Livestock Investigations

1. Livestock Investigations Presented by Jim Boller

2. GOALS & OBJECTIVES • Livestock Law • Understanding livestock Behavior • Identification & Documentation • Evaluating the Environment • Body Condition Scoring • Metabolic Evaluations • Proper Nutrition & Feeding • Safe Handling • When To Call the Veterinarian

3. Livestock • Definitions • Animal • Livestock Pet vs. Production • Requirements for care • Nutrition • Shelter • care • Who may enforce • Sworn officer • Livestock Board /Dept. of Agriculture • ACO/Humane Investigator

4. State Law • Sec. 42.09.  CRUELTY TO LIVESTOCK ANIMALS.  (a)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly: • "Necessary food, water, or care" includes food, water, or care provided to the extent required to maintain the livestock animal in a state of good health. Reasonable accepted agricultural practice & husbandry • Sec. 42.092.  CRUELTY TO NONLIVESTOCK ANIMALS."Necessary food, water, care, or shelter" includes food, water, care, or shelter provided to the extent required to maintain the animal in a state of good health.

5. State Law cont. • "Livestock animal" means: • (A)  cattle, sheep, swine, goats, ratites, or poultry commonly raised for human consumption; • (B)  a horse, pony, mule, donkey, or hinny; • (C)  native or nonnative hoof stock raised under agriculture practices; or • (D)  native or nonnative fowl commonly raised under agricultural practices.

6. HOW WE DEFINE CRUELTY • Cruelty… Disposed to inflict suffering… indifferent to or taking pleasure in another's pain or distress… destitute of kindness or compassion • Animal Cruelty… Socially unacceptable behavior that intentionally causes unnecessary pain, suffering,or distress and/or death of an animal

7. Neglect…Disregard for care; omit through carelessness; without any self gratification • Torture… No foreseeable justification for the infliction of pain – Not to focus on the intensity of pain, but the motivation to inflict pain – State vs. Allison • Action orinaction…if a person intentionally does or does not do an act and the risk is foreseeable then the person is criminally liable when his action or inaction inflicts pain or suffering – P vs. Tinsdale

8. Animal Cruelty Vs. Crime Rates FBI statistics indicate states that have more well defined and active enforcement of their animal cruelty laws also have lower over all crime rates. Ratings are based on reported case, percentage of prosecutions and sentence imposed.

9. The Basis of Animal Behavior • Genetics • Provides the blueprint for the animal’s looks, and behavior • Type, breed, and instinct are in the genes

10. Humans write the books on behavior; but animals don’t read, never take for granted how an animal may react in any given situation. DON’T BECOME A VICTIM

11. The Basis of Animal Behavior • Four primary motivators • Fear • Prey/Chase • Curiosity/Interest • Rage

12. The Basis of Animal Behavior • Sub-motivators • Social attachments • Sexual • Parental • Play

13. Influencing Animal Behavior • Experience • Social Learning • Training • Management • Diet • Exercise • Health Status

14. Influencing Animal Behavior • Current Conditions • Light • Noise • Temperature • Posture • Other animals around • Pheromones • Human Intervention • Restraint

15. Predators • Human behavior is primarily predatory • Stare or make eye contact • Sneak • Make fast movements toward the prey • Make stops and starts • May smell different

16. Human Behavior • Humans are predators • Remember to use non-threatening body language • Avoid looking like a predator, don’t stare • Slinking about may cause alarm • Be careful using food to lure animals into your space

17. Livestock • Prey animals • All are herd animals • Long-term domestication • Cattle, sheep, goats, swine poultry, horses, Camelids, • Partial domestication • (tolerance for human interaction) • Bison, elk, emu, ostrich

18. Prey • Vision • Wide field • Maximum field • defense • Instincts • Herd • Escape • Protect young

19. IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS NORMAL IDENTIFYING ABNORMAL IS EASIER

20. Adaptive Behavior • Those Behaviors that are Genetically Programmed • Livestock instincts when threatened • Escape • Escape behavior may cause self destruction or injury to others • “Suicide gene” • “Out to lunch” • Don’t think about it, just react!

21. Adaptive Behavior • Return to herd and safety • Protect young • Self defense aggression (higher in some species)

22. Non-adaptive Behavior • Learned behavior • Maybe positive or negative • Cribbing • Self mutilation • Boredom / Stress

23. Domestication • Millions of generations of genetic selection for : • Docility • Growth • Meat production • Milk production

24. Domestication • Breeding for compliance, trust, calm • Selection against certain survival instincts • Selection for co-existence with humans • Some breeds would not exist with out direct human help

25. Average Level of Trust • Horses: High to Low • Cattle: Medium to non-existent • Swine: Medium to low • Camelids: medium to high • Sheep: Medium to low • Emu and Ostriches: Medium to low • Bison: usually non-existent- will go out of their way to kill or maim you! • Elk (cervids): low

26. Factors Affecting Level of Trust • Previous handling • Habituation • Pain • Handler behavior

27. The concept of space • As odd as it may seem if the animals are in a group you can often get closer than if the animal is alone • Wild vs. Domesticated

28. Predicting Animal Behavior • Cattle • In a group cows are less stressed and more compliant • Cattle that are in a group are more apt to walk than a single cow who will often run

29. Cattle • Few cattle (except show cattle) are used to people walking up and handling them. • Beef cattle – driving by horseback, ATV, tractor or dog is often best • Dairy cattle – walk or use dog • Any cattle that have ring in nose indicates questionable temperament

30. Cattle • Cattle alone will often jump through plate glass, etc to get to the “other cattle” • If cattle are held in escape proof fences feed will often calm them. • Cattle who start to push or rub on fences are going to get out • Try never to hold a cow alone

31. Cattle • Cattle in a strange place are better held in a small pen. They will often run in a large pen. • Cattle will usually move away from and then turn and face what they perceive as a threat. • Cattle like to walk one behind the other in a single file line • Once cattle start to run you will usually lose control

32. Bison • Seem to have a death wish when corralled, this is both for you and them • Don’t even try to contain them in barbwire or any fence they can see thru or over • Strong social defense structure

33. Sheep • Even more herd bound than cattle • Difficult to catch by hand, better to use panels or pen They leap! • Can easily overheat then running and stress will kill them • A lone sheep will usually bond up with another animal if it can • Lead animal may have bell rest will follow

34. Llamas • Heard oriented • Strong social structure • Lie down when stressed • Imprinted Males can become aggressive (berserk male syndrome) • Strong territorial • Strong facial expressions

36. RatitesEmus – Ostrich • Loose social grouping • Strong territorial • Males rear young • High flight reaction • Good eye sight • Low intelligence

37. Recognizing breeds • 800 breeds of cattle meet production / dairy production • 600 breeds of equine • 300 sheep & goats • 100 swine • ++++ fowl

38. Identification • Generality – describe it as you see it • Color - keep to basics • Sex - male or female • Age – young, adult, older adult • Breed type • Permanent marks • Ask the owner

39. Entering the environment • Economics vs. philosophical • Don’t get hung up on semantics • Be Courteous • Look at the whole puzzle not just a piece

40. Safety • Biosecurity • Steps taken at a facility or operation to prevent the introduction, export, or internal spread of disease agents • Bio-Safety (infection control) • Procedures to limit spread of infectious agents to both people and animals

41. Zoonosis – proper PPE, vaccination, • When working with facilities and stock owners be respectful • Handling – evaluate situation, know your limitation, proper tools • Animal Behavior • DON’T BECOME A VICTIM

42. THE INITIAL CALL • What is the nature of the call? • What type of property? • Commercial or hobby • Feed lot • Breeding • Market / Auction • Gentleman Rancher • Learn about the person in charge • Don’t debate philosophies

43. ANIMAL CONDITIONS • Check overall appearance • Fat, shiny, alert-probably good • Thin, lethargic, sick-probably poor • Single poor animal-probably sick • Identify individual animals • Color, sex, age, height & markings • Brands, scars & blemishes • Watch for swapping • Score animals • Score all animals

44. Part II

45. SAFE HANDLING • Handling is not just physical, it’s psychological • Vision • The approach • Psychology • Where to stand • Restraint

46. Important Aspect When Handling Animals And Predicting Response • Animals are in heightened stress level • Do not allow ego or complacency to be a factor • Plan for the unexpected • When in doubt – no shame to ask for help

47. The best way to move livestock is to keep the area where you want them to move, open and clear, and then quietly move behind them. Most livestock will move forward if you simply move your body to be anywhere behind the animal's shoulder. There is seldom need to yell, pound on the animal with sticks, or use electric prods. To move an animal left, simply stand toward the right of the midline. If you wish the animal to stop moving forward, simply stand in front of the head.

48. Herd animals are easier moved as a group. • Setting up perimeter confinement and chutes. • Work them slow from behind into a corral area then into trailers for transport. • Herd animals are prey animals that will move away from what they feel is a threat. • They want an escape route, make that route the direction you want them to go. • Snow fencing or roll sheeting or portable livestock panels works well as a means to move these animals.

49. Potential Sources of Human Injury • Striking out with legs, kicking, occasionally biting • Crushing, dragging • When you have roped it – who has who? • Smashing against walls • Goring (don’t have to have horns to kill) • The farm bull is the most dangerous animal on earth

50. MAJOR CAUSES OF ANIMAL HANDLING ACCIDENTS ARE: • Fearful or Agitated animals • Equipment failure • Dominance Aggression of animal • Maternal Aggression of animal • Failure of Humans to recognize any and all of the above