Research proves it — placing less stress on cattle means money in your pocket.
Dr. Tom Troxel, assistant director of the animal science at the University of Arkansas, told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor a number of studies show that handling cattle calmly and quietly is extremely important to subsequent animal performance.
That means “getting cattle used to a handling facility, doing some of the simple things so cattle move easily through a handling facility so you can work them properly and vaccinate them according to Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines,” he said. “Also, if you’re involved with an estrus synchronization AI program, research has shown that any kind of stress during the time of artificial insemination breeding can reduce conception rates.”
Troxel said there are three points of emphasis in a handling facility where stress can be avoided. The first is getting cattle gathered from a pasture to a smaller pen or crowding area. Cattle can balk and turn back at that point, and it’s important to condition them so they’ll move smoothly to the sorting area. Second is preparing to move them single file down a crowding alley and into the chute. He said, “A lot of times in modern facilities, they’ll put cattle into a tub and work into a circular motion, into a crowding alley going into a head gate. One of the biggest mistakes that I’ll see people make is getting too many cattle in the tub. When that happens, the cattle cannot turn around; they get crowded and forced in there, so they cannot move freely and move properly through the tub.”
Finally, cattle will also sometimes balk as they circle towards the head gate. Troxel cautioned against leaving items like coats hanging in that area to block the animals’ vision, or that can distract them with shadows or reflections. The alley should provide good footing so the cattle won’t slip and fall, and excess noise should be discouraged; Troxel said, “Banging, clanging, whooping, hollering, or dogs barking will cause cattle to stop and hesitate, looking to see what it is before they enter the chute or head gate.”
Bob Schultheis, natural resource engineering specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Center at Webster County, offered OFN a number of tips for constructing cattle handling facilities to reduce stress. Among the design features should be a 1 to 3 percent slope or grade to drain water away and prevent mud; durable, low maintenance fencing; a system that will funnel animals to a single file, closed-loop sorting, and allows for managing gate swing directions; and driveways designed to handle the largest trucks or trailers expected to be used. A safe and efficient access system should be installed for the veterinarian, which “makes them more willing to come back,” Schultheis said. “A good system won’t necessarily be a cheap system. Budget accordingly.”
Schultheis also suggests ranchers should learn how cattle think. “They have a tendency to circle, in order to see other herd members and to see what is behind them,” he said. “So use curves in the chute to keep them moving.”
Cattle remember painful experiences, so the A.I. and squeeze chute should not be the same. They also can’t judge distances well, so keep wire fences visible.
Schultheis said the working alley should be no more than 28 to 30 inches wide to prevent the cattle from turning, and the holding pen should allow for 20 square feet per head to hold all or part of the herd. The alleys leading to the sorting pens should be 10 to 12 feet wide, and the lead-up alley and working chute should have curved sidewalls a minimum of 5 feet high with sloping/adjustable sides to match animal size, a “2-4” opening at the bottom, and should be at least 20 feet long to hold three or four head. The posts should be anchored at least 36 to 42 inches deep in the ground.
