Latest News• Add My News • Search Old News Gippsland › Latest news › Department of Primary IndustriesAG News: 22/07/2009Take The Stress Out Of Animal Handling; Farming Diary And Milk Price Discussion Forum TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF ANIMAL HANDLING Like humans and other animals, livestock such as sheep and cattle are sentient beings with the ability to evaluate the actions of others in relation to themselves and third parties. Livestock also have a degree of awareness and are capable of remembering some of their own actions and consequences, assessing risks, as well as experiencing feelings and emotions such as fear, happiness, pain and distress. Most farmers understand and can identify the effects that poor feed, water and husbandry have on the welfare of their animals, but are sometimes unaware of the adverse impacts that they can have. Inappropriate handling can lead to fear of humans and, in turn, depending on the regularity of contact and handling, chronic stress responses can burn up energy which could otherwise be used to produce meat, wool or milk. Highly stressed animals translate in economic terms to decreased production, reproduction and growth. Research has shown that inappropriate handling can result in up to a 20 per cent variation in productivity, reproduction and product quality, especially in more intensively handled livestock such as pigs and dairy cattle. Understanding the behaviour of stock and how they perceive humans is a key factor in ensuring stock handlers act in ways that will not initiate a fear response. While fear is a normal and adaptive response designed to prevent injury, chronic fear in animals can cause long term stress responses making routine handling very difficult. When moving livestock, the key skill to low stress stock handling is to apply ‘pressure’ to the flight zone of an animal to make it move, then releasing that pressure when the required movement has been achieved. The most common mistake made is to continue to apply pressure when movement in the desired direction has already started. Canny producers generally use their knowledge of livestock behaviour to advantage in all aspects of livestock production and management. For example, by helping stock to become familiar with humans in a neutral setting, such as a paddock, can help to reduce the impact of negative procedures that are necessary as part of normal animal husbandry. Having properly designed facilities and yards also helps with labour efficiency and allows easy movement of livestock. It’s worth noting that livestock have long memories, especially with respect to unpleasant experiences and will try hard to avoid places where they have had bad experiences, even if there are no stock handlers present. However, the good news is, livestock also learn from and remember good experiences, for example lambs fed supplementary feed with their mothers will consistently come to a feed trail later in life. Livestock are fearful of loud noises, yelling and barking. As a natural defence, they see dogs and humans as predators and will generally try to get away from them. Working an understanding of animal behaviours into your livestock handling techniques will increase productivity. If your livestock are happy, you will be happy too. For more information, contact your nearest Animal Health at DPI Ellinbank on 5624 2222, DPI Leongatha on 5662 9900, or DPI Maffra on 5147 0800 or DPI Bairnsdale on 5152 0400. FARMING DIARY Fire Relief Community Planting Day Community help is sought to help sow 10,000 indigenous plants in areas affected by the 2009 Bunyip Ridge bushfires on Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 9:00 am onwards. The event which includes lunch at 1:00pm will be coordinated from the Labertouche Hall, Cnr Labertouche and Interested helpers are asked to bring gloves, a bucket for watering, sturdy shoes and wet weather clothing. This event is supported by the Cardinia Environment Coalition, Western Port Catchment Landcare Network, Planet Art – National Tree Day and Landcare For more information and catering purposes, please contact Bridgette McCallum on 5941 8446. Milk Price Discussion Forum A dairy forum entitled ‘Lower milk prices – options for this season’ will be held on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at the Macalister Demonstration Farm from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Topics to be covered include:
A farmer led discussion panel will focus on future options for a traditionally high, medium, low and zero input dairyfarms and a BBQ lunch will be provided. For more information or to RSVP, please contact DPI Maffra on 5147 0800. Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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