Stress-free Stockmanship

Autor: Joep Driessen

Date: June 2017

Bergharen, the Netherlands

Inspired by Bud Williams, Texas.

Probably the best cattle stockman ever.

Video course on Stress-free stockmanship

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See also 2 pages stress-free stockmanship in CowSignals Checkbook

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 Poor attitude
farm worker

WHY STRESS-FREE STOCKMANSHIP?

o Less accidents
o Less lameness Bad/unpredicatble Poor bahaviour
o More milk production behaviour cow towards cow
o More working pleasure

5 TIPS FROM JOEP DRIESSEN Scared cow

1. Wiggling

When you’re standing still, it’s hard for a cow to see you. By wiggling – a small
movement where you move your weight from one foot to the other – it’s easier for
her to notice you.

2. Zigzag in a T to the gate

If you want to move a cow to the gate, walk in straight lines behind here at a 90°
angle from the direction that you want the cow to go in. The long end of the ‘T’ is
the direction that you want the cow to go in, the short end of the ‘T’ are your
walking lines. When the cow is moving in the right direction, you can shorten your
walking lines.

By doing this, the cow can see you behind her in her peripheral vision, so she won’t
get restless. By showing up on both her left and right, you prevent her from
changing direction.

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3. Step back
Be aware of the cows flight zone: if she starts to move, you are in her pressure
zone. Step back as soon as she moves to reward her.

4. Stay at her left

A cow’s flight center is located in the right half of her brain. Therefore, the cow
wants to keep her left eye on you.

5. A cow is a flight animal and a herd animal

Keep the cow’s nature in mind. She’s a herd animal, so she want to stay with the
herd or at least be able to keep an eye on them. However, she’s also a flight animal.
She’ll want to keep an eye on you always.

“IF YOU WANT TO BE FAST, THINK LAST”

Dr. Gerard Cramer, DVM,
University of Minnesota

L = LOCATION
A= ANGLE
S = SPEED
T = TIMING

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THE BUDBOX

Invention by Bud Williams, 80 years experience from age 12 till 92.

Probably the best stockman ever and the inspiration for this training.

Goal: move cows stress-free to area 3 by one person

(for example a trailer or treatment area)

2.
X
3.

1.

1. Move the cows from area 1 to area 2.

After that, close a swing gate to prevent cows from moving back

2. The cows will turn around at the dead end and try to go back from where they
came from. However, their only option will be to move on to area 3.

3. Once the cows are turned around, you stand on

spot X and only move (wiggle) from left to right a bit.
The cows will be inclined to go around you. By
stepping near the opening, you will prevent the cows
from going in all at once. By stepping away from the
opening, you will invite cows to go in area 3. Notice
how the cows make a left turn?

Video with examples Bud Box

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BONUS:
A SUMMARY OF AN EDUCATIONAL DAY ON STRESS-FREE STOCKMANSHIP, ORGANIZED BY
VETVICE IN COWSIGNALS TRAINING CENTER, THE NETHERLANDS

Autors: Alies Westerveen, Joep Driessen

Date: November 25th, 2014

Speakers:
Neil Chesterton, dvm: www.lamecow.co.nz
Jan Hulsen, dvm, msm: Vetvice - CowSignals
Alies Westerveen, V-instinct
Lesley Moffat, Margreet Steendijke: Eyes on Animals

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JAN HULSEN - INTERNATIONAL EXPERT ON COW MANAGEMENT

Stress-free Stockmanship is all about attitude and awareness.

Circumstances can be changed easily, but to change
behaviour is much more difficult.

Why stress-free stockmanship

o Lameness/ milk production. An Australian research shows
that docile cows (small flight distance) can reduce the percentage of lameness
in a herd with 42% and can improve the milk production with 1,5 litre a day.
o Work pleasure. People who don’t enjoy their work are more often rude and
unpredictable to their cows. This results in fearful animals that can become
aggressive. Famers who do enjoy their cows are more quiet and predictable
and the cows are more relaxed. Vicious circle. Research from Australia shows
that training of stockpersons can give a reduction of negative behaviour up to
50%.
o It can prevent accidents with inseminators. 15-20% of the farm accidents are
with cattle.

Understanding the cow

o A cow is a long, rigid object of 500-650 kg. She can’t bend, so don’t make sharp
turns in your barn.
o A cow will follow her head. So if she turns her head because she can’t see you,
she will turn her body and her direction of movement.
o The walking speed of cows is slower than the speed of humans, so adjust to
their speed. If she has to move too quickly, the head will go up and she won’t
see the ground where she is walking on. High risk of foot problems.
o The eyes of cows protrude, are at the side of the head and the pupil is
rectangular: Only right in front of her she can see with 2 eyes and estimate the
distance. At the side she can see, but not focus. Straight behind her, she has a
blind spot.
o A cow can hear much better than humans, so keep your voice down and don’t
whistle too loud.
o A cow is a herd animal. The herd gives her protection. A cow is not always a
flight animal, when in danger a cow can also attack.

Driving cows
o A cow has a flight zone and a pressure zone. Outside the pressure zone, she
will see you but won’t react. At the pressure zone, the cow will be alert. Cows
start moving when entering the flight zone. Take a step back when she moves
to reward her for the good reaction.

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o A cow has a balance point around the shoulder. Approaching before this point
will make her moves backwards. Approaching behind this point, she will move
forward.
o When driving a herd with 2 people, one should be like a fench; stand still and
do nothing. The other one is driving.

Circumstances
o Cows are afraid of stepping down, walking backwards, sharp turns and
slippery floors.
o Be aware of the order within the herd. The dominant cows define the
walking speed of a herd. Trying to speed up the last cows doesn’t work if
the dominant ones don’t move faster. Also in the holding pen the order is
important. Cows should have enough space to select their own order. No
heads up. The holding pen should never be a negative experience.
o Organise cow flow / infrastructure: think in flows of the herd, “how does the
group moves?” The design of barn and
walking paths should match these natural
movements.
o Training of cows starts with the calves.
They should learn that humans are no
danger. You can teach them by feeding the
calves. The calves will associate the farmer
with something positive (feed). Every
interaction with the animal is a training
session, starting from the day they are
born. Most farmers learn their animals to
stop, instead of how to move (without
knowing they do this). Bud Williams said:
“No matter how good you are at reading
the animal, the animal will always be better
in reading you.”
o Vetvice Rule no. 1 for effective treatments:
1 person should be able to get 1 cow ready in 1 minute for treatment and
he should treat her first time right. So good facilities are essential. The gates
and paths should be right and easy for the cow.
o Genetics are also important on docility of cows.

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NEIL CHESTERTON - INTERNATIONAL EXPERT ON FOOT
HEALTH/LAMENESS AND COW HERDING IN GRAZING SYSTEMS

Research done in 1989 and 2004 on the relationship

between environmental / behavioural factors and
lameness in dairy cows in Taraniki, New Zealand, showed
two main causes:
o Condition of paths/roads
o Impatience of the farmer / handler.
It turned out that 75% of the problems caused by the impatience of the handler,
occurred in the shed, and only 25% on the track. This was not because the
handlers meant to be rude, but it was all ignorance. They just wanted to move the
cows quicker, to save time. But research shows that putting more pressure on
cows will slow down the movement of the herd instead of speeding it up.

The attitude of the handler is essential. The handler should like and enjoy cows.
Poor attitude  poor behaviour towards cows  fearful and difficult behaviour of
cows  Poor attitude because the original opinion of cows is confirmed.
This is a negative feedback loop. The loop can be broken by training the handler.

Research shows that low fear levels (cortisol) in cows give better production (up to
16%), more ease of handling and a better health and welfare of the cows and
people.

12 characteristics of cows
1. A cow is a prey animal. They are watching everything and see people as a
predator, another cow or as irrelevant. Sudden movement mimics a predator
so will stress them.
Key Remember: cows see you as a predator
2. Arousal. Arousal level of zero means a sleeping cow. To do things
(eat/drink/move) there has to be a certain level of arousal. But, when the level
gets too high, it becomes negative (stress). Key  When herding keep arousal
low.
3. Cows are visual. Cows are always watching you. They need time to look at things
that are in the corner of their eye to get a bifocal vision. They also see more
contrast. Give them time to explore. Key  Move slowly, don’t herd from close
behind.
4. Foot placement. A cow need to look where she puts her front leg. Her back leg
will follow in the same step. Heads up is wrong: she can’t look to the ground.
Steps are easier for cows than a slope. Key  No heads up.

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5. Cows are followers. Give them room to follow another cow, also in the holding
pen.
Key  Be patient and trust cows to follow the one moving in the right direction.
6. Dominance & leadership. The high dominance cows are spread throughout the
herd. 50% are in the front third of the herd. Key  Initiate movement but let the
leaders lead.
7. Walking order and milking order. (Different order!) 1,8 – 2 m2per cow necessary
to allow them to change order. Don’t force them in the milking parlor, that will
give stress.
Key  Cows have their own order. Don’t impose your order.
8. Cows have a “working space “/ flight zone. Signs of too much pressure are:
Bunch up each other instead of following , side way touching each other, ears
back
heads up, reversing movement (going backwards).
Key  Reduce pressure and work outside or on the edge of cow’s flight zone
9. Balance point. Point of balance around the shoulder.
Key  Use the balance point to get movement in the direction you require.
10. Cows learn voice signals. Cows are sensitive to high frequency and are
disturbed by high volumes, yelling, whistling. Cows have difficulty locating
sound, they will try to locate it by vision. No radio is best, otherwise not too
loud, so cows can hear other sounds.
Key  Establish friendly voice calls
11. Cows recognize people. Probably by posture, mood, sight, smell etc. Cows
have a good sense of smell. They pass on stress by pheromones in e.g. urine.
Key  Give cows a good positive experience to connect with you.
12. Cows are creatures of habits. Cows can learn difficult procedures, but also
remember fearfull experiences. Key  Establish and keep routines consistent.

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LESLEY MOFFAT AND MARGREET STEENDIJKE (EYES ON ANIMALS)

gave a short presentation on the work of their NGO

organisation which aims for reducing animal suffering.
Their focus is on transport and slaughter houses. They
train and advise all parties involved. They also want to
make the farmers aware of what can happen with an
animal when leaving their farm. Farmers can have some influence on the wellbeing
of the animals by choosing good transport companies to work with (companies
who abide by the law and take care of the animals in a proper way) and by not
putting animals on transport that are not capable of standing up in a trailer
anymore. Euthanize those animals or send them away earlier, when they still can
walk.

ALIES WESTERVEEN (V-INSTINCT)

gave a short presentation on the experiences of a

project on Stress-free Stockmanship in the
Netherlands. Farmers report back that they are
more aware of their own behaviour, see positive
change in cattle handling and also see and change
behaviour of other people on their farm (like hooftrimmers). Some farmers did
some practical improvements which worked out positively. So in just a short project
of 1 year, good progress is possible.

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