Handling cattle - Agriculture Western Australia. The most important aspect of handling livestock is being able to recognise and understand an animal's reactions. A beast's 'body language' will indicate if it is feeling threatened by, for instance, the handler standing too close, making sudden movements or loud noises, jamming it too tightly, or isolating it in the yards.
Cattle also react to a handler approaching in an unfamiliar way.
A good handler watches cattle, recognises their reactions and gains their confidence by settling them down so they do not try to break away. Understanding reactions Cattle show the following reactions and behaviour. When frightened, their natural instinct is to escape. They are very curious - even after being frightened they will often return for another 'look'. They react favourably to good handling, kindness and particularly feed.