Stockmanship School-Instructor Steve Cote-teaching a young man to start bulls going a desired direction by going back and forth in straight lines perpendicular to that direction.
These bulls would run across the pen a half hour ago, now they are under the control of a boy and becoming calm and responsive.
Loading Range Cattle
These were difficult to handle stock an hour ago now they load readily, even without dogs, horse or fences to help. Its not hard if you get them handling well first.
These were difficult to handle stock an hour ago now they load readily, even without dogs, horse or fences to help. Its not hard if you get them handling well first.
The Stockmanship Method we teach is probably more powerful than the advent of modern veterinary medicine. You can drastically reduce your sickness rate-just by handling your livestock better. Traditional handling stresses animals so they are more susceptible to sickness.
If you want to control respiratory and other diseases, the most powerful tool is good handling, not vaccines.
If you want to control respiratory and other diseases, the most powerful tool is good handling, not vaccines.
Defining Stockmanship
About 27 years ago Bud Williams stockmanship was coined low stress livestock handling by Allan Nation of the Stockman Grass Farmer.
Bud defined his method basically as:
1) use techniques stock respond to naturally
2)stop forcing, only let cattle do what you want.
3) stop doing the things that bother stock so they can respond calmly
Bud was looking for a way to reduce the stress in handling and discovered the high control that also results. He also said you must get your animals working for you before you do things with them.
Today however, as a result of some people teaching "low stress livestock handling" that is not the best, its important to define what is the best method for the cattle and producers so that you can study the right stuff. Firstly, a method has to come directly from the animals, it has to "fit" them or accommodate the traits of the animals, which Bud Williams teachings do at a high level. It cannot have elements that cater to how we want to handle them to save time, thought or effort, it must be wholly how stock need to be handled in order to have stock want to do what we want.
What I include is elements of horsemanship which helped me learn it and indeed also helped many people understand it in less time-at least those that were like I was, comfortable with horsemanship principles but when how to get stock working well was a foreign idea:
Stockmanship is basically two things to me:
1)Setting it up, or arranging our movement and actions so that cattle will want to do what we want calmly, then getting out of their way of doing it (which is allowing them to get the paycheck for doing it-which is release of pressure and not inadvertently inviting the wrong thing). We are letting them get away but controlling their way of doing it-which is basically how you train a horse. Also don't invite the opportunity for them to take the wrong way or they will take it most times. Here is an example, I was riding with an agency fellow on the range, helping a grazing association move some cattle from one unit across a cattle guard and down a road with a creek on the left side. I had about 500 easy to handle pairs but he said that the stock always would fall into the low lying areas that had lots of beaver dams and soft soils. I said we won't let that happen this year so here is what you do-before I bring them around the cattle guard you put yourself on the opposite side (uphill) of the creek, above the road and just keep some movement on you or the horse or both and they will go straight down the road, not to the creek. I came around with 500 pairs but he wasn't on the uphill side, he was down near the creek trying to form a fence with the horse, so he was moving and so the cattle were falling into the bottoms as they went by him-because cattle want to see what is pressuring them-so they curved around and into the bottoms. I stopped them before too many more got past and we started again, this time with me above and him bringing them. I pressured just a bit back and forth and they watched me and 500 pairs went down the road nicely. Cattle can't be paying attention to me on the right and turn left because they want to see what is pressuring them. The moral of the story is don't stop cattle from doing what they aren't doing, let them do it-don't invite "mistakes".
Stockmanship is comprised of a set of principles (like with horses), techniques, understanding of cattle traits and some guidelines, tips and things not to do. If you follow the horsemanship principles, you can solve cattle handling issues. Use all these components consistently and you will create calm, responsive, healthy and productive animals. Most herds need to be worked to have trust built, as traditional handling creates distrust or fear, then the techniques work consistently if you apply them in accord with the principles etc. Most people don’t realize its all in with cattle, all the time, if you want the best results, its vital. If you train and ride a horse properly, so its light and supple, then loan in to someone who rides like a sack of spuds and jerks on him, it won't take too many minutes before he gets stiffer and less responsive. You don't need great skill but do it but you need the will to do this consistently.
This manner of handling produces calm, responsive stock that will load into trailers willingly, stay where you place them, drive well, be calm about weaning, will stay together, go past people calmly, through gates, turn easily, go up the chute calmly etc. Stock handled in this manner respond calmly to everything the handler does. Stock aren’t aggressive towards people, are good mothers, free of stress induced sickness (like BRD) and footroot, are relatively unconcerned about noises, thunder, traffic and other pressures. When stock learn to take our pressure, they can take many other pressures well, they aren't stressors anymore.
About 27 years ago Bud Williams stockmanship was coined low stress livestock handling by Allan Nation of the Stockman Grass Farmer.
Bud defined his method basically as:
1) use techniques stock respond to naturally
2)stop forcing, only let cattle do what you want.
3) stop doing the things that bother stock so they can respond calmly
Bud was looking for a way to reduce the stress in handling and discovered the high control that also results. He also said you must get your animals working for you before you do things with them.
Today however, as a result of some people teaching "low stress livestock handling" that is not the best, its important to define what is the best method for the cattle and producers so that you can study the right stuff. Firstly, a method has to come directly from the animals, it has to "fit" them or accommodate the traits of the animals, which Bud Williams teachings do at a high level. It cannot have elements that cater to how we want to handle them to save time, thought or effort, it must be wholly how stock need to be handled in order to have stock want to do what we want.
What I include is elements of horsemanship which helped me learn it and indeed also helped many people understand it in less time-at least those that were like I was, comfortable with horsemanship principles but when how to get stock working well was a foreign idea:
Stockmanship is basically two things to me:
1)Setting it up, or arranging our movement and actions so that cattle will want to do what we want calmly, then getting out of their way of doing it (which is allowing them to get the paycheck for doing it-which is release of pressure and not inadvertently inviting the wrong thing). We are letting them get away but controlling their way of doing it-which is basically how you train a horse. Also don't invite the opportunity for them to take the wrong way or they will take it most times. Here is an example, I was riding with an agency fellow on the range, helping a grazing association move some cattle from one unit across a cattle guard and down a road with a creek on the left side. I had about 500 easy to handle pairs but he said that the stock always would fall into the low lying areas that had lots of beaver dams and soft soils. I said we won't let that happen this year so here is what you do-before I bring them around the cattle guard you put yourself on the opposite side (uphill) of the creek, above the road and just keep some movement on you or the horse or both and they will go straight down the road, not to the creek. I came around with 500 pairs but he wasn't on the uphill side, he was down near the creek trying to form a fence with the horse, so he was moving and so the cattle were falling into the bottoms as they went by him-because cattle want to see what is pressuring them-so they curved around and into the bottoms. I stopped them before too many more got past and we started again, this time with me above and him bringing them. I pressured just a bit back and forth and they watched me and 500 pairs went down the road nicely. Cattle can't be paying attention to me on the right and turn left because they want to see what is pressuring them. The moral of the story is don't stop cattle from doing what they aren't doing, let them do it-don't invite "mistakes".
Stockmanship is comprised of a set of principles (like with horses), techniques, understanding of cattle traits and some guidelines, tips and things not to do. If you follow the horsemanship principles, you can solve cattle handling issues. Use all these components consistently and you will create calm, responsive, healthy and productive animals. Most herds need to be worked to have trust built, as traditional handling creates distrust or fear, then the techniques work consistently if you apply them in accord with the principles etc. Most people don’t realize its all in with cattle, all the time, if you want the best results, its vital. If you train and ride a horse properly, so its light and supple, then loan in to someone who rides like a sack of spuds and jerks on him, it won't take too many minutes before he gets stiffer and less responsive. You don't need great skill but do it but you need the will to do this consistently.
This manner of handling produces calm, responsive stock that will load into trailers willingly, stay where you place them, drive well, be calm about weaning, will stay together, go past people calmly, through gates, turn easily, go up the chute calmly etc. Stock handled in this manner respond calmly to everything the handler does. Stock aren’t aggressive towards people, are good mothers, free of stress induced sickness (like BRD) and footroot, are relatively unconcerned about noises, thunder, traffic and other pressures. When stock learn to take our pressure, they can take many other pressures well, they aren't stressors anymore.
It works on bison, antelope, deer, sheep, goats, range horses, dairy, beef and other cattle.
You can turn the lead cow a long ways away by pressuring their hip. Very handy to be able to do when driving stock down a lane and you want them to turn down one path or another.
This deer turned left even though its buddies were down and to the right-mule deer want to see whats pressuring them just like cattle.
Stockmanship is a powerful tool for Grazing Lands Management
Before Planned Grazing and Herding
PLACING HERDS
One of the most powerful tools for grazing lands management is when cattle stay as a herd (where you find one you find them all) and that a herd will stay where you place them. So, a herd will stay in uplands, leave to drink then return. Herds can be moved on when desired, so that overgrazing and over resting can be controlled, enhancing uplands and riparian areas.
One of the most powerful tools for grazing lands management is when cattle stay as a herd (where you find one you find them all) and that a herd will stay where you place them. So, a herd will stay in uplands, leave to drink then return. Herds can be moved on when desired, so that overgrazing and over resting can be controlled, enhancing uplands and riparian areas.
After planned grazing and herding-Steve Cote
This is the kind of change possible after 2 years of planned grazing (Holistic Planned Grazing with Alan Savory) and herding with stockmanship where I trained the rider to rekindle the herd instinct and place the herd in the uplands. This handling eliminates bunch quitters and riparian loafers and you can see the riparian improvement.
Spring head before.
STOCKWATER SPRING BEFORE
PLANNED GRAZING AND
STOCKMANSHIP (HERDING)
PLANNED GRAZING AND
STOCKMANSHIP (HERDING)
Spring Head After-Steve Cote
SAME STOCKWATER SPRING AFTER 2 YEARS OF PLANNED GRAZING (ALAN SAVORY HELPED ON SITE)
WITH STOCKMANSHIP (HERDING LOW STRESS WITH STEVE COTE)
WITH STOCKMANSHIP (HERDING LOW STRESS WITH STEVE COTE)
If the herd is under control of the riders then you can go around sage grouse leks or nesting areas, and other critical spots like poison patches, elk calving places or campgrounds etc.
Some of the values of Bud Williams Stockmanship to Grazing Associations or ranches grazing public lands
These figures are coming from ranchers and association riders.
Conditions or Assumptions:
1) The association develops and follows a good grazing plan (controlling time plants and soils are exposed to livestock).
2) Association was not meeting riparian standards much of the time-agencies take administrative action-cuts in numbers or time or closed grazing areas-usually had 2 contract riders on hire, with day riders once a week, association riders during major moves and hot season period
3) Savings are for a typical grazing association in Idaho or Wyoming or Nevada on BLM or Forest
with 1,300 pairs, 80 bulls, 120 yearlings
4) Hires 2 full time riders trained in Bud Williams stockmanship and no untrained riders handling stock
Contract riders cost 2,600 each/month (higher than average), with a 5.5 month grazing season ($29,000)
SAVINGS
1) Average loss from tall larkspur in Idaho and Oregon, halogeton in Nevada etc might be $60,000 per association-estimated reduction is $40,000-in some cases going around patches yielded zero losses, mob stocking larkspur yielded zero losses in many years
2) Loss from wolves/bears would be much reduced -losses in Central Idaho and Wyoming can be 20 animals per year average-savings is about $40,000, some associations reporting zero losses for 3 years in a row. Some reported losses only when riders did not get around the stock regularly, due to terrain or other circumstances
3) Conception rates increase from 90-95 % a 5% increase -value per cow over $20-value to herd is $25,000
4)Numbers of bulls were reduced by 20 per 1,300 cows -value is $80,000 not including feed savings for the bulls you don’t need
5) Placing cattle, eliminating bunch quitters and riparian loafers, reduces or eliminates need for consultants for monitoring-riders could easily do routine monitoring-as they will be meeting in season riparian use triggers. Savings highly variable but with larger ranches could be $20,000-$40,000/yr
6)Reduced losses from fires and livestock killed by smoke because stock location is known and where you find one you find them all-highly variable losses. Also, reduced or zero losses on high snow years like last year and bunch quitters starved-highly variable but does occur.
7) Grazing associations stay on range 10 days longer saving $30,000 in hay costs
Expect a 30% increase in range productivity
8) In one case it was common to have 13 people riding during the hot season but with riders trained in stockmanship and with two herds that were staying together- only two were needed-so labor savings during the hot season went from 11X$90 X 40 days=$39,000, down to two riders costing about $7,000 but more common is a savings of about half that or about $19,000/hot season
9) Pink eye doctoring went to near zero from an average of 75 per season per 1,330 pair -cost savings unknown but could be $1,500 or more- also foot rot reduction also, numbers not available. Livestock productivity will increase due to a lack of face and horn flies (that hatch in manure)-less rank forage, less riparian loafing and stress (shrink) from being chased out of riparian areas-(this might occur on 10% of a herd or less) hard to evaluate
10) Reduced dust pneumonia, average doctoring 50 per year, savings about as above but probably much more.
SUMMARY
Average savings are very conservative and summed up for just the items I could quantify and that are common to many associations –the savings are at least $197,000 per year but assume some items are too high so lets use $177,000. Ranches and associations would realize different savings on different items and amounts would vary, sometimes highly. If 2 contract riders cost about $29,000 per grazing season, that is a benefit to cost ratio of better than 6:1.
These figures are coming from ranchers and association riders.
Conditions or Assumptions:
1) The association develops and follows a good grazing plan (controlling time plants and soils are exposed to livestock).
2) Association was not meeting riparian standards much of the time-agencies take administrative action-cuts in numbers or time or closed grazing areas-usually had 2 contract riders on hire, with day riders once a week, association riders during major moves and hot season period
3) Savings are for a typical grazing association in Idaho or Wyoming or Nevada on BLM or Forest
with 1,300 pairs, 80 bulls, 120 yearlings
4) Hires 2 full time riders trained in Bud Williams stockmanship and no untrained riders handling stock
Contract riders cost 2,600 each/month (higher than average), with a 5.5 month grazing season ($29,000)
SAVINGS
1) Average loss from tall larkspur in Idaho and Oregon, halogeton in Nevada etc might be $60,000 per association-estimated reduction is $40,000-in some cases going around patches yielded zero losses, mob stocking larkspur yielded zero losses in many years
2) Loss from wolves/bears would be much reduced -losses in Central Idaho and Wyoming can be 20 animals per year average-savings is about $40,000, some associations reporting zero losses for 3 years in a row. Some reported losses only when riders did not get around the stock regularly, due to terrain or other circumstances
3) Conception rates increase from 90-95 % a 5% increase -value per cow over $20-value to herd is $25,000
4)Numbers of bulls were reduced by 20 per 1,300 cows -value is $80,000 not including feed savings for the bulls you don’t need
5) Placing cattle, eliminating bunch quitters and riparian loafers, reduces or eliminates need for consultants for monitoring-riders could easily do routine monitoring-as they will be meeting in season riparian use triggers. Savings highly variable but with larger ranches could be $20,000-$40,000/yr
6)Reduced losses from fires and livestock killed by smoke because stock location is known and where you find one you find them all-highly variable losses. Also, reduced or zero losses on high snow years like last year and bunch quitters starved-highly variable but does occur.
7) Grazing associations stay on range 10 days longer saving $30,000 in hay costs
Expect a 30% increase in range productivity
8) In one case it was common to have 13 people riding during the hot season but with riders trained in stockmanship and with two herds that were staying together- only two were needed-so labor savings during the hot season went from 11X$90 X 40 days=$39,000, down to two riders costing about $7,000 but more common is a savings of about half that or about $19,000/hot season
9) Pink eye doctoring went to near zero from an average of 75 per season per 1,330 pair -cost savings unknown but could be $1,500 or more- also foot rot reduction also, numbers not available. Livestock productivity will increase due to a lack of face and horn flies (that hatch in manure)-less rank forage, less riparian loafing and stress (shrink) from being chased out of riparian areas-(this might occur on 10% of a herd or less) hard to evaluate
10) Reduced dust pneumonia, average doctoring 50 per year, savings about as above but probably much more.
SUMMARY
Average savings are very conservative and summed up for just the items I could quantify and that are common to many associations –the savings are at least $197,000 per year but assume some items are too high so lets use $177,000. Ranches and associations would realize different savings on different items and amounts would vary, sometimes highly. If 2 contract riders cost about $29,000 per grazing season, that is a benefit to cost ratio of better than 6:1.
Ride straight by and cattle will move ahead straight.
Using the right techniques helps animals do what you want.
On a major move for a grazing association, stock had to turn sharply through a gate, then go up a steep hill, and it was a problem every year requiring many people and hours. These stock had been well handled by low stress riders this summer so we did it easily with myself and two trained riders by using some Bud Williams techniques.....
..which here I am riding down the sides, which is a very effective way of getting stock up steep hills, riders in the back can now pressure cattle more effectively because the lead is moving up, before they would just shove the cattle in the rear into the cattle ahead so they would sidehill or break back. Some moves up steeper hills now take 45 minutes instead of 4 hours and the stock aren't stressed, just a little tired.
Now we are over the top of the hill and 1,300 pairs and yearlings are trailing nicely to the next grazing unit. Three or four riders did in a quarter of the time what used to take 14 because the cattle were well handled first and riders then set it up so they wanted to go where we wanted.