Using horses to manage large herds of cattle

With fuel costs being so high, using horses to manage extensive beef cattle herds makes increasing financial sense, says Dr Mac.

- Dr Mac.

The enduring image of cowboys ‘riding the range’ has featured in countless films. Yet this isn’t simply the stuff of Hollywood or the ‘Wild West’; many modern feedlots realise that using good riders and trained horses to move and ‘cut’ cattle causes less stress than handlers on foot or wheeled vehicles. It’s also far cheaper.

Geldings make the best cattle horses, as they are not distracted by the ‘mating game’. A gelding will often bond as strongly to its rider as a dog does to its owner.

A SKILLED CRAFT