Cattle’s Response To Sound And Smell And How It Might Influence Decisions Regarding Preparation And Administering Of Cattle Treatments

Noise, especially sudden, loud noise, is stressful to animals. Experiments have shown that cattle, when exposed to sustained noise, have reduced mass gains. Cattle perceive sounds of higher frequencies than do human beings. Research findings are that classical music has a calming effect on cows.

The sense of smell is particularly well-developed in cattle. The odour of blood, or of strange cattle, will lead to animals baulking when forced to enter a crush or pen. If animals are allowed to walk through a crush unhindered, a number of times, they will enter a crush readily in future.