Easy tips for low stress cattle handling

Low stress cattle handling techniques will provide many benefits to rancher s and feed lot operators. Animals that remain calm during handling and in t he squeeze chute will be more productive. Cattle that become highly agitate d when they are restrained in a squeeze chute will have lower weight gains and are more likely to have dark cutting beef.(1,2) Cattle that remain calm during handling are also safer to handle and injuries to both people and c attle will be reduced. Handling and transport stress can lower immune funct ion(3) and may have detrimental effects on reproduction.(4) Australian rese archers have found that fearful animals are less productive.(5) Dairy cattl e which approached people and were not restless during milking produced mor e milk.(5).