1. Bovine Handling Melissa L. Hayden BS,CVT,LAT This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded under the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

2. Reproduction/Production Cattle gestation: ~ 280 days Milk production: ~ 305 days Dry period: ~ 60 days

3. Top 3 Dairy Breeds-WI Holstein Jersey Brown Swiss

4. Milk Averages Holstein- WI avg. 80lbs./Day *Avg. mature weight = 1300lbs. * Highest output while maintaining mod. high fat & protein levels in milk Jersey- WI avg. 65lbs./Day *Avg. mature weight = 1000lbs. * Lower overall milk output, BUT highest fat content of any milking dairy breed Brown Swiss- WI avg. 85lbs./Day *Avg. mature weight = 1500lbs. *Slightly higher milk output than a holstein but on avg. much lower fat & protein content

5. Top 3 Beef Breeds Angus (Black or Red) Simmental Hereford

6. Vocabulary  Cow – intact adult female  Heifer – 1-2 yrs of age never had a calf  Springing Heifer – within 1-2 weeks of having her first calf  Calf – newborn bovine  Bull – intact adult male  Steer – castrated male

7. Handling/Restraint “The single most important thing to know about the way animals perceive the world: animals see details people don't see. They are totally detail-oriented. That's the key.” Dr. Temple Grandin

8. What influences cattle behavior? 1. Dairy Cattle have evolved from prey animals 2. Designed to eat and drink large quantities in a short time 3. Social animals w/ a herd hierarchy 4. Vision & Thermal comfort is much different than that of humans

9. Cattle Vision  Can see behind themselves without turning their heads (approx. 300 degrees)  Do have depth perception, but they have difficulty perceiving depth at ground level *Cattle will balk (throw head and stop moving forward) at unknown objects & shadows at ground level. This is NORMAL cattle behavior. The walking path should be free of obstruction and/or foreign objects.

10. Cattle Vision

11. Cattle Movement POINT OF BALANCE  The point of balance is at the animal's shoulder  The animal will move FORWARD if the handler stands behind the point of balance & vice versa.

12. Cattle Movement

13. Nutrition  Ruminant Four compartments to the “stomach” *Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum, Abomasum  Monogastric One stomach

14. Ruminant Digestion

15. Vocabulary  Herbivore – an animal with a diet consisting of plant and fiber material (Example: Cattle)  Omnivore – an animal that can digest most plant material and meat (Example: Humans)  Carnivore – an animal with a diet consisting mostly of meat (Example: Lions)

16. Cattle Disease -Nutritional 1. Ketosis 2. Displaced Abomasum 3. Hypocalcemia “Milk Fever” 4. White Muscle Disease 5. Hardware Disease

17. Ketosis  When glucose is not available as an energy source for the body, Ketones are metabolized instead  Ketones are acidic and are difficult for the body to efficiently get rid of  Ketones (in high amounts) can be toxic to the liver and kidneys *Atkin’s Diet in humans has a VERY similar effect

18. Displaced Abomasum  Cause: Feeding high energy diet (high grain, little or no hay)  Lack of fiber/hay in the diet = no rumen fill & increased gas production, gas production causes the rumen to “twist” over on itself

19. Hypocalcemia  High demand for calcium at calving  Calcium is rapidly being taken up from blood and bone  The body cannot keep up with demand for calcium and the cow goes down.  Tx = SLOW push IV Calcium Gluconate

20. White Muscle Disease Cause: Selenium deficient diets –WI is a Se deficient state!

21. Hardware Disease »common disease in adult cattle caused by the ingestion and migration of a foreign body in the reticulum Metal door spring removed from a cow’s reticulum (image courtesy of Noah’s Archive, University of Georgia).

22. Other Cattle Diseases  Leptospirosis (Reproductive)  Brucellosis (Reproductive)  Enterotoxemia (Clostridial)  Tetanus (Clostridial)  Scours –calf diarrhea  Johne’s Disease  Lameness *All can be vaccinated against except lameness & Johne’s

23. Research Uses  Genetic Advancement  Nutritional Studies  Meat Quality  Reproduction/Embryo Transfer  Ophthalmology

24. Area Cattle Research  UW Arlington Agricultural Research Stations Location: Arlington, WI  UW Dairy Cattle Center Location: UW Campus (Downtown Madison)  US Dairy Forage Research Center - Field Facility Location: 30 miles North of Madison