Consider a Bud Box for bulls and calves

Over the spring, summer and fall, there will be several times cows, bulls and calves will need to be handled for animal health processing. If you need a simple upgrade to facilities or a portable option for temporary facilities, consider a Bud Box.

The Bud Box was originally designed by stockmanship author and clinician Bud Williams. It works using a few basic cattle stockmanship principles. 

First: Stress causes cattle to react. Handling stress is created by the pressure of the handler entering or exiting the cattle’s flight zone. The increase and release of pressure by the handler entering and exiting the flight zone creates movement or can stop movement.

Second: Cattle like to stay together. Moving groups of cattle is easier than individuals and less stressful on the cattle. They are herd animals and prefer to be in a group when separated from the herd.

Third: Cattle like to keep one eye on the handler. A handler represents a stress to the cattle. When the cattle can see the handler, they can react to the handler’s position and pressure on their flight zone.

Fourth: Cattle like to go around. Cattle in confined space prefer to circle a handler as it allows for the greatest flight zone distance from the pressure of the handler and keep an eye on the handler. 

Fifth: Cattle like to go back to where they came from. They like to go where they know they have been with less stress or where they last remember other cattle being.

Using these principles, the design and use of a Bud Box is simple. It is a small rectangular pen, long enough that cattle can enter and stop, be turned around and pass by the handler and into an alleyway.

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