Page
How Cattle Walk
Completion requirements
View
How cattle walk and how it may influence the design of crush and housing facilities to avoid injury and stress.
Cattle walk with their heads nodding in some form of rhythm with their footsteps. Cattle (unlike dogs, cats and humans. i.e. predatory animals) have their eyes on the sides of their heads instead of facing front, and the head movement may assist with depth perception by continuously changing perspective.
A healthy cow walking on pasture places the rear foot into the position vacated by the front foot on the same side. On slippery floors or in dark conditions that alter a cow’s confidence, she places her rear foot outside the track of the front foot, alters stride and step length, and walking speed. This altered walking behaviour provides greater stability but places greater stress on the outside claw.
