Handling Livestock Behavior Issues

If you are familiar with your animals at all, you’ll be able to tell when they’re acting up. Because livestock are usually very docile animals who will follow your commands without problem, behavior issues can signal that something is wrong.

In most cases, if an animal is behaving strangely, you can bet it’s one of the following things: illness, injury, fright, or stress.

A sick animal isn’t going to be able to tell you where it hurts, so its behavior can seem confusing. When an animal doesn’t respond to your voice, or doesn’t follow the herd, you might want to call in your vet to rule out any medical or physical condition that could be causing it pain or distress.

For instance, horses with colic will often buck and roll around on the ground. Sheep with enterotoxemia could seem as if they’ve temporarily gone blind. A vet would be able to assess the situation and recognize the common signs of an illness or injury.

Another reason animals can misbehave is because they’re stressed or frightened. This can happen when they’re in unfamiliar surroundings, such as at a show, or when they are being transported, for example. Children or strangers can distress them and cause them to run away from you or balk at following you.

Easing an animal’s stress or fear is a big part of the rancher’s job. It’s important to learn how to handle your animals in a wide range of situations so you can stay in control at all times.