Have you ever heard of key concepts in low-stress cattle handling, such as the pressure zone, flight zone, and point of balance? In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, Dr Johan Cloete founder of Vet2Farm, a herd health consultation services company, helps us make sense of these terms and why they are important for both the well-being of the animals and the efficiency of livestock operations.
By exploring these concepts and learning how to apply them in practice, you can create a more stress-free environment for cattle, improve handling efficiency, and ultimately, enhance the welfare and productivity of these animals in your care.
Understanding low-stress handling
For low-stress handling management, a farmer needs to have patience and time. Even more so to understand the cattle, how they understand the world through their eyes, and when they feel a sense of danger.
“Low-stress livestock handling has no additional costs other than the time needed to master the skills. Low-stress livestock handling is encouraged by experts all over the world. In actuality, lots of farmers employ these methods,” explains Cloete.
Catching up with a #SoilSista
And this week, we celebrate #SoilSista Wendy Malope who found her true calling in farming, tracing back to her grandmother’s wisdom. From corporate communications to agriculture, her journey in the Corteva Agriscience Women Agripreneur Programme has transformed her life, fostering hope.
In this episode, Cloete also discusses:
- Understanding the point of balance;
- Flight zones;
- Pressure zone and more.
Want to know more? Listen to the full episode of Farmer’s Inside Track.
Option 1: Click here to listen on Spotify (all mobile and other devices).
Option 2: Click here to listen on any Apple device.
Option 3: Click here to listen on Google Podcast.
ALSO READ: You can’t keep a good farmer down – just ask EC’s Mhlambi
Enjoyed reading? Tell us why with a quick 5-min survey!
Sign up for Farmer’s Inside Track: Join our exclusive platform for new entrants into farming and agri-business, with newsletters and podcasts.
