When it comes to working cattle, many frameworks have been developed to analyze animal welfare, and studies have been conducted on handlers’ attitudes. Recently, researchers from Nebraska and Colorado conducted an analysis on the skills animal handlers need and developed a framework to define these skills based on 57 journal articles, which was published in the “Journal of Dairy Science.” This framework can be used as a discussion tool when evaluating if an employee will have good animal husbandry skills for your farm and as a training tool for anyone who will be working with livestock. This includes training discussions with your children on how to work cattle.
Occasionally, I see ads for clothes or coffee mugs that say, “Sorry for what I said while working cattle.” While this may be funny, the truth is if you need this, then you need to take a deep breath, consider this framework and relax. When you are angry, the cattle know it, and working them only gets more difficult, leading to more frustration and words you may need to apologize for.
Learn the VITAL framework
This framework is the VITAL model, which has five dimensions: Values and Attitudes, Integration of Knowledge, Technical Execution, Situational Awareness and Commitment to Continuous Learning. These five areas cover the complexity of animal handling, which is both an art and a science. Cattle handling skills require both physical motor skills to move cattle calmly and mental and emotional skills to guide how handlers think about cattle and care for them, including reading their behavior to anticipate how they will respond.
Values and Attitudes build the foundation of cattle handling, representing the beliefs a stockperson will have towards the ethical responsibility to animal welfare, calm handling and emotional engagement with animals. Handlers who have a positive attitude towards cattle demonstrate great patience during routine cattle movement, invest more effort in gentle techniques and prioritize animal comfort even if time is limited. When employees give cattle pet names, it demonstrates a positive attitude, with multiple studies finding an increase in milk production while they were working them compared to others. Cattle handlers with these traits will demonstrate empathy, patience and a sense of responsibility for cattle, recognizing animals as individuals.
Integration of Knowledge is the ability to integrate multiple forms of knowledge at once into animal handling, including animal behavior, technical procedures, facility design, environmental conditions and self-awareness about effective animal handling practices. This knowledge extends to how cattle perceive and respond to their environment, comprehension of stress, and applying animal handling principles to practical handling. Cattle handlers with this trait will integrate the knowledge of cattle behavior, physiology and environment to guide their decision and adapt their handling strategy.
Technical Execution is the behavioral portion of cattle handling encompassing the physical skills, movement patterns and techniques used by handlers during direct interaction with cattle. These skills are developed through deliberate practice working cattle, which includes constructive feedback to progress from conscious effortful handling to fluid automatic execution of animal movement as expertise develops. Handlers with these skills will execute handling techniques consistently, with precision and training.
Situational Awareness is the real-time evaluation of cognitive skills in cattle handling. This involves evaluating a handler’s ability to monitor the animals, facilities, environmental conditions and the dynamics of the team working the cattle. This skill also involves risk prevention to keep the handler safe by anticipating sudden movement, recognizing hazardous conditions that could cause injuries, and always having an escape route. Overconfidence or complacency are sometimes observed among experienced handlers, which contributes to reduced vigilance during routine tasks, causing risk to be underestimated. As handlers age, this skill is critical as their reaction time may decline and movements may be slowed. The ability to recognize this and adjust how they move cattle is critical to keeping them safe. Handlers with this skill will maintain awareness of cattle behavior, body position and environmental conditions.
Commitment to Continuous Learning throughout life is critical, as cattle handling skills are not static but develop over time through intentional learning, reflection, and adaptation. Skilled stock people develop the ability to read animals so they can anticipate movement and adjust their own behavior accordingly. Handlers will seek feedback and learn through experience, along with engaging in continuous education to refine handling skills.
While this is just an introduction to the VITAL model, these concepts can be used to build skilled stock people through training, practices and policies on the farm. The competency of animal handlers directly influences cattle behavior, handler and animal stress and the safety of both the handlers and animals.
