Rangeland Ecology & Management

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“BULL WHISPERING” IN SWITZERLAND: LOW STRESS HALTER BREAKING FOR BEEF CATTLE
Author
Dahl, Regina
Bork, Edward W.
Brandenburger, Carl
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2015
Body

The safe, efficient and humane handling of bulls is an important component of managing both commercial cow/calf operations and purebred animals intended for show and sale. In this presentation, we provide an overview of a novel method used for ‘taming' breeding bulls. This method, used by Carl Brandenburger, manager of the ‘Plantahof' agricultural school in Switzerland, uses an innovative approach to halter break cattle. The approach is modelled after that used by Monty Roberts on horses but is adapted to the behavior of beef cattle. The process achieves low stress halter braking in only 10 steps, and can easily be performed by most experienced livestock handlers. The result consistently allows most young breeding bulls to be halter broke within less than 30 minutes. Further repetition of halter leading exercises will make most animals ready for handling or auction without exposing them to high stress situations. This poster provides beef cattle producers with guidance on how to get their animals trained for handling and presentation with a low stress approach.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Sacramento, CA