Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
This will let the calves see where the wire is located. They may investigate and get a shock,
but it is doubtful they will try to cross the fence again.
Handling
There is an inherent danger working around cattle, the largest farm livestock. Cows and
calves can be tamed, but even a tame cow can knock you over or stomp on your toes if you
enter the pen with a feed bucket. Always remain on your guard around bulls. Never try to
tame a bull or make a pet of one. They will lose their natural fear of people and can attack
when you least expect it. Farmers are injured or killed by bulls every year. If a bull charges
you, run to a fence or some farm equipment to use as a barrier between you and the bull.
Never turn your back on a bull. Cows can be aggressive when it comes to protecting their
calves. All duties involving a newborn calf should be overseen with extreme caution. Always
keep the calf between yourself and the mom — if you get between them, the mother might try
to knock you out of the way. As an added safety measure, remove the calf from cow and put it
in a safe place such as a pen or even inside a hay ring, but make sure the cow can see you and
the baby. Minimize the time away from the cow and return the calf as soon as you are done
with it.
Beef cattle are strong herd animals. If you need to separate a cow from the herd and it is un-
willing to go, try separating it with another cow to keep it company. Try not to yell or strike
the cow. It takes about 30 minutes for an excited animal to calm down. Move slowly and de-
liberately when working with cattle. Using an electric cattle prod to force an animal to move
by giving it a shock is not recommended because of potential for abuse; if you do use one,
only give a brief shock, and only shock it on well-muscled parts of the body. A rattle paddle
— a fiberglass pole topped with a large paddle with small balls inside — is a good way to
move cattle. They will move away from the noisy paddle when it is shaken, and its large size
makes it easy for the cattle to see.
Cattle want to be with their herd. Usually, it is easiest to move the entire herd into your hold-
ing pen, and then separate out a sick animal and a companion. After you get the animals in
quarantine, you can move the rest of the herd back into the pasture. The best way to move an-
imals is to move slowly and deliberately and to use their natural instincts to your advantage.
An important part of moving livestock is learning an animal's flight zone. This is the animal's
safety zone, and you should respect this area when working with your cattle. Only work on
the edge of the flight zone. If a person moves into the animal's flight zone, the animal will
