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Animal Handling & Planning
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Keep your wits about you in their territory
Friday, 14 August 2009
By Angelique Jurd
When you are dealing with stock – in particular male stock and in particular if you are feeling unsure – do not underestimate the importance of a gate.
Or to be more exact the importance of having one between you and the animals. While the gate is still in that spot is the time to check what the animals are doing and how they are behaving – not after.
It is too late to be checking their behaviour when you are inside the paddock. You are now in their territory, in the minority and if you are especially unlucky, in the brown sticky stuff they have left on the ground. Your stock don’t care the title deed is in your name or if you pay the feed bills – they only care who has the hardest head or biggest horns. Chances are, they do.
This is not to say that all animals are unpredictable and dangerous – simply that you must take care when you enter a paddock with your stock. How animals are going to react will depend on a lot of things including their age, their sex, how many are in the paddock, how much human handling they have had, and sometimes how the wind is blowing.
Bulls in particular should be considered potentially dangerous, especially when they get old and territorial. Old bulls might be slower to move but remember they can all go from zero to full speed stomp in a matter of seconds and they are much heavier than you are – so chances are they are going to be the winner if you get into an awkward situation.
Dairy stock are usually easy to handle by virtue of being milked daily. Beef cows normally hide their very young calves in a crèche when they are away from them grazing. The cows may panic if they see you as a threat, and especially if a calf starts blaring. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security because you are in the paddock with a sheep either. Under the right conditions any animal can be dangerous.
My father used to tell a story about a neighbour who was badly injured after he underestimated both the bad mood and the power of a Romney ram he was working with.
Note the reaction of all stock when you approach them – are they in flight or fight mode? Are they curious about you or keen to get away from you? If you suspect they are being aggressive or are going to be aggressive, back off and seek help.
DANGER SIGNS
- Rushing towards you with head lowered and pawing the ground.
- Standing facing you with head bobbing up and down.
- Roaring with saliva dribbling from the mouth.
- Snorting with mucous flying from their nostrils.
- Large protruding eyes with the white parts very obvious.
- A side-on stance with one eye looking at you and head ready for a side-swipe shown by bulls.
- Tail raised and swishing, and defecating profusely.
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