Giving Treats To Livestock

Should you do it? Debbie Kingsley investigates

- Debbie Kingsley

I’m a bit weird about giving treats to livestock, or shall we say, reticent. I know of too many examples where folk have suffered an injury from treating livestock as pets, regularly handing out some tasty to morsel to their ram, or feeding their pig from their hand, only to find themselves at A & E because the ram has butted them painfully in the knee cap and the pig has taken a chunk out of their finger. I also like to think that, although I’m really bad at controlling my own greedy nature, I’m far better at regulating the diet of my cows, sheep, pigs and poultry, and they are all the better for it. So is it ever appropriate to give your livestock treats?

I’m all for using food as a reward for enticing a reluctant beast when they feel wary of what’s being asked of them. Although our cows’ diet is strictly grass, hay or haylage, I’m not beyond using a handful of cattle nuts to encourage a cow into the crush, particularly if its last time in there was to be jabbed by me or the vet. And a couple of days after calving, I’ll put some in the manger to bring the cow forward so I can shut the gate behind her while we tag her new calf in safety. Because this is such a very rare treat, the cow will give little thought to us handling her precious babe, and by the time we’re done she’s licking her lips and vaguely remembering that there’s a calf that needs her attention. However, I’m continually disturbed by people asking why the cow (or bull!) they are feeding daily treats such as sugar beet cubes - by hand, is now shaking its head at them and showing other aggressive behaviour, or nudging them painfully as the cow tries to extract the treat from their pocket. The grief and aggravation suffered by that cow keeper is entirely self-inflicted.