Some folks seem hellbent on making
herding and handling animals as stressful as possible. When it's
time to work cattle they round up a dozen of the most hormonally
charged young studs they can find. These strapping bucks come
fully equipped with whoop-n-holler lungs, evil-looking lariats
to swing and crack, and not one ounce of common sense.
To make matters worse, at least a few of these hollerers are mounted
on steeds that are barely broke and haven't seen another creature
in six months. To complete the scene, there's a square corral
(made from two strands of barbed wire) that's not quite big enough
for the herd, and a cur crouched in the middle of the gate that
the cows have to get through. Give a 24-cell hot-shot to the boy
with the big Adam's apple and ten-gallon hat, and you've got guaranteed
stress-filled chaos.
When I first
entered the livestock scene, this prescription for pandemonium
was routine. I don't think many folks realize the amount of stress
this kind of handling causes animals, or the real economic losses
it can incur. (See "Calmer Handling, Better
Gains,") Even if the scene is somewhat calmer when you
herd or work your animals–whether they're hogs or heifers,
cows or sheep–your handling practices could still be increasing
stress-related diseases, abortions, and injuries as well as reducing
rate of gain or milk production.
Fortunately,
the cowboy mentality is starting to change. Special thanks are
due to folks such as Dr. Burt Smith, C.L. "Bud" Williams
and Dr. Temple Grandin, who are teaching stockmanship and low-stress
herding and handling. (See "Resources,")
Each of these experts takes a slightly different approach: But
all share this conviction: To reduce animal stress, you first
have to understand how they think. You need to know how livestock
perceive your presence and movements, and how they naturally respond.
Once you are equipped with that knowledge, you can soon herd even
the wildest animals where you want them–almost as if it were
their idea to go there in the first place.
KNOW YOUR ANIMALS
"Low-stress animal handling not only results in higher animal
performance but also less stress and greater personal satisfaction
for you," says Smith, a pasture-management specialist at
the University of Hawaii. "It pays in any livestock operation,
But it pays most where production goals and expectations are high."
An important first step is to learn what your animals communicate
through their normal habits and body language.
For example, all herd animals display a dominance hierarchy within
their group. Dominant animals usually take the preferred locations
in the center of the herd, surrounded by animals just one step
below them in the hierarchy. You usually find animals at the bottom
of the pecking order on the outside of the pack. Dominants maintain
their positions–at the top of the hierarchy and the center
of the herd–by "picking on" less dominant animals.
It's easy for the herd to maintain these positions with minimal
jostling when they're contentedly grazing or at rest. But when
you start moving them, your mere presence disrupts the pecking
order.You also force animals into positions relative to each other
that upset the hierarchy and make them feel uncomfortable.
As the animals start to move, you'll see more bumping, pushing
and shoving as the herd re-establishes its hierarchy. To make
the move less stressful, a good herder allows a little time for
the animals to mill around and figure out their "walking
order" before making the herd pick up speed.
For your own safety, you also need to know how each species postures
to show other animals (yourself included) whether the individual
is contented or terrified, dominant or submissive. As you
approach an animal, it may assume a threatening stance to gently
warn you not to intrude any farther into its personal space. Bovines,
for example, paw the ground and extend their head and horns toward
you.
You need to know and respect the signs
that say, "One more step and I'm going to charge." If
you don't already know these postures, make sure your insurance
is paid before you go round up the critters.
THE RIGHT
APPROACH
Next, you need to understand
the dynamics of what is called the flight zone. All animals–even
humans–have one. (See "People Need
Space Too") With most herbivores, the flight zone is
an oval area that surrounds the animal. When a predator (and as
far as most domesticated livestock are concerned, you count as
one) crosses over the zone's perimeter, the herbivore moves away
from the intrusion until the predator is once again outside the
zone. Learning the subtle nuances of this predictable response
makes it possible for the herder to move individual animals or
whole herds with minimal stress.
The size of an animal's flight zone depends on the species, the
individual animal's past experiences, the environment and a host
of other factors. An antelope may have a flight zone literally
1 mile wide, while a cow that is accustomed to people might have
a zone that extends just a body width or two.
An animal standing alone will typically have a flight zone that
is 40 percent larger than when the same animal is with its buddies.
When animals perceive you as a larger threat–for example
when you're on a horse or approaching from high ground–their
zone grows larger.
Environmental factors also affect flight-zone size. The zone is
usually smaller during adverse weather conditions, or when the
animal is on rocky, muddy or icy ground. It's also a little smaller
if the animal is eating or drinking. A fence between the herder
and the animals usually shrinks the zone. But it usually grows
if you approach an animal that's against a fence.
Not only that, the size of the flight zone can change by the minute. Typically, the zone will shrink as you work an animal in a calm, patient manner. But if you start your approach too fast with your arms flailing or in a nervous manner, the zone can expand.
How fast and how far the animal goes depends on how excited or stressed the animal has become, the nature and magnitude of your threat, how the rest of the herd is reacting and how you penetrate the zone. The direction the animal flees depends mostly on the angle of your approach and which portion of the zone you penetrate. (See drawing.)
For example, if your approach is straight
in from the side to a cow's hip, there's an 85- to 95-percent
chance that she'll move forward, says Smith. He bases these percentages
on more than 9,000 measured observations where cows were at least
three to four body lengths from their nearest neighbor, and the
herder approached in a slow, calm and deliberate manner, looking
straight ahead.
If your approach is straight in to the shoulder, or at
a 45-degree angle to the hip from the front, the cow will move
forward just 70 to 90 percent of the time, continues Smith. An
approach to the hip at a 45-degree angle from the rear moves the
animal forward 80 to 85 percent of the time. However, if you approach
from directly behind the cow where she cannot see you–as
most of us have been taught to do–she will likely turn until
she can see you, and then run off in whatever direction she's
now facing, not necessarily the direction you wanted her to go.
 |
IF YOU PENETRATE A COW'S FLIGHT ZONE AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE FROM THE FRONT TOWARD THE COW'S HIP, THERE'S A 70- TO 90-PERCENT CHANCE SHE'LL MOVE FORWARD. UNDERSTANDING THE PREDICTABLE RESPONSES OF THIS AND OTHER APPROACHES CAN HELP YOU MOVE INDIVIDUALS AND HERDS WITH LESS STRESS. |
Pigs respond differently from
cattle. Dominant pigs typically nudge or butt less dominant pigs
out of their way, usually with a head butt to the shoulders. You
can mimic this action with a gentle prod to the shoulders with
a stout board or cane. Pigs that are being moved slowly and gently
also respond well to the "carrot" reward of food dangled
tantalizingly at the front of the pack in the direction you want
them to move.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Herding gets a little more
complicated when you add barriers such as fences, corrals and
gates, and start factoring in the individual animal's position
relative to the rest of the herd and where you're trying to get
the animal to go. But once you understand how the flight zone
works, you can get individual animals–and with a few more
tactics entire herds–to go just about anywhere, in most cases
by yourself.
You could start experimenting by trial and error with just these
basic flight-zone principles. But Smith, Williams and Grandin
have already mastered the techniques under virtually every imaginable
condition with everything from your run of-the-mill domesticated
livestock to wild horses and even reindeer. Instead of reinventing
the wheel, I highly recommend studying their books and videos,
or attending one of their workshops.
Meantime, here are some additional tips to help you start reducing
stress when you herd and handle your animals:
Lose the shades. Maybe it's because sunglasses make you
look like a superdilated and angry predator. The experts aren't
exactly sure why. But when herders wear shades, the animals become
more nervous and excitable.
Ship the bad apples. Every herd has a total jerk or two–critters
that are always nervous, jostling, kicking and pawing and never
go where you want them to. Ship them. You'll be amazed at the
tranquility just one trip to the butcher can restore.
Listen to your animals. Pay attention to their vocalizations
as well as their body language. Interpreting the herd's subtle
language is relatively uncharted territory says Smith. But you
may be able to pick up cues on its mood and how animals on the
other side of the pack will respond to your movements.
Think like the animals. If they're hungry, it's a whale
of a lot easier to move them toward the feed bunk than away from
it. Don't forget that animals like to socialize. Honor that need
and you'll minimize stress.
Go solo. One good herder using flight-zone principles can
move individual animals or an entire herd with ease. But more
than one person can present a confusing image to the animals,
especially if the other folks don't have a clue about low-stress
herding techniques. If someone insists on working with you, cinch
them tight up to your belt so you'll present a single image to
your animals.
A person's comfort zone, like an animal's flight zone, varies in size. It usually extends 3 to 5 feet, closing to 2 feet or so in friendly, unstressful surroundings. Violate this zone, and people will pull back, turn their head away or exhibit some other sign of "flight." Keep violating the zone, and they'll find an excuse to leave. Try rapidly approaching someone's flight zone until you're 2 feet from their face. Or try it while waving your hands and shouting. While they're calling security (and you're wiping the blood off your nose), try explaining to them you're just testing outdated ways of herding cattle. Before they return the favor, tell them about new methods that avoid the stress animals feel when they're approached in a similar fashion. —R.K. |
Get out of the saddle and leave
the dogs at home. Be honest:
Are your horses and dogs truly more of a help than a hindrance?
Not many horses will plod along as slowly as a contented cattle
herd wants to move. Most horses will push the herd too fast. This
can cause cattle to break into a trot, then a lope, and a gallop
until you finally have a full-fledged stampede on your hands.
As Smith puts it, "If you really feel you must use that fast-paced
horse, you need to ask yourself if your intent is to work the
cattle or exercise the horse."
Smith also quips that most herding dogs he's been around
must be named "Getouttahere!" My own experience is that
the majority of dogs are at precisely the wrong place at the wrong
time about half of the herding day. Nothing is more impressive
than a well-trained stock dog at work. But even the better ones
work the animals far too fast. They get the job done, but they
cause about the same level of stress as the whoop-n-holler
guys.
Recognize stockmansbip. We all know people who just seem
to be naturally at ease with animals. Whatever these folks ask
of the critters, they respond in the right way. The calming effect
these handlers have on the herd translates into better weight
gains, more milk, dependable breeding and effortless birthing.
They're worth their weight of gold to your operation. "Anyone
can be taught the basics of herding and handling. But there's
another, more intangible quality–a kind of instinctive sensitivity
to animals and their needs–that you can't teach. That sensitivity
probably has more to do with how well someone will be able to
minimize stress while working with your animals.
My free advice (take it for what it's worth): That rough-and-ready
buck with the "No Fear" tee shirt may be able to ride
and rope with the best of them, so send him to the rodeo. But
his shy brother or kid sister may be the one you really want caring
for your animals.
Editor's Note: Randy Kidd is a consulting veterinarian based
in Kansas City, Mo.
| Resources |  |