Cattle are very similar to humans in some regards- they prefer having a set routine, and they are much less productive when they are stressed. And especially when it comes to cattle production, several simultaneous stressors can have an exponentially worse effect on feed efficiency. David Shirbroun, professional services veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim, talked about some of the different things that can stress cattle as well as how to mitigate them.
Of course, cattle can’t tell you when they’re stressed, so producers have to stay observant and look for potential signs. Shirbroun said changes in behavior, like a loss in appetite, can indicate stressed cattle.
Many of those stressors are inevitable, though, so Shirbroun said it’s important for producers to try to spread them out and prevent them from piling up on their cattle herds.
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