All cattle are large and dangerous animals. When they are not handled carefully, accidents can result even with cattle that are calm. Avoid keeping a bull unless you are experienced on how to handle them.

Docility Among Angus Cattle

Most black Angus cattle can be very calm and tend to be more docile than other cattle breeds. They should have a pleasant personality, especially when it comes to calving. Bulls can sometimes be dangerous but are less dangerous when you understand cattle behavior. Mothers are the most dangerous when they are protecting their young, while bulls are the most dangerous when they are protecting females in heat. Regardless of the situation, it is important to not let your guard down.

Sensitivity

Cattle have very sensitive ears and can be distressed by some noises. However, soothing music can help cattle relax. Yelling at cattle is a bad idea because they are more likely to become spooked. High-pitched sounds can increase the heart rate for cattle.

Cattle have poor depth perception and will often be afraid to cross over shadows. For this reason, it's a good idea to move cattle through diffused light. They are also afraid to move over drain gates. 

Flight Zones

Cattle that are not as familiar with people have a longer flight zone than those who are familiar with people. The flight zone is the range at which the cattle is more likely to try to run away. It's important to understand a flight zone because cattle that are running can be potentially dangerous. Cattle are also more likely to run away when encountering a stranger. However, cattle that are calm enough to approach can be calmed further by being scratched under the neck and behind the ears. These are areas that the cattle find difficult to access. 

Working with Black Angus Cattle

Black Angus cows will usually not follow you around. They are often considered to be the easiest to work with and are even-tempered. However, that doesn't mean that you have to necessarily stick to only raising black Angus cattle.

New cattle ranchers will sometimes only choose to keep black Angus cattle because they want to raise purebred cows. However, cross-breeding Angus cattle with other breeds can create higher quality meat. Regardless of the breed, cattle have a social hierarchy that is based on weight and age. Male cattle may fight female cattle until they eventually dominate them.

For more information on black Angus cattle, contact a company in your area like GDA Farms.

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