Reducing Animal Stress: Thinking the Way Animals Do

By Judith M. Powell, Farming, August 2006

The end of the growing season means that the time has arrived to move livestock from pasture to marketing. Animals that have enjoyed the freedom of self-sufficient grazing over a long, pleasant season are inclined to not respond easily to producers who face the task of moving them. Since they haven't been bothered by people much, livestock are not hep on the idea of getting pushed along into a corral or truck. Wanting as little stress as possible and a safe delivery to market destination, producers approach handling calmly and gently, yet the moving and loading often turns out to be not so fun for either party.

Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State Associate professor of animal science, specializes in animal thinking and in visualizing the way that animals do. Grandin suggests that there are simple things producers should do that will make a tremendous difference in the handling experience. Her insight comes from spending decades watching animal behavior and in dissecting the situations that humans put animals though. Her focus study over 30 years provides valuable payoff to producers interested in minimizing animal and human stress. She has achieved a true specialty in understanding how loading beef, pigs, sheep, goats, and horses respond to situations humans create.

Grandin urges producers to look for signals that their animals see by "taking an animal's view of the world." Take your blinders off, she challenges, and start to think sensory - based, like you're an animal. Start by paying careful attention to the little details that seem unimportant to the handler, but are so important to the animals.

"Vision is a dominant trait of all grazing animals," Grandin explains, and an important key to self-protection. Handlers should be watchful and be aware.

She advises producers to be thoughtful about when to work animals. Pick a day that is overcast and avoid the shadows caused by a sunny day, she says, and look for sharp differences in contrasting light and shadows. "Scan your setups. Don't expect animals to move into chutes or buildings with blasts of sunlight pouring into their eyes from gaps in sidewalls. If you have separations where sunlight gets in, cover them and get rid of them. Don't expect animals to walk from shadows into a doorway filled with bright sun. Don't load at sunset or early morning, and don't ask animals to look directly into the sun. Rather, work in the middle of the day. Position chutes so that cattle are headed toward a neutral light at the end - a door opened with quiet natural light the animals will head toward," she says. Working at night is also a good idea, Grandin suggests. When the lights are on, animals are attracted to the building when they see light at an end point, and they'll move in toward the light.

Grandin suggests that chutes be designed so that there is never a dead end. "An animal must be able to see a place ahead to go toward, and the handler needs to move them quietly through. Watch their eyes and ears. Calm animals point their eyes and ears at something that concerns them. You want ears pointed forward and not back and down. Flat-backed ears signal scared or aggressive animals," she warns. In explaining what she terms "the startle response," Grandin is clear in saying not to threaten or challenge. “Keep a safe distance and don't try to dominate by staring directly into their gaze. Turn your head away and give them a break."

"Horses and cattle have poor depth perception," Grandin explains. Give the leaders time to put their head down to examine what's in their path, like a puddle. "A reflection on the ground looks like a shadow, and a shadow looks like a hole in the ground, so let them take the time to look, especially the leader," she says.

Because cattle, pigs and sheep are herd animals, isolation of a single individual should be avoided, she suggests. "Allow the livestock to follow the leader and do not rush them. If they bunch up, handlers should concentrate on moving the leaders instead of pushing from the rear. Use animals’ natural behavior to exert influence over the group," she explains.

Pay attention to what is around your chutes and buildings when you work the animals, and don't load them on gusty days. "Stuff blowing around is the worst distraction. Look around for things that move in the wind," she advises, like flags and flapping coats, and remove them. Don't move cattle near a highway where cars and trucks are going by, and keep the area quiet. "No dogs. And no bikes," she points out. "No bikes when you're loading. Did you ever wonder why your animals seem calm and trained at home, and then you take them to the fair and you can't do anything with them? Get them used to things they'll be faced with beforehand. Decorate the pasture with the stuff they'll see at the fair - balloons, loud music, people passing by, kids on bikes. Let them sniff and walk past this stuff when they're not confined and can flee, and have the kids ride by them on bikes," she says.

Grandin has designed livestock handling facilities across the nation and in Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Her work appears in over 300 scientific journals and livestock periodicals. Her published research examines cattle temperament, environmental enrichment for pigs, reducing dark cutters and bruises in cattle, bull fertility, animal training procedures and effective stunning methods for cattle and pigs in meat plants. Her books include "Livestock Handling and Transport," "Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals," and "Animals in Translation," a New York Times best seller. Grandin describes how she processes information and learns visually as a person with autism, in her book "Thinking in Pictures." "When I put myself in a cow's place, I really have to be that cow and not a person in a cow costume," she writes. "A great deal of my success in working with animals comes from the simple fact that I see all kinds of connections between their behaviors and certain autistic behaviors. Being autistic has helped me to understand how they feel."

Excerpts from her research, as well as handling tips and chute and facility designs, are available at her web site, http://www.grandin.com/.

Keep Those Llamas Happy!

By Bev Henry, Reprinted from The Camelid Quarterly, June 2009

When we think of herd health, let us not forget the mental well-being of the herd, as well as physical health. As with humans, stress has a tremendous adverse influence on llama health. A secure environment will go a long way to keeping stress to a minimum.

Llamas are extremely sensitive animals, needing the security of familiar surroundings, familiar herd mates, and a predictable routing if they are to thrive.

What do we need to do in order to achieve this?

Those few breeders with large herds on large acreage have more management options, allowing them to come close to approximating natural conditions. By "natural" I mean the herd groupings and feeding patterns one would likely find in the wild.

But the majority of llama owners in North America today are keeping llamas on small acreage. With these limitations, we need to pay close attention to herd dynamics. In a restricted area it is much easier for a dominant llama to bully a more timid animal, or to exclude one from the feed source. If dog packs or wild predators are cruising the neighborhood, llamas confined to a small area may feel very vulnerable.

How can we ease the stress?

The first and most important thing we can do is pay attention! Every time you go out to feed or clean up poop, take a deep breath, slow down, and spend a few quiet moments watching your critters. This quiet time with our llamas not only provides the opportunity to pick up on health or behavioral issues, it also has the added benefit of reducing our own stress level.

Make sure each animal has free access to feed and shelter. Be alert for any unusual behavior; watch for the animal that is isolating itself or being forced into isolation by its herd mates. Perhaps the addition of only one gate or one simple fence — fencing in a corner, for instance — will provide more security for a new llama or one who is being bullied.

Being sold and relocated is one of the most stressful events in a llama's life. He has lost his herd mates, his human companions, and his secure and familiar environs. Watch any new introductions to any grouping very carefully for several days. It takes only seconds for disaster to strike.

Females will usually accept a new female after an introductory period but they will often chase and isolate the newcomer for several days. You may need to feed a new introduction separately until she has been accepted.

Males tend to be more aggressive with newcomers. An adult intact male is a powerful and potentially dangerous animal. A full-power body slam from an aggressive male can break ribs and rupture internal organs.

On rare occasions, even geldings have been known to attack and kill newcomers, particularly in confined areas where llamas have no opportunity to establish their own zones. Be very cautious introducing a llama to your herd and do it by degrees if at all possible. House the new llama in an adjacent area to allow him or her to get to know the herd across the safety of a fence.

Be sure all fighting teeth are trimmed — start to check these around the age of two, if not earlier — and watch that the rough stuff doesn't get out of hand with males housed together.

Some intact males are so territorial they simply will not tolerate other males and need to be housed separately. If you have a stud like this, he will be happier with some sort of companion. Neutered male goats often work well. Everybody needs somebody!

Make sure fences separating males and females are safe and secure, and, if possible, provide a buffer zone between fences separating intact males and breeding females. Check that your fences are secure from roving packs of dogs if that is a problem in your area.

If you are breeding, try to plan for at least two crias to arrive in that season. Babies need company for normal social development. Should you be stuck with a single cria in any one year, do leave the baby with its mom as long as possible. A single female cria shouldn't need to be separated from its mom at all, and a male cria is probably safe with the female herd until at least ten months of age. By this time, his dam will likely have already weaned him.

Single male crias can get pretty bratty and disruptive about this time, and need the company of older males to teach them some manners. In other words, they need to be sent to boot camp. Moms and "aunties" tend to be far too lenient with younger males, watching their antics with rather bemused "isn't he just the sweetest thing!" looks, rather than snapping him to attention and demanding respect, as the boys would.

Throwing a ten-month-old weanling male in with the boys can be deadly though, so be very cautious here. It may be safer to isolate baby with an older gentle gelding for a time, one who is willing to be a "nanny" to the youngster until he has learned a few basic manners and his place in the scheme of things. A yearling male may bond with the weanling and make a good playmate. Some studs are exceedingly tolerant of newly weaned youngsters.

Remember that a weanling will not be able to successfully compete for food with older animals. Unless you have unlimited good hay/pasture available, the baby will need supplemental feeding for at least the first year to attain his full growth potential. Make sure you can isolate the youngster at feeding time.

Aging animals in your herd may suddenly need extra care. They may have lost their position in the herd and need supplemental feeding. They may be experiencing problems with worn teeth, so be alert for dropped wads of wet, partly chewed hay or lumps or swellings along the outside of the jaw. If you see a problem have your vet check to see if filing off sharp points (floating) of worn teeth may be necessary.

To ensure that your routine procedures, such as shots, shearing and nail trimming, are as stress-free as possible, try to get to a workshop put on by a Camelidynamics practitioner in your area. A simple change in your approach may make a world of difference.

Being alert and observant at all times will go a long way towards keeping your herd happy and healthy.

About the Author

Bev Henry has been involved with pack llamas since 1997 and is now breeding athletic pack stock along with husband Barry in Barriere, British Columbia, Canada. Bev and Barry are focusing on preserving the old style Ccara llamas. Bev comes from a background of a lifetime training and riding performance horses, is an amateur outdoor photographer, and an artist who interprets her images in pencil and watercolor.

Taking Care of the Rumen

By Karen Nicholson

We've all experienced it at some point - some major stress in our life or we've altered our diet less than gradually or taken medication or something as simple as drinking different water while on vacation and it results in serious digestive upset! Well, camelids are just as susceptible or more so to gastrointestinal upset than we are. While discussing camelid digestion can be quite involved, I'll attempt to offer a few simple ways to ward off potential problems.

Digestive Flora

Scientists estimate that we humans have trillions of microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi and assorted parasites) living on the outside of our body and hundreds of millions in our digestive tract. Our bodies coexist with these living microscopic organisms, keeping us healthy most of the time and helping us digest and absorb vitamins and minerals from our food and water. These microorganisms (bacteria, protozoa, fungi, etc) are also teaming within the camelid.

The population dynamics of the different species found in the forestomach will depend on the camelid's diet. This brings me to my first Tip: Avoid abruptly changing the diet for exactly this reason — the microorganisms are specific to the diet. If you change the diet abruptly, the camelid now has a population that is designed to serve a different diet and they can wreak havoc while simultaneously the forestomach has no population of the microorganisms to work with the new diet. This results in stress and a gastrointestinal challenge for the animal.

Stress

Stress impacts all the physiological systems including gastrointestinal function and health. Stresses such as: too much heat or cold; too much, too little or the wrong kind of food; aggressive companions or crowded conditions or transport and shows can lead to digestive tract problems such as colic, constipation, urinary tract problems, parasite problems, ulcers and so on. These range in seriousness from mild to life threatening. Tips: As their keepers, this is one of our tasks — stress management. We can also breed for this trait choosing camelids that are not compromised under stressful conditions. Always be alert for signs of digestive tract upset such as reluctance to eat, reluctance to stand, diarrhea, constipation, gut ache, self-isolation, change in eating habits, and food preference.

Parasites and Deworming

Parasites are one of the most important considerations in the digestive and overall health of the camelid. We'd need an entire article to address this completely. But here are a few tips that can keep parasites in check. Tips: Keep stocking density low per pen; pasture rotation is a must; when necessary, use dry lot feeding to help control a parasite problem; quarantine animals coming onto the farm; keep animals in good condition; and run fecal exams on a regular basis. For deworming - Tips: It is best to treat the individual animal, not the herd. Giving dewormers to animals that don't need them only upsets their digestive flora unnecessarily and encourages parasite resistance to the drug. Also consider giving probiotics after any medical treatment to encourage the reestablishment of gut flora.

Water

Water is one, if not the most essential, nutrient critical to proper digestion. Fresh, clean, high-quality water should be available for free choice at all times. Tips: Abrupt changes in water can lead to digestive troubles. Consider bringing your own water to shows, in transport and when relocating an animal to a new farm. It could make all the difference in your animal's health during this stressful time.

Feed

It's worth the time it takes to learn how to determine if feed is of good quality. While there are so many factors, there is one simple thing to know that can make a world of difference for your camelid. Tip: Have you ever eaten a lettuce from a plant that has bolted (gone to seed)? It tastes horrible, it's difficult to digest, and has poorer nutritional content than an immature plant. The same holds true for your hay and pasture grasses. Always try and put animals on immature pasture (mow if necessary) and the same for hay.

Crias and Weaning

The newborn cria is a non-ruminant animal. Milk is digested in the third compartment whereas in an adult, about 50%+ of digestion takes place in the forestomach or first compartment. It takes the cria about 12 weeks to ruminate as an adult and even then, only at about 80-90% of adult function. Tip: Before weaning, make sure you have observed healthy ruminant activity, then gradually wean the cria from the dam (together at night but not daytime). If transitioning to a new farm, consider weaning at 5-6 months and observe healthy behavior and digestive function before the cria leaves the farm. Also, the temperament of the camelid and the situation it will be going to will greatly impact their success at weaning and the impact it will have on their digestive upset.

Other Tips

• At changes of season, gradually put on pasture and take off. It takes the rumen two weeks to adjust to new feed.
• Consider having hay from the same source available at all times so that the camelid can use this as its base of food at all times while taking in new food (different pastures or moving to a new farm).
• Avoid forced grazing where the selection of food is limited and scarce. They will eat things that upset them before starving.
• Be very careful to not let camelids get into grain bins causing potential forestomach acidosis. Use bungee cords to secure them closed.
• Gradually change grain products or hay.
• Consider bringing all your own hay, water and grain to shows/events or to send along with an animal relocating to it's new farm.
• Sit and watch your herd for 5-10 minutes a day to make sure they are eating, ruminating and pooping/peeing normally.

Summary

High quality feed and water — gradual changes — manage stress — breed for hardiness.

Karen Nicholson, of Stepping Stone Farm Alpacas in Stowe, VT, has a herd of nine colorful alpacas bred and managed for valued traits including: fiber excellence, conformation, reproductive vigor, hardiness and temperament. Also on the farm are: two French Alpine dairy goats, Indian Runner ducks, broiler chickens and several laying hens all integrated into their farm management program. While the information shared is not meant to replace the protocol set up by your veterinarian, these methods are being successfully used with many different types of livestock including camelids. Any comments or questions can be directed to: Nicholson@websticker.com.