The Art of Gentling
… there will always be a wild animal in every gentle one and a gentle animal in every wild one.
By Herman Detering
Gentleness in cattle has long been recognized as a desirable trait. Today we think of gentleness as a condition that results from the combination of genetics and life experience. We speak of "gentling cattle" as if this were a process that changes an evasive and somewhat wild animal into a receptive and gentle one.
While I am as guilty as anyone of using this shorthand of speech, I believe it is misleading. The truth is, while cattle do have a default mode of gentleness when they are not being threatened, there will always be a wild animal in every gentle one and a gentle animal in every wild one.
Whether we choose to pursue low-stress handling to move cattle, or to develop a higher degree of responsiveness, our basic task is the same: Understand what cattle sense as threatening behavior on our part and avoid it.
We don't really gentle them. We learn from them how to behave so they can remain as calm as possible around us.
Unfortunately, confinement by a predator (here, the human), unless done in a knowledgeable way, initially provokes the instinct for self-preservation in cattle. We must learn how to make what we want livestock to do become their idea so they don't feel trapped or threatened.
The handling goal I pursue with my cattle is for them to have essentially no flight zone in my presence. I want them to view me in a positive way and look to me for direction. I want them to respect my requests for movement, but not fear me. I would like them to be able to move calmly away from me, and to be relaxed around me when I am not asking for movement.
Safe herdsmanship requires being able to move gentle cattle even when they no longer fear you. I do this by using body language pressure similar to what cattle use on each other. For them this involves moving toward another herd member with as little energy as possible, but as much as is necessary, to cause the other animal to yield. I think of this as prey-like pressure to distinguish it from the more forceful kind of pressure used by predators.
Non-threatening body language
Learning how to conduct ourselves around cattle so they remain calm and responsive presents the same difficulties we encounter in learning any activity that demands hand-eye coordination. We can read everything available and understand the basic principles, but we will not be really effective without a lot of hands-on experience.
Similar to roping a calf or driving a car, our reflexes and responses must come to replace conscious thought about what to do. We must be able to respond immediately, rather than having to think about what to do next.
Learning how to present ourselves to cattle so they can remain calm also requires active self-teaching on our part. Despite guidance from others, the real instructors are the cattle themselves. As you learn to read their body language, you will come to develop a sense of feel for what the cattle need to remain calm and responsive in any particular situation.
As you are developing your sense of feel for the needs of cattle, develop the habit of reflecting on the principles of low-stress handling and focus specifically on how to apply the principles to your immediate situation.
At first your movements and timing will be off much of the time, but through the process of action and reflection you will learn to get it right.
Some basic principles of gentling
Low-stress handling is becoming popular for a basic reason: Reduced stress on cattle translates into more profit. Some basic principles of this approach include:
- Work with the fearful and social nature of cattle, not against it.
- Set things up to make what you want easy and other choices difficult.
- Break down teaching into as many baby steps as required.
- Use "pressure and release" for movement in a way that slowly increases pressure on cattle and releases it quickly once they comply.
- Work calmly back and forth across the line of their flight zone so cattle pay attention to you and start a search for a way out of your pressure.
These principles offer a starting point, but as with many things, the devil is in the details. At the very least, an awareness of these principles will help you understand something of the natural inclinations of cattle and reduce the stress that normally is associated with handling.
Applying these principles also challenges a handler to reject his or her natural impulse to chase and subdue through force. The handler is asked to develop a sense of empathy, patience and the ability to discipline without punishing. A teaching frame of mind is required.
As for the cattle, a low-stress approach requires that we work with their innate sociability and desire to be free from pressure.
We try to satisfy their need for hierarchy and leadership while discouraging their fight or flight responses. We try to keep in mind that with cattle, and other prey animals, learning is highly situational. It tends to be specific to time, place and person. As Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State University professor, has pointed out, cattle do not generalize well. They are, however, thinking, choosing, feeling and problem-solving beings. We develop these capacities through the gentling process.
In trying to convince cattle that they can be relaxed and cooperative in our presence, we should always remember they are fundamentally migratory, herd-oriented, prey animals. This means that they are not territorial. They become aggressive only as a matter of defense or reproduction. They are naturally afraid of us. They search for a leader and rely on freedom of movement to insure their survival.
The gentling program I use relies heavily on control of movement. By this, I do not mean control through confining cattle in a small pen or by tying them up. I work with them in an area where they are free to move in any direction and then position myself to influence their choice with my body language.
At every stage of gentling, they are encouraged to make choices and are given time free of pressure to process the consequences of their decisions. If I step toward them and they stay, I reward them with rest and complete relief from all pressure. If they move away, I don't try to stop them, but take control of their flight by keeping them moving until they are traveling smoothly and show signs of wanting to stop. At this point I draw back and step over in front of them. This causes them to stop and face me. I now relax and begin to move slowly and indirectly in their direction.
Each time I repeat this procedure I am able to get closer to them. Finally, one by one, they stand and reach out to explore my extended hand. After a few seconds, I withdraw my hand and walk away. This serves to release all pressure on them and reassures them that casual contact was all I wanted.
I prefer this method of gentling to that of tying or confining cattle, and slowly moving toward them. This is because when cattle are not able to choose whether to stay or move away, the cooperation you obtain will be largely lost when they are turned out.
With an approach of non-coercive movement control, I can generally bring about a lasting re-orientation in young cattle, from flight to cooperation, within a 10-day to 2-week period. This requires between 10 to 15 hours of focused training, which adds up to a little more than an hour a day.
During this time the cattle, usually weanlings and yearling heifers, learn not to fear me and to yield calmly to my cues for movement. When they realize that I am allowing them to move and am controlling their movement without causing them pain, I gain significant influence over their minds.
Well thought-out work pens are of great help in the gentling process. I have constructed pens of various sizes and shapes that lead to and away from the squeeze chute.
Two particular pens are of great importance. The first is a 60-foot diameter round pen. Here I usually teach 6 to 8 head at a time to move calmly off my pressure, to stop, turn and draw to me.
The other pen is a 12- to 15-foot alleyway where I move cattle back and forth until they are able to walk calmly past me.
Joining these 2 areas are various size pens where I get the cattle used to responding to me in different settings. I mix driving them from one spot to another with drawing them to me for contact and rest.
No matter what kind of pen setup you may have, it is important to use it in a way that accommodates the natural inclinations of cattle. They feel comfortable when they are able to move and keep an eye on the handler. They also like to follow other members of the herd. They "line out" when they are relaxed, but "bunch up" for safety when under stress.
I regard my work pens as a classroom. It is here that I spend time with young cattle preparing them for real work situations they will have to face. I always keep in mind that first impressions are of primary importance with cattle, and that I want the pens to serve as a magnet for them. I want the work pens to become a desirable place where they have a chance to overcome their fears of humans, get shelter, feed, water and rest.
Getting started
My work really starts when I have a small group of cattle in a pen where I can control their flight and they can't outrun my pressure. Before I ask them to move, or try to approach them, I spend a few moments letting them know I mean them no harm. I simply "hang out," both outside and inside the pen.
I move around trying to locate the boundary of their flight zone. I check to see if there is enough space inside the pen for me to be able to step outside their fight zone when necessary. I look to be sure they are not overcrowded and have secure footing that allows movement without slipping.
Finally, I check for potential magnets or blocks that might affect their movement. I want to be aware of anything that might serve as an attraction or concern for them. They might want to be near cattle that are near the pens, or not go into areas containing objects they find frightening.
Next, my thoughts turn to any aids I might want to take into the pens. At first, I do not take anything in with me. I want the cattle to focus their attention as quickly and completely as possible on the center of my body and the energy I am projecting toward them. Once they have begun to trust me, I might carry a stick or rope that I would use to help them become comfortable with new objects and to encourage them to move if they become dull to my cues.
During the gentling process, the specific techniques I use sometimes change from moment to moment and day to day, according to the feedback I get from the cattle. For example, the amount of pressure I might need to start movement today may well be far too much tomorrow. However, I am always working toward the use of no aids at all and as little movement on my part as possible.
Advance and retreat
This term really applies more to the projection of mental energy in the direction of an animal than actual physical advance or retreat. For example, if you are standing in front of an animal that you have not worked with before and turn your head to look directly into his eyes, you are advancing pressure in his direction. If you drop your stare, you are releasing pressure or retreating. When you square your face and shoulders toward an animal and bring up your energy, you are likewise advancing pressure. When you relax your posture or lean back, you are retreating or releasing pressure.
Advance and retreat is how cattle learn herd behavior from each other and how they are able to learn low-stress handling from us. It is in their nature to seek release from pressure and they will try out various ways to get it.
So, when I move into their flight zone, cattle will normally step away to place me on the outside of their flight zone. If after a few steps I stop or step back, they learn not to panic and run, but simply to yield a step or 2 and stop. In this way they both get the release they want and save energy for other possible threats later in the day.
Finally, this approach of advance and retreat is the origin and basis of calm, controlled movement in cattle. It is a method of handling that was known and practiced long before we developed fencing and the habit of relying on force to get the job done.
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