48 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN February 2025 StreSS management in cattle country LINDA EMANUEL BSN, RN | COMMUNITY HEALTH DIRECTOR, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER, AGRISAFE NETWORK If you ask a cattle producer about low-stress cattle handling, most will respond with an answer that defines the method of understanding cattle behavior and resultant handling. Their intended results are decreased cattle stress, decreased injury and increased productivity. Consider the demands of today’s cattle producer. The unpredictable nature of trade, weather, markets, disasters and drought, and the evolving livestock and crop diseases typically hit high on the list of stressors. Mix in family relationships, transition planning, sleep debt, finances, aging farm/ranch operators, chronic illness or disease, and lack of accessible, quality childcare in rural communities, and the result is a highly stressful environment. So where does one find the balance, the return to homeostasis, that results in a low-stress environment? To find the answer, let’s explore stress, its impact on producers and strategies to find calm in the middle of chaos. recogniZe SignS of StreSS oVerloaD Stress overload is generally categorized into three realms: • Emotional signs: Short temper, fluctuating mood, irritable, cynical, anxious, abnormally quiet, tearful, withdrawal from activities normally enjoyed. • Cognitive signs: Executive dysfunction such as difficulty making decisions, lack of confidence, acute changes in memory, problem-solving difficulties, inattention, increase in farm/ranch accidents. • Physical signs: Gastrointestinal distress, muscle tension/discomfort (neck soreness, tight back muscles) teeth grinding, headaches, fatigue, chest tightness, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, changes in eating habits, decrease in sexual desire or sexual performance, altered immunity and increased use in substances such as alcohol or drugs. PERSPECTIVES
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTMxNTA5