Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 11/12/14


One week after updating regulator status on administering Zilmax, Merck Animal Health has announced a new program designed to help producers better understand cattle behavior.

The Creating Connections program is designed to foster strategies that can reduce stress, improve reproduction and foster stronger immune responses, the company said in a news release.

Because calmer cattle are easier to examine, diagnose, treat and move, the company said, “the techniques shared through Creating Connections will help make it easier for producers to improve the health of their herds.”

The program will launch with a series of videos explaining how common cattle behavioral cues can be interpreted to improve understanding their levels of comfort and well-being. The video series will be followed by additional resources, including learning modules and training seminars, in the coming months.

“The behavior of cattle — how they interact with each other and with people — can be shaped by positive interactions with caregivers and tell us a tremendous amount about how cattle are feeling,” said Dr. Tom Noffsinger, a consulting feedyard veterinarian well known for his work on low-stress cattle handling practices. Noffsinger called Creating Connections "a valuable tool" to help producers improve herd health and contribute to a safe environment for cattle and their handlers.

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