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Cattle handling
Cattle are more unpredictable during cold windy weather, where cows have calves or if bulls are in proximity to cows in season. Age, breed, sex, experience, horn status, temperament, training and weight are all risk factors that can impact on safety.
Experienced stock people will control the movement of stock and avoid too strong a reaction by the animal by working on the edge of the flight zone.
Handling animals requires that they be outsmarted rather than out fought and that they be out-waited rather than hurried.
When cattle handling:
- Make use of facilities and aids such as head bails, branding cradles, whips and drafting canes.
- Build yards and sheds strong enough and of a size to match the cattle being handled.
- Avoid sharp, blind corners and ensure gates are well positioned.
- Keep facilities in good condition and free from rubbish.
- Use crushes, head bails and cradles to restrain cattle.
- Maintain yards in a non-slippery state.
Other factors that need to be considered include:
- A period of intensive handling in yards and tailing-out as weaners can make subsequent handling of mature animals easier.
- Bulls are more aggressive during the mating season and extremely dangerous when fighting. Separate into different yards where applicable.
- Cows and heifers are most likely to charge when they have a young calf at foot.
- Isolated cattle often become stressed and are likely to charge when approached.
- Cattle with sharp horns are dangerous and dehorning is recommended where practicable.
- Avoid working in overstocked yards.
- While drafting cattle through a gate, work from one side to avoid being knocked down.
- When working with cattle in a crush to vaccinate or apply tail tags, be careful not to crush arms against rails or posts from sudden movement of stock.
- Approach cattle quietly and make sure they are aware of your presence.
- When closing a gate behind cattle in a crush or small yard, stand to one side or with one foot on the gate in case the mob forces the gate back suddenly.
- To avoid injury attempt to work either outside the animal’s kicking range or directly against the animal.
- Follow a regular routine so as not to alarm cows.
- Restrain the animal in a head bail when working on the head.
- Take care when using brands or knives for castrating and bang tailing.
- When working with stud cattle, train animals to accept intensive handling like grooming, washing and clipping.
- When leading cattle on a halter, never wrap the lead rope around your arm or hand.
- Fit bulls with a nose ring and lead by holding up their heads with a nose lead.
- Be aware of the possibility of contracting diseases such as leptospirosis and QFever when working with animals. These diseases are transmitted through contact with blood, saliva and urine.
- Practice strict hygiene and vaccinating herds against such diseases is recommended. A vaccine is also available to protect humans against contracting QFever (non-Queensland Government link).
Last updated 22 July 2008