Here is a link to a number of videos regarding cattle handling from Dr Temple Grandin's website.

As a newcomer to cattle, I found them helpful in getting a feel for how cattle behave.

After realizing I had made a mistake on an early purchase by buying this one ornery/wild old cow, I saw how she was getting my whole herd wound up and decided to ship her asap. My good neighbor came over and we both tried to force this cow into a trailer by herding her into a corner made by wiring some panels to the trailer in a vee shape. Well this cow decided she was NOT going into the trailer and nearly broke my arm when she pushed one of the panels over on me and headed victoriously for the back forty at a gallop.  

At that point I decided that I needed a corral/handling facility/loading ramp. The cost was going to probably be less than the doctor bills. I built a corral mostly from used telephone poles and rough sawn oak boards. I did use a solid sheeted For-most tub and alley but I had lots of open pipe gates the cattle could see through. They got riled up by motion outside the corral they could see through the gates.

When I controlled the sight lines by wiring up 1/4 plywood (free rejects from a lumber yard) to the insides of the pipe gates they calmed down. 

When I put dull black rubber belting over my shiny aluminum TruTest scale platform in the alley, they no longer hesitated to step on it....

When I started being aware of my cattles' field of vision and flight zones I found I could get the whole herd in the corral (ahead of a vet visit for example) by myself with minimal stress. Just making yourself seem wide by extending your arms does the job in many situations. Talking to them helps. 

When I changed from pipe anti-backup gates to solid sliding panel doors (limiting sight lines and visual distractions) between my tub and alley and alley and chute it made a huge difference in keeping cattle calm when working them.

I think Temple Grandin's principles are useful for small operations like mine even though they are mostly aimed at the feedlots and commercial size herds. Even to a newcomer to cattle like me, it seems clear she has really done a lot for the cattle industry.  Autism or not, the principles she teaches work and make life a lot easier on both the handler and the cattle.

Cows may not be real bright but they sure remember things. I read somewhere how mature cows have the intelligence of about a human 3-year old.  But even three year old humans remember how they are treated.  I would never touch either with an electric prod.

Gently handling a cow that you will have around for 10 or 15 years will sure make life easier. I feel it makes good safety and business sense to listen to the principles that Grandin teaches. jmho.

Jim at Dawn