Keeping Cattle Calm Key to Productivity

by Penny on July 26, 2010

in How To

Working cattle during the summer isn’t ideal due to the additional stress the heat causes for people and cattle, but sometimes it still needs to be done.

There were recently 2 articles published about handling cattle and the importance of keeping them calm.

In “Keeping cattle calm increases productivity”, Dr. Temple Grandin, cattle behavior expert, shares tips for low-stress handling.

“Large animals can seriously injure handlers and/or themselves if they become excited or agitated,” Dr. Grandin says. “Reducing stress on animals has been demonstrated to improve productivity and physiological changes.”

Dr. Ron Gill shares his experiences with handling cattle in the article “Cattle Expert Models Low-Stress Handling”.

“Gill emphasized that better handling of beef animals not only leads to better public relations, but it also puts less stress on the cattle and the cattle handler.”

What are your tips for handling cattle? Click the comments link below and let us know.

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Chuck and Peggy Johnston, who own Two J Farms in Sarasota County, Florida, were recently recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture’s stewardship program.

In the feature, Chuck mentions using the CattleMax software “on a laptop computer in his Chevy truck”. What a recognition of the impact CattleMax has in their ranch operations!

Congratulations Chuck and Peggy!

Read the full article “Manatee rancher proves to be conservation trailblazer”

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Water Essential to Cattle Health

July 19, 2010

The summer heat brings challenges to cattle production. A few weeks ago, there were several articles about helping your cattle handle the heat.
You’ll also want to be sure your cattle have access to plenty of quality water. In a recent article by Chel Terrell, it’s mentioned that research at the University of Georgia showed:
Water requirements [...]

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Summer Fly Control Options

July 14, 2010

Are you having a problem with fly control in your cattle herd? Some years in my area, the fly problem is not bad because we’re normally very dry in the summertime, but this year, because of abundant spring rains, the flies are present in large numbers.
The experts tell us it doesn’t take a large [...]

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Participate in a Real-Time CattleMax Demonstration at Your Own Computer

July 14, 2010

This month’s CattleMax online workshop schedule is ready. Join us on Tuesday, July 20, 8-9PM CST or Thursday, July 29, 8-9PM CST (or both) to see and hear about CattleMax right at your own computer!
When you sign up for the free workshop, you’ll receive an email with all of the details of how to join [...]

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Cattlesoft to Attend Beef Cattle Short Course

July 7, 2010

For the 10th straight year, we will be at the Beef Cattle Short Course taking place at the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas on August 2-4. This 3-day course is an incredible opportunity to learn more about cattle production, hear from industry experts and meet your fellow cattle producers.
Come visit with Ken [...]

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Carl Andersen: From University Professor to Cattle Ranching

July 2, 2010

It’s always interesting to hear about rancher’s backgrounds and their start in the cattle industry. For Carl Andersen, cattle ranching had always been an interest and, after a career of teaching at Texas Tech University, this became a reality. Now, with his son Mark, the pair depend on CattleMax to help them keep their cattle [...]

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Cattle Raisers Mourn the Loss of Gov. Dolph Briscoe

June 28, 2010

I was saddened today to learn that Gov. Dolph Briscoe had passed away at the age of 87.  I remember meeting him several years ago at the TSCRA Convention & Tradeshow while I was working our tradeshow booth.
It wasn’t uncommon for attendees to walk by our booth and see an empty chair and sit down [...]

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Effects of Summer Heat on Cattle

June 25, 2010

With summertime officially here, so is the heat. While we are try to cope with the summer heat, it’s a tough time on our cattle. Here several articles that talk more about the effect of heat on cattle and how you can help.
A recent article, Guarding Against Cattle Heat Stress, mentions several ways to help [...]

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The Economic Importance of Culling Open Cows

June 18, 2010

Culling cows can be decided throughout the year, and is a common discussion in the summer and winter months when grass and resources may be sparse. Many ranches use a cow’s breeding history to decide (or at least influence) if she stays on the ranch, or needs to be culled.

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Extension [...]

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