A guide for farmers on how to reduce stress in cattle

Whether you manage dairy, beef or dairy beef cattle, cow welfare and other forms of cattle welfare will be at the forefront of your mind.

In particular, you’ll be acutely aware of the vital importance of reducing stress and actively looking for cattle calming solutions.

Solutions such as FerAppease, a revolutionary, scientifically-proven, topical cattle calming solution now available to UK farmers, can be invaluable dairy and beef farming tools.

European Livestock Voice makes clear that ‘farmers need to assess and anticipate animal stress on all levels and manage it appropriately’ to stop it impacting negatively on their operations.

Reducing stress helps you to boost your herds’ health, the quality of their milk or meat, and your farm’s productivity and profitability.

There are several conventional, practical steps cattle farmers can take to try and tackle the problem of stress among cows, calves and other bovines.

Ensuring animals aren’t overcrowded, are bedded frequently, have plenty of bunk space, have access to well-ventilated areas indoors, and are screened for contagious illnesses are all sensible ways to support cow welfare, as well as cattle welfare more generally.

However, as a proactive farmer, you’re almost certainly doing all of that already.

At Calibre Control, we have nurtured close ties to British cattle farmers and know there’s an urgent need for innovative cattle calming solutions.

That’s why we’re proud to be the official UK distributor of FerAppease, a product with the potential to transform your animals’ lives – and your bottom line.

Why do cows get stressed?

Cow welfare must never be overlooked, as cows (as well as other bovines) are particularly prone to suffering from stress.

That’s because they’re prey animals and therefore have a heightened awareness of potential threats.

Numerous events in the lives of cattle farmed for milk and/or meat can trigger stress.

They include branding, tagging, disbudding, weaning, castration, TB testing, vaccinations, changing groups, artificial insemination, entering transition, calving, milking, drying off, being rehoused, haulage, slaughter preparation and more.

When cattle get stressed, their metabolisms switch to survival mode, undermining their health and value.

So, it’s vital to reduce bovine stress and thereby enhance cattle welfare on your farm with dairy and beef farming tools such as FerAppease.

What are the signs of agitation in cattle?

When agitated, cattle can undergo troubling physical and behavioural changes. In a nutshell, stress is the enemy of cattle welfare.

Stressed cattle may pant, sweat and even collapse. They’re likely to be uncooperative when being moved or milked.

They may have poor appetites, resulting in weight loss. Their fertility may suffer.

Stress can also have a negative effect on their immune systems, leading to higher rates of illness (cow welfare is often compromised by mastitis and lameness, for instance) and premature death.

Stressed herds are associated with poor quality dairy and/or beef products, low yields, and low returns.

What substance calms cattle?

Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance is a natural, important pheromone that will interest any farmer searching for cattle calming solutions.

It’s secreted by glands in the udder; a calf is exposed to it when suckling.

MBAS stimulates the calf’s vomeronasal gland, which then desensitises regions of the brain associated with emotions and reactions. This dramatically reduces a calf’s threat perception.

FerAppease cattle calming solution contains an effective synthetic version of Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance.

It makes a superb addition to your existing dairy/beef farming tools, as it enables you to reduce stress in all cattle, not just calves.

FerAppease is not a medicine; it has no known side effects and doesn’t require a prescription. You simply administer it before or at the beginning of a stressful event to enhance cattle welfare.

How long does it take for cattle to calm down?

Cattle calming solutions have a crucial role to play in cattle farming.

A major benefit of FerAppease is it delivers rapid results: it can be administered in seconds and starts working immediately.

Using the pour-on applicator, you simply apply FerAppease behind the animal’s poll and above the muzzle.

FerAppease is easy to administer and proven to work by scientific trials. For example, Texas A&M University found that among beef calves it decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol four hours post-castration by a staggering 45.6%.

Cattle calming solutions by FerAppease

Millions of applications of FerAppease have already been sold in the US.

Now this transformative cattle calming solution is available to UK farmers via our distribution partner NVS.

With FerAppease, you can improve cow welfare/cattle welfare, so that your herds thrive and boost your profits.

Reap the rewards of reducing cattle stress with FerAppease – contact Calibre Control today.