Cattle Handling Safety Tips

There are several key safety tips to keep in mind when handling live cattle. First and foremost, you never want to make quick or sudden moves when dealing with animals as these can frighten the animals into taking aggressive actions. Much like dogs, cows have improved hearing beyond what the human ear is capable of, so loud noises can also spook the cows. Thus, shouting is never advisable around animals.

Patience is key when handling all animals, especially cattle. The animal is most vulnerable when it has nowhere to go. Move slowly and deliberately to avoid startling the herd, and never poke, prod or shove the animals. Only use gentle pressure when you touch them. When entering a situation with large animals, always have an escape route in mind just in case the animals become spooked for any reason and start acting chaotically. To allow for necessary herd flow, all chutes and alleys must be wide enough for cows to pass each other, but narrow enough to stop them from turning around. This is why you should only trust high-quality cattle crushes.

A cattle crush is a rigid cage built for the safe holding of livestock to facilitate necessary examinations, markings and veterinary treatments. They can also be used for nursing between cows and their young. Cattle crushes are meant to hold the animals still, and these animals are incredibly heavy, some weighing over 1000 kilograms. So a sturdy metal like steel is ideal. This is one area where cattle ranchers should not cut costs. The livelihood of the entire herd can depend on the quality of the cattle crushes.

As is true of most animals, cows will act protectively towards their young. Take careful note of calves and act more cautiously when working around these vulnerable members of the herd. The most dangerous member of the herd is most assuredly the bull. All male cows are naturally more aggressive than their female counterparts, and their horns can make for deadly weapons. Once bulls reach their breeding age, their behaviour tends to become even more aggressive. Thus, all the males of the herd must be kept separate and handled in special facilities by trainer professionals. Though bulls may sometimes seem docile, they can instantly snap into aggression at any time.

Of course, all cattle handling activities should be performed only by trained professionals. This is for the safety of the workers as well as the wellbeing of the animals. Under no circumstances should children ever be allowed near the cattle. Ultimately, these animals are unpredictable and can cause serious harm to people not properly trained to handle them.

To review, don't make sudden moves or loud noises. Don't poke or prod the animals. Mind your escape routes. Only use high-quality cattle crushes. Pay extra attention to the calves of the herd and which cows are their mothers. Separate the bulls into a special facility. And lastly, never allow untrained individuals to work with the animals.