Handling Cattle, Pigs, Sheep

Time of day effects

Shadows may cause Balking

Steer vision

Cattle have panoramic vision. Has a small area of binocular field

Signs of fearful stressed animals

Eye white in cattle. Pooping in cattle. Tail switching on cattle. Vocalization during handling in cattle and pigs

Distractions that cause balking and refusal to move

Shadows and high contrast of light. Reflections on metal or water. Seeing people up ahead. Moving objects. Air blowing in their faces. Coat hung on fence

Distractions that cause Balking

Objects lying on the ground. Drain gates. Changes in flooring type. Dripping water. Dangling chains. Turning fan blades

Watch for time of day effects

Shadows and lights streaks may cause balking

Prevention

A solid side should be installed to prevent the cattle from seeing the people

Herding animals

Their behavior is controlled by vision. A curtain can contain them

Lighting

Animals will enter a restrainer more easily if the entrance is lighted

Experiments to reduce balking

A portable electric light on a long cord. Lots of cardboard. Duct tape and other things to fasten cardboard

Barriers

Barriers prevent animals from seeing people and moving equipment. Which is good

Animal refusal

An animal may refuse to place their heads in dark spaces

Electric prod is never the main driving aid

Get it out of your hands. Only use on an occasional stubborn animal

Blocking vision

A flag can be used to turn an animal by blocking the animals vision on one side

When does tapping become beating?

Be careful! Beating is abuse

Never do acts of abuse which include

Never drag conscious animals. Never like sensitive areas. Never deliberately slam gates on an animal. Never deliberately drive animals over a downer. Never beat animals.

Natural livestock behaviors for all species

Flight zone-animals move away. Pressure zone- animals turn and face a person. Point of balance. Natural following behavior- learn to time small hunches of cattle and pigs. Go back to where they came from.

What is the flight zone?

The animals safety zone

Point of balance principles

It is at the shoulder when the handler is close to the cattle in the chutes. It is usually just past the eye when then handler is further away. To make an animal move forward, the handler must be behind the point of balance

If an animal rears…

Back up and get out of it’s flight zone

Moving groups

Cattle and pigs should be moved in small groups. Sheep can be moved in larger groups

Squeeze chute pattern

Curved chute pattern

Crowd pen

Should be filled half full with cattle or pigs

Non slipping floor is essential

animals get agitated when they slip. Scales and unloading ramps

Overstocked cattle

Cannot rest

Walking on reflection

Animals avoid it

Avoid bad mistake designs

The wrong cleat spacing will cause animals to slip and fall

Correct

foot fights between cleats

Cattle and sheep

Pigs cattle and sheep

Pigs right

Insulation?

Never use insulation with soft plastic surface. Birds and rodents destroy it