Dr. Tom Noffsinger to Present Low Stress Cattle Handling
When it comes to animal husbandry, low stress cattle handling techniques can take herd management to the next level of professionalism and production. Implementation of these techniques have taken root in ranching operations across the country, because they work to improve efficiency, safety, herd health, and beef quality.
Improving cattle handling practices provides many advantages. Cattle that remain calm during handling have improved weight gain and are less likely to have dark cutting meat. The two activities where the most injuries occur on ranches and feedlots either involve horses or they occur where cattle are intensively handled in the squeeze chute area. There are numerous steps to prevent injury to the animal, the cowhands, and the bottom line. Low stress cattle handling helps to accomplish many of these goals by focusing our attention to the behavior of the cattle.
Dr. Tom Noffsinger will provide an updated presentation with the latest techniques for adopting low stress cattle handling. Continued education on the process is critical to maintaining the calmness of the animal and our own sanity. Areas of focus include noises, working zones, facility design, moving aids, and more.
“It’s really important that we think about stockmanship being an attitude,” he told cattle feeders attending the Merck Cattle Feeders Business Summit this week in Denver. “The caregiver or whoever is in contact with those animals has a responsibility to know that whatever they do when you’re with them is because of you, not them,” stated Dr. Noffsinger.
Dr. Noffsinger is an industry expert in cattle handling and animal husbandry. After 32 years in beef cattle practice at the Twin Forks Clinic, Dr. Noffsinger became an independent feedlot consultant specializing in facility design, stockmanship, and low-stress livestock handling. He also is an owner/member of Production Animal Consultation, Pierson Precision Auscultation, and the Cattle Performance Enhancement Company. He was the recipient of the 2001 Consultant of the Year award from the Academy of Veterinary Consultants for his work at PAC.
Dr. Noffsinger will present at the KCA Convention on Saturday, October 28th at 1:15pm. To register, call the KCA office at 785-238-1483. Additional information can be found online at the KCA website www.kansascattlemen.com.