Page 215 - The Welfare of Cattle

192 the WeLfare of CattLe

Disposition or level of docility is also under genetic influence. The practice of effective handling
is always a requirement as even docile animals will become combative under conditions of undue
stress caused by poor handling and management techniques. However, by selecting for more docile
animals, the quality of interactions between livestock and humans can be enhanced. Effective stock
handling techniques are heightened by the opportunity to engage with docile animals as opposed to
those more likely to display aggressive or flighty, nervous behavior.

NUtrItION

Meeting nutritional requirements is a primary pivot point for a ranch manager. When feedstuffs
are sufficient to meet the needs of livestock then a number of desirable outcomes are more likely—
high reproductive rates, improved immune response, and better overall herd and individual animal
performance. Thus nutrition is a central pillar upon which animal well-being is constructed.
A survey of 100 successful cow–calf managers and nearly 100 consultants, veterinarians, and
other advisors working with profitable cow–calf enterprises found that the highest two management
priorities for these professionals were herd nutrition and pasture/range management (Field, 2006).
Strategies incorporated by ranch managers to enhance nutritional status of livestock include match-
ing calving season with the seasonality of green forage production, extending the grazing season
and enhancing the nutritional value of standing forage by incorporating rotational grazing systems,
stockpiling forage for late fall, winter and early spring grazing.
Because weather conditions can be variable, effective nutritional management includes the abil-
ity to make appropriate adjustments based on precipitation, effective temperature, wind and other
variables. Stockmanship is founded not only on superior planning and matching the production
system to ranch conditions but also it is the practice of deep observation and intuition that allows
managers the ability to change course and to take corrective action.

animal health

The goal of intentional ranching is to use preventative approaches to avoid disease while retain-
ing the ability and capacity to deal with a disease event should it occur. Healthy livestock result
from good nutrition, a strong immune system, and mitigation of stress. These factors can all be
influenced by the application of sound management including appropriate mineral supplementation,
a correctly designed vaccination program, and the application of low-stress livestock handling
techniques.
Essential to providing high-quality care to livestock is establishing and maintaining a strong
relationship with a veterinarian(s). The veterinary–client–patient relationship is the basis for nearly
all of the key decisions specifically related to the prevention and treatment of disease. However, it
is critical that the selection of a herd veterinarian includes criteria related to the themes of steward-
ship, husbandry, and stockmanship. Without alignment on the values embraced by the ranch, the
relationship with the veterinarian will not yield the highest value.
Stress mitigation is one of the most important approaches available to enhance animal health
and well-being. The elimination of stress from an extensive management system is unrealistic and
impossible. Natural systems are filled with stress points—predation, seasonal changes in tempera-
ture, weather events, and pathogens. Stockmanship and intentional management can be incorpo-
rated to reduce stress in the system as well as to avoid situations where stress is compounded. For
example, a vaccine is likely to stress the animal by introducing a substance designed to elicit an
immune response. However, if stress from poor handling technique and bad facility design are
added to the mix, then the accumulation may actually render the vaccine ineffective.