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In part vii of our "What'southward Your Beef?" series on raising cattle on small farms, we discuss how yous must be vigilant virtually rubber when working with cattle.

This is the seventh article in our "What's Your Beef" serial on beefiness cattle management and focuses on safety considerations when working with beef cattle. The six previous articles can be accessed in the Small Farm Quarterly archives.

Bulls can be unsafe and are never to be trusted!
Rich Taber/ Not bad Northern Subcontract

Each year, thousands of people throughout the USA are injured, and a few are killed when around cattle. Beef cows and bulls can be extremely large, heavy animals sometimes weighing upwardly of a ton. After a lifetime of working around dairy cattle, beef cattle, and sheep, I have seen my share of accidents with different classes of livestock. Bulls in particular tin be extremely dangerous.  They can be territorial and may attack you if you disrupt them when they are breeding. Several years ago, a onetime FFA student of mine was killed by a belligerent Jersey balderdash. That same year, I was attacked past a young Jersey bull that I was using to brood some dairy heifers. The bull had been fine and acted just similar whatsoever other beast in the herd. Then one day out of the blue he came after me while I was in the dorsum of an old manure wagon feeding hay. I came out of this unscathed; however, the balderdash soon left the farm. As a dominion, beef bulls are not as dangerous as dairy bulls, but still can never be trusted. Cows with newborn calves tin can be very aggressive towards humans and y'all must never turn your back on them. If you're going out into the pasture to ear tag or cheque on infant calves, a bawling dogie can trigger very hostile reactions from the mama moo-cow, and its all-time to take someone with you lot for assist.

Earlier we delve further, I am going to suggest that y'all investigate the docility of the breed of cattle that you are working with. Some breeds are much more docile, and "laid dorsum" if you volition. Bogus insemination studs take docility indexes for different breeds; docility can vary between breeds as well every bit within breeds. I have a ingather of calves this twelvemonth that "go ballistic" when we try to handle them; I will not be retaining any of them for convenance replacements. I will be looking for a different sire breed next ear for my replacement bull. Every bit you get older, dealing with wild, unruly animals gets old rapidly! If genetics can help, avail yourself!

I take some information here excerpted from Gempler's Tailgate Training Tip Sheet #98. "Dangers of Bulls and Other Cattle" and embellished with some of my own experiences.

Mike Baker explains how to safely vaccinate cattle at a Beef Quality Assurance course at the author'southward farm, highlighting the cattle clasp chute.
Rich Taber/ Neat Northern Farm

• Ofttimes, injuries occur because an animal, such as a moo-cow, appears to be gentle, and the person working with the animal is caught off baby-sit. This is the old "familiarity breeds contempt" concept. I recently read of an animal sanctuary subcontract taking in a mature bull that for virtually a year was the hit of the farm, every bit he let visitors rub his nose and forehead. And so the day came when he maimed and almost killed his handler in a twist of personality.

•  Bruises, broken basic, crushed limbs, or fifty-fifty death may occur from falling or getting knocked down or run over past an brute.

• Cattle are unable to see directly backside them, because of that, they can be easily startled. Speak gently and don't yell or scream at your cattle.

• As mentioned, if a cow has a newborn calf, be certain to keep your distance because the female parent volition exist very protective and avert walking between the cow and her calf.

• Its disquisitional that you use extreme caution when yous are around a bull. I brand information technology a practice of always keeping note of where the bull is when I am out feeding my herd. I accept to go off the tractor to peel the remaining net wrap off of the round bales. I try to remove as much plastic outer wrap and net wrap or strings before going into the field. Generally, I can't cut the cyberspace wrap off until I am right at the bale feeder or else the bale volition fall autonomously earlier I want to deposit it. Just the bull's location is e'er on my mind!

• This fall has been very aggravating with endless rain and subsequent mud, muck, and sloppy conditions being the norm. I move my feeders every few days to limit the formation of quagmires which are unsafe to work though. You don't want to be stuck in a quicksand similar, boot sucking nightmare that impede your movements effectually the cattle.

• Never beat your cattle with clubs, sticks, canes, etc. Keep your voice depression and brand loud noses that can startle animals. NEVER EVER run or chase animals!

• If the cows leave, and people unfamiliar with cattle handling techniques come to assistance y'all round them up, instruct them Not to chase, yell, or run later on cattle!  I have had improve success in rounding upwardly cattle with one or two experienced handlers rather than a bunch of people running around stirring upward a disaster!

• Always programme an escape road in case you run into trouble.

• Know that cattle have a "flight zone." This is the animal'south personal space. When y'all come within that zone, the animal will move.

• Never mistreat cattle! If you run across a co-worker chirapsia or pain an animal take remedial activeness!

Beef cattle sooner or later require management activities to occur; this necessitates that the animals be restrained. Castrations, vaccinations, pregnancy checking, artificial insemination, and ear tagging are a few examples. If you're in the beefiness business organisation for the long booty, you will need to invest in a handling system. A squeeze chute will be at the top of the list, equally well equally a corral organisation to handle the animals. "Bud boxes" have become quite popular in recent years to handle cattle in; they funnel the animals safely into the squeeze chute.  Veterinarians will be much more than conducive to coming to your place when needed if the animals tin can be safely restrained.

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Temple Grandin is a earth-famous instructor and writer concerning the prophylactic, humane treatment of subcontract animals. Her knowledge has been influential in retrofitting beast facilities to safer and more humane facilities. Two excellent books that she has authored are "Humane Livestock Handling" and "Working with Farm Animals".

dixonspladebeforn.blogspot.com

Source: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2022/01/staying-safe-around-beef-cattle/

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