The Texas AgriLife Extension Service will host a hands-on Cattle Handling Workshop on July 8 at the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce Arena. (Texas Agrilife Extension Service photo by Robert Burns)
STONEWALL – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service will host a hands-on Cattle Handling Workshop on July 8 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce Arena.
The workshop will cover a variety of cattle-handling topics, including cattle behavior, corral design and principles of cattle handling.
The program will include hands-on cattle-working instruction and demonstration from 1-3 p.m.
Program registration will be from 7:30-8a.m. with presentations immediately following.
Stress in livestock is one major cause of economic losses that can be managed on the farm or ranch, said Decky Spiller, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources for Gillespie County.
“Proper handling of livestock can minimize these potential losses,”Spiller said. “This workshop gives practical, hands-on methods for handling livestock that should reduce stress not only to the cattle, but also the people handling them.”
Spiller said primary workshop instructors will be Dr. Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension program leader and co-founder of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Stockmanship and Stewardship Program, College Station; and Dr. Rick Machen, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Uvalde.
“A cow wants to be with other cattle,” Gill explained. “When driven, she’ll want to circle around you. When put in a pen, she usually wants to go back the way she came. But you can use all of that to your advantage if you just remember that she can only process one thing at a time.”
Gill said techniques demonstrated at the workshop take advantage of animals’ natural instincts, and can actually make the job more enjoyable while enhancing cattle productivity and value.
“Development of effective stockmanship skills is about improving animal performance and increasing profits in raising cattle on each individual operation,” Machen said.
Attendance is limited to the first 50 responders, so an RSVP before July 1 is strongly recommended, said program coordinators.
The cost is $100 per person and lunch will be provided. Checks should be made payable to: Gillespie Chuckwagon.
To RSVP, contact Micah Walker or Spiller at the AgriLife Extension office in Gillespie County 830-997-3452 or Dr. Ron Gill, 817-233-3164 or r-gill1@tamu.edu.
For more information on the workshop, go to http://effectivestockmanship.com
-30-
