SHONE FARM BEEF CATTLE GUIDELINES
BEHAVIOR
Knowing your cattle: Observing and assessing behavior patterns in cattle is important in
determining good health or stress due to pain or other outside influences. In observing cattle
individually and as a herd, illness, injury and stress can be noticed quickly and proper care can be
taken, thereby, creating a healthier, more productive herd.
Handling Stress lowers conception rates and reduces both immune and rumen function, therefore,
recognizing and understanding typical and atypical behavior in cattle in general, as well as in the
individual herd, is paramount when designing livestock facilities, minimizing animal stress and injury
and to assure safe and efficient interaction between cattle and handlers.
Cattle always think in terms of dominance: someone is always above or below them in hierarchy
status – either bossing them, or being bossed by them. Handlers must always be the boss in the
cattle’s mind – not feared but totally respected.
Understanding the way cattle think and why they react the way they do, can help the handler
persuade them to perform a task safely and calmly. With understanding, a handler can often
predict how any given cow or herd will react in a situation and be able to anticipate and plan, thus
having fewer problems.
Cattle can be taught routines (adults easier than calves) and will remember after having done
something only once: where to find water; where the best pasture is; where the gates are and a
path to the different gates. They also remember where the bees are and those who handle them
with respect and consistency – and those that don’t.
In handling cattle properly, they will willingly go where you want them to go and will move quietly
and naturally when properly guided. They can be trained to come when called and will readily
follow a handler if they know there is a positive outcome in the end.
Senses: Originally prey animals, cattle rely on sight and smell to detect predators and respond
with fighting or fleeing. “Fight or Flight” is a deeply ingrained instinctual response in order to survive
when they fear something strange or new that they do not understand. How they perceive their
environment governs their response to it.
Cattle have wide-angle vision (a field of vision nearly 360°), have relatively poor depth perception
and can distinguish between most colors. They rely on their vision to recognize herd mates and
handlers and to interpret signals given by both - conveyed by postures: head and body positions.
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BEHAVIOR (Senses) - continued
Cattle have more sensitive hearing than humans and can move their ears to improve their acuity of
hearing. Threatening and non-threatening information is passed between cattle via hearing and
vocalizations, therefore, a sudden or unexpected loud noise may startle the cattle. This is an
important safety consideration when handling cattle. Cattle may become adapted to loud,
consistent noises in their environment within a 5 day period – according to scientific research.
Smell and taste are important for reproductive status of cows, bonding between a cow and her
calf, identifying territory and establishing feed preferences.
Tactile stimulation (touch) signals the cattle’s central nervous system to trigger physiological and
behavior changes. Signals of heat, cold, pressure or pain may cause an animal to respond by
changing their body position or behavior to conserve or avoid heat or to flee its immediate
environment.
Types of Behaviors: Learned Behaviors: behaviors that are learned by experience in their
environment. This is derived from memory and experiences such as looking for hay upon hearing a
tractor or coming to the sound of a human voice after having been rewarded with food when called.
Instinctive (Innate) Behaviors: behaviors that are “hard-wired” where a cow responds to stimuli
without conscious thought or decision. Examples are breeding and maternal instincts and a calf’s
initial nursing behavior.
Cattle have a natural tendency to follow and this becomes evident when a herd is threatened or
the leader is taking them to food. Being a “Fight or Flight” animal, a “Flight Zone” (an imaginary
bubble around an animal) determines how close a handler can get to a cow. “Following” behavior
and “Flight Zone” are important concepts for handlers to understand and utilize in moving cattle in
order to minimize stress while moving animals and when designing facilities. Moving cattle in small
groups or pairs is favorable and less stressful than trying to move only one animal at a time.
Herd Interactions: Cattle are herd animals – meaning, they prefer to live in a group of cattle rather
than individually penned or isolated. Their behavior is based on
her instincts and social interactions within the herd. Hierarchy in a herd is determined by
“pecking order” where they are ranked by dominance.
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BEHAVIOR (Herd Interactions) - continued
Dominance establishes a predictable relationship between cattle and provides a clear, safe
environment. Every time new animals are introduced into a herd, a reorganization of Dominance
will occur that may be related to age, sex, weight, presence of horns and breed.
When Dominance Reorganization occurs, cattle can become very aggressive and dangerous as
they are focused on each other and not any handlers in their general vicinity. Younger animals do
not display the amount of aggression and fighting that the older animals do. When a herd’s
creature comforts such as resting areas, feed and water become limited, aggression will increase.
Hierarchy and Dominance change depending on the age, health or production status of herd
members.
Bulls and some steers tend to be more unpredictable and aggressive in their behavior toward
humans and other animals. Cows that have calves and are protecting them also tend to be more
aggressive. Cattle will also behave aggressively or defensively toward any animal or predator
threatening their well-being such as dogs, coyotes, mountain lions.
Cattle may attempt to flee a predator and get back to the safety of the herd and in doing so, may
kick out or head butt in an attempt to get away. If an animal is unable to flee or has previous
experience with a predator, it may become very aggressive by head butting, kicking, pawing and
crushing. Often, several members of the herd will engage in this type of defensive behavior and
gang up on the perceived threat. When handlers see an animal displaying a defensive position or
stance (lowered head, head shaking, head weaving and pawing), extra precautions should be
taken. Leaving the immediate area and taking the pressure and threat off of the herd is the best
option.
Vocalization: Cattle are generally quiet animals, therefore, when they vocalize, it is very
noticeable to handlers and herd mates. Vocalization may be triggered by frustration, pain, stress, a
separated cow/calf or realization of food being brought to them. Bulls and steers may emit a low
growling sound or low bellow before showing aggressive behavior. Cattle, however, may give no
warning before becoming aggressive and dangerous, therefore, a handler should always be aware
of an escape route.
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BEHAVIOR – continued
Daily Behavior Pattern: Cattle adhere to daily cycles of resting, grazing and ruminating that may
depend on daylight/darkness cycles, diet needs, age, environment, temperature and anything else
that may affect them on a daily basis. Most grazing occurs just after dawn and just before dusk and
exploration of their environment occurs throughout the day. Exploration, using their senses in
conjunction with locomotion skills, may be triggered by instinctual responses to certain stimuli
depending on age, weight, sex and nutritional or physical needs.
Cattle may have about a total of 7 – 8 hours of rest after experiencing about 20 episodes per day
of drowsy or sleep state. Cattle groom each other and use their tails to keep flies off of each other
and will lay down in a position to protect their sensitive skin areas from flies.
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