cattle handling Archives

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

The fall run: the rancher’s sprint

A Little Bit Western: Most of the revenue, data and calf movement come in the fall

By Tara Mulhern Davidson December 26, 2024

I like to joke that ranching is a marathon, except when it is a sprint, and then it’s that too. There are certainly times when you are racing from one urgent task to another. While it feels like the rest of the working world has three to five business days to respond to a request, […] Read more

The RFID tag should be put ideally a quarter of the way out from the head and in the middle.

Cattleman’s Corner

More cattle tags being retained

Animal Health: Tag makers continue to improve reliability of tags against harsh conditions

By Roy Lewis June 13, 2024

The national livestock identification system has been around for a good while now, close to 25 years. Through the system’s growing pains, lots of lessons have been learned and the system is being fine-tuned. Producers are deriving more and more benefit from using farm management systems linked to readers linked to scales, all based on […] Read more

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are expected to expand in the livestock-handling sector as labour shortages grow.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Processing cattle with artificial intelligence

Machine learning is now part of high-tech livestock handling equipment

By Bruce Derksen February 24, 2023

Many and perhaps most livestock operations still require physical labour and manual record-keeping for handling equipment and processing cattle. While head gates, squeeze chutes, gates, alleys and tubs have become more advanced in their operation, some human strength, exertion and neural competence are still required for their manipulation. But one company says that may change. […] Read more

You need some patience, but the positioning of this cowboy to the side of the heifer will gently encourage her to move forward without a lot of yelling and stress.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Make use of portable corrals on pasture

Weaning and timely vaccinations can be done without bringing the herd home

By Heather Smith Thomas March 24, 2022

Using portable equipment (some of which is not new but hasn’t been mainstream in the cattle industry) such as portable corrals or a “Bud Box” can make handling much easier when cattle are in large range pastures, says Dr. Tom Noffsinger, a Nebraska veterinarian. Having proper facilities makes it much easier to sort and load […] Read more

Slow down and keep keep cattle calm — best formula to keep everyone safe.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Work cattle with safety top of mind

Low-stress handling practices better for cattle and their handlers

By Karleen Clark October 20, 2020

As we head into another busy time of year for cattle producers and handlers, it’s good to stop and think about all the increased risks we face over the next couple of months. Fall is a dangerous time because there is just a lot more movement as ranchers bring in cows and calves that haven’t […] Read more

Pushing cattle at processing can be stressful on them and hard on facilities.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

How to reduce stress when processing cattle

Human behaviour has a big impact on livestock behaviour

By Roy Lewis September 20, 2019

Reducing stress can help improve health, animal welfare and production of our cattle. They do better when their heart rates, respiratory rates and cortisol levels are lower. Stress during processing, transporting, loading, unloading and any other interaction can all be reduced. A lot has been written and described on stress-free cattle handling. I would encourage producers to check out videos on the Merck […] Read more

Livestock

Five tips for easier cattle processing

September 28, 2018

As part of his appearance at the Western Canada Feedlot Management School, Curt Pate gave a processing demonstration at Ceylon Gap Feeders in Ceylon, Sask. Here are some of his tips for effectively creating flow through a processing system.

The Fentons have learned that taking the noise and panic out of handling horses and cows makes the job of working with livestock go so much easier.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Patience is key for easy cattle handling

Stay calm, stay quiet and let cattle think it through for themselves

By Heather Smith Thomas June 13, 2018

Cattle are smart and adaptable, learning from their mothers and the environment around them. They respond to good handling by becoming easy to manage. Mishandled, they react with suspicion or fear when they see people, and can become “wild” and difficult to handle. Many ranchers are learning the value of low-stress handling and how easy […] Read more

If a squeeze isn’t bolted to a cement floor, use large bolts to anchor it to posts around the chute.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Maintain facilities for improved workflow

The job gets done and it’s safer for both workers and livestock

By Michael Thomas March 6, 2018

Because the facilities and equipment around here are all showing some age, I have had to make an effort to go through them a bit ahead of working cows and calves in order to find, repair, or replace items that have worn out or been damaged, and we still have a few surprises. Cattle chute […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

Simple Bud Box adds ease to cattle handling

Famed cattle handler Bud Williams left a legacy with a design that’s been copied across the world

By Kim Nielsen May 29, 2015

I always marvel at farmer innovations and the fact some people continue the search for “a better mousetrap” even as you might say they are getting “long in the tooth.” The late Bud Williams was an exemplary lifelong learner, fine-tuning ways to handle livestock throughout his life and never passing up the opportunity to share […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News