“THE CONCEPT AND PRACTICE OF LOW STRESS CATTLE MANAGEMENT is an important component of the Black Dog Livestock Education¹¹“Through the livestock industry’s range of demands in the 21st century, a diversified, stress-free education has been developed to meet this variety of needs not only for the livestock but also the stock handlers.”—The Black Dogweaning method. The livestock learn to move from stress when the handler understands how to give them relief through the concepts of low stress cattle management. The work in this field is becoming more widely used thanks to the work and teaching of Bud Williams, Tom Nofsinger, Temple Grandin, Sean and Evonne Barrett, and David Hart. Low stress management is beneficial to the cattle, the cattleman, quality of meat, production cost and the pocket book. This type of management specifically, improves cattle response to vaccinations, reduces injuries and diseases during handling and transport, creates better temperament in cattle, better gains, higher pregnancy rates, all with fewer input requirements in shorter time. It is acknowledged that a cows temperament has huge implications on how she performs as a breeder, thus heifer calves who are weaned using the Black Dog method grow up to be more docile and manageable cows.

The essence of Low Stress Cattle Management involves understanding cattle behavior and the impact the handlers physical position has on the efficiency and effective control of livestock movement. By understanding the connection between the handler’s movement and the animal’s behavior the stock handling becomes more predictable. The Black Dog method is built using this understanding.”

—Marissa Taylor , Ranch Manager at Lonetree Ranch.