only speaking from experience with beef cattle here but, +1 on the calm approach as opposed to the gung ho attitude, no point winding them up for the sake of it. I do think you will inevitably get kicked at some point unfortunately, but maybe that's just because I'm a beef farmer?

As others have said don't get into a position in the pen where you cannot get out if you have to!

As for loading in the trailer, stay up tight when you're closing the gates, if it gets kicked and your tight to it, you're whole body absorbs the impact. If you stand an arms length away from it and something kicks it hard enough it'll fly back and hit you. My uncle got hit in the face once like that, knocked him out cold. Which isn't good when working cattle!

Other than that, just practice and experience really

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Temple Grandin

Bit of reading here: http://grandin.com/behaviour/transport.html

This is one you might find useful: http://grandin.com/behaviour/principles/flight.zone.html

 

[Gulli]

Either work up close or out of range, the closer you are the less it hurts when they kick you and obviously if you are far enough back then you just get a faceful of sh!t

Time is the only way, watch them, learn their flight zones... Some dairy cows don't have flight zones... Be patient and ffs don't shout at them the whole time

 

[Princess Pooper]

Most herds have a few softies. Take a bit of time with some of the softies, move them gently round the yards to see how your positioning makes them move where you want them to (or not!) so that you learn how they react to you. Remember they can't see you if you are directly behind, you need to be slightly to one side and beyond. I agree with all the comments about shouting, but it also depends what they are used to. We train all ours to move away from a hissing ('fish fish fish') rather than shouting at them it's a lot less stressful. Watch their eyes and ears, you often see the 'lightbulb' moment when they suddenly realise where you want them to go - onto a trailer etc - and then the others should follow - herd instinct. If they're not looking in the right direction they won't go where you want them. And yes, the closer you are the less likely to get a bad kick and sometimes a sharp tap with a stick in the right place can just get them going or others following.
http://www.extension.org/pages/63136/what-is-a-cows-flight-zone#.Vc43yflViko

lots more out there. Learn to enjoy them, they're wonderful creatures, and keep safe

 

[shepherdess]

one thing that isn't daft to do it talk to them when near by, I don't mean chatter away about your day incase i come across mad their though some are good listeners but when moving about them just them to let them know your their,
just about every dairy cow I've come across is a gentle animal unless just calved some can be a bit funny then or some heifers, but most otherwise are handled so much they arnt really looking to be difficult or kick out, a beef one is a different story normally.

The being kicked part, I find calves kick far more than cows, and funnily enough hurt more more often,
though smaller they get a faster bit of power out of their leg, and narrow foot hurts more! They more often choose to turn and get away rather than lash out and even then don't look to necessarily run you over, more often look to go around you, unless gap is narrow, then theirs not much stopping them, then getting out of the way is better if backing away hushing them back isn't working!
More often its better to let them calm down and try again.

Though Main issue when loading is no straw on the tail board. this loud clangy shinney thing to them is scary ground, bit of straw of shavings helps normally.
And when moving through gaps gates etc when they get to it give them time to see it rather than rush them at it.

Shouting like said doesn't do much more than winde things up, a gentle whistle with a slightly louder than talk volume "get on then" type of command generally gets a move on response from them.
Most importantly Like said above always make sure you have somewhere to go if you need to
Best of luck with your new job

 

[DanL99]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated

 

[Douglasmn]

Never shout at cattle or hit them. It's common sense. If some little being far less than half your size and weight was shouting at you and hitting you with a stick then what would you do? Probably get angry and eventually retaliate! Just let them quietly go in their own time. Always works for me and never get kicked. If your handling system means that a kick is inevitable then it's no good and needs some modernizing. Working with cattle should be easy, stress-free and enjoyable. The stress free part is for the humans to lead by example. Stay calm and so will the cattle.