You may have the hat and the horse and the big old belt buckle — but that doesn’t mean you need to handle cattle the cowboy way, say Tina Williams and Richard McConnell.

Proper stockmanship, the Bud Williams’ way

If you want to build trust in your cattle, apply the right kind of pressure 
on them and learn to take two steps back

Reading Time: 3 minutes Cow whisperer’ Bud Williams used to have a saying when he was working cattle: “Slow is fast and less is more.” Now, four years after his death, Bud’s daughter and son-in-law are carrying on that tradition by teaching proper stockmanship — the Bud Williams’ way. “Cattlemen have been led to believe that the only way […] Read more

Stockmanship schools on offer

Stockmanship schools on offer

Classes run June 13-14 in Red Deer and June 16-17 in Cochrane

Reading Time: < 1 minute Richard McConnell and Tina William are presenting a two-day Proper Stockmanship School in Red Deer (June 13-14 at the Red Deer County Office) and Cochrane (June 16-17 at the Weedon Pioneer Community Hall). Topics include pressure and release; instincts of humans and livestock; the predator/prey relationship; positioning and movement; and sorting, weaning, receiving, and loading livestock. […] Read more


a cattle handling system

Don’t rush when upgrading or replacing a handling system

You’ll be living with any changes for a long time, so it pays to do your research and seek expert advice

Reading Time: 3 minutes You’re going to invest in a new cattle-handling system, but there are so many options, you’re feeling confused. Here are some things to consider: Crowding tubs or Bud Box? A crowding tub is designed to move cattle from a wide group alley into a narrow single-file alley. Like the Bud Box, they rely on the […] Read more

man watching a cow in a corral

‘Cow whisperer’ demonstrates low-stress cattle handling at Alberta workshop

Understanding how your movements affect your cows makes it easier 
to manage them, whether in the pasture or in the pen

Reading Time: 3 minutes Watching Curt Pate work cattle is like watching a child tugging at a kite string on a windy day. At first, it seems he can’t possibly control the wild movement of this unpredictable thing he’s trying to direct. But soon enough, he has everything well in hand. When he approaches the small herd from the […] Read more