Cattle Handling Flashcards
cows have ___ and ___ behaviors
innate and learned
Cattle are
Predator or Prey?
Herd or Solitary?
prey
herd
What is a cows flight zone
Their personal space zone/ where they can see you/ how close you can get before they will move away
-beef cattle have bigger flight zone
Cow eyes are…
lateral
horizontal split pupil
cows have _____ vertical vision and poor…
limited
depth perception (it requires binocular vision)
Cow hearing and smell?
do not like high pitched/loud noises
can smell odors 1 mile away
cows walk in a ___ beat gate
4 beat
LF/RH/RF/LH
cows trot in a ___ beat gate
2 beat
LF and RH/ RF and LH
can cows run and jump?
Yes
older cows can canter (3 beat)
more common in cows
How do cows get up and down?
Front down first
to get up:
hind up first and with swinging forward of head
Agressive behaviors and why?
Lowering the head, pawing, going “head to head”
New mothers, bulls, increased competition, prey animals that can’t flee
How can you tell their emotions?
their head!
neutral, confident approach
low and high intensity (upset horns towards)
How do cows kick?
laterally and straight back
be cautious and respectful
what equation should you know for cows kicking?
Force= mass x acceleration
right next to them or very far away
Where and what is the point of balance
Their shoulder, if they move forward or backwards
Moving stubborn or “too tame” cows
tail twist (at base)
more often in dairy
in a pen already
cows deserve freedom from…
discomfort, pain, disease, fear, and distress
purpose of facilities and restraint techniques
improve safety, animal healths, and efficiency
Beef cow preventative
in groups - often managed “seasonally” – breeding, calving, weaning therefore seasonally appropriate times to palpate for pregnancy, vaccinate, castrate, etc
Dairy cow preventative medicine
In smaller groups - in US typically not seasonal – breeding and calving all year round but more EFFICIENT to vaccinate, dehorn and palpate groups at a time from a management standpoint
Basic components of a cattle facility (5)
-pen
-tub or crowding gate
-alley way
-chute
-head catch (manual vs self-catching)
head catch vs head lock
head catch is at the end of a chute
head locks are co-located with feed bank
Cow halter
individual restraint- for showing
rope portions and knots
controls the head for IV injections or looking into eyes/mouth
around ears FIRST and then chin piece
lead from left
Quick release knot
- Pull free end of lead and releases
- Tension on lead towards animal does NOT release knot
- Can be tied without releasing tension on animal
restraint of hind limbs AFTER head is restrained
tail jack - 2 hands - at base
Hobbles - ankle straps - assist in invasive procedures
chemical restraint
What is casting?
laying down a bovine down in a controlled manner
work on feet, twisted stomach/uterus, dystocia, uterine prolapse
Casting methods
Bovine is always haltered and tied low to stationary object
Often used with mild chemical restraint (sedation)
Ropes used in 2 methods to bring animal to ground’
- Running W (more likely) and Double Half-hitch
Ropes used to tie feet for safety and to maintain correct position
Why use Running W vs Double Half-hitch
less knots, easier to remove, no tracheal or thorax pressure
no preputial pressure
Factors to consider when casting
Temperament of animal – will determine if need chemical sedation as well
How stationary is the object you are haltering the bovine too?
What are the characteristics of the ground?
Are you prepared?
Ropes ready and knots pre-tied for controlling the feet?
Supplies gathered for your procedure?
People to assist in tying feet or rolling bovine?
When to use a tom fools knot
to restrain the hooves
