Barnyard Basics: Tips for sorting calves from cows

It always pays to sort cattle quietly and calmly, especially when sorting the cows away from the calves for branding, weaning or any other purpose. Dylan Biggs (TK Ranch near Hanna, Alberta) realized the benefits of handling cattle quietly several decades ago. He learned from Bud Williams, a cattle-handling expert who practiced and taught low-stress methods for moving and sorting cattle.

The first key is to bring cattle into the corral quietly and calmly, so they are still relaxed and not nervous and flighty. Once you get cattle in and begin to sort, there are ways to make it easier to sort calves away from the cows. Dylan uses a calf-stripper or bumper gate that the calves can go under and be in another pen as the cows go out of the corral or into a different pen.

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