Cattle, Cattle Handling
We all know how frustrating and time-consuming it can be when cattle won’t move where you want them to in the cattle yards. A good yard design should allow safe, efficient handling of cattle for drafting and loading-out as well as restraining the animals for husbandry procedures such as drenching, vaccination, ear tagging and pregnancy testing. If your cattle-yard design isn’t up to scratch, then read on to learn how you can get your cattle flowing better.
Cattle behaviours that affect cattle-yard flow
It is important to understand some of the cattle behaviours that affect yard flow. Knowing the natural instincts and common behaviours of livestock will help you handle animals quietly and calmly, and help you understand cattle yard design features that work with, and not against, these behaviours. This will help you identify the parts of your cattle-yard that are causing bad flow:
- Cattle have a 300-degree field of view and can see threats from almost all directions.
- Cattle like to be with the herd and follow other animals. If they see the herd beside them when in a race or forcing yard, they will stop. Solid sides on loading ramps and the outside of races can help to keep cattle calm and moving.
- Cattle move more easily through a curved race because they cannot see people standing by the squeeze chute/crush or see the closed gate at the end.
- Ensure the entrance of the race is not too dark or appears to be a dead-end with no place to go — a cow standing in the forcing pen must be able to see a minimum of two body lengths up the single file race.
- Cattle do not like to move towards bright light or shiny reflections so yard orientation should avoid situations where stock in the race, forcing pens or on the loading ramp are moving directly into sun or shadows and that the handler is not looking into the sun.
- Cattle also prefer to move back towards their pasture, so circular yards work better if the stock are moving back towards where they entered the yard.
- Cattle should move easily through the yards and enter the race without hesitation. If they baulk and refuse to move at a particular point in the system, it is important to observe them carefully to find out why. Small distractions such as changes in floor type or fence construction can make cattle baulk.
Pictured above is a Te Pari Cattle Yard featuring circular pens, curved race, stepped loading ramp and a forcing pen with a rotating forcing gate.
Here are 7 key problem areas that could be causing bad cattle flow in your yards.
1. Corners in pens
Corners in cattle-yard pens tend to be where cattle bunch up and baulk. In a circular pen, the only place cattle will bunch is in the direction they need to move, such as towards the forcing yards. Cattle have a natural tendency to circle their handler, so cattle yard designs with circular pens will allow cattle to flow better. Research shows circular yards can be up to 30% more efficient than square or rectangular yards thus allowing a much higher throughput of cattle.
2. Cattle Race
Is your race straight and does it have large gaps between the boards or panels that cattle can see through? Cattle like to be with the herd and follow other animals. If they see the herd beside them in a pen next to the race, they might hesitate. Solid sides on the outside of the race (opposite side to the catwalk) help to reduce distractions and improve cattle flow. Leaving the inside of a curved race unsheeted encourages the cattle to flow around the operator.
A curved race encourages cattle to flow more easily as they look straight ahead and can only see 1 or 2 animals in front of them without seeing the end of the race where your crush, loading ramp or closed gate is.
Do your calves or yearlings try to turn in the race? This can cause huge delays in the yards and can become a real safety issue if people need to get into the race with animals to get them turned around again. Calf reducer panels can be added to some cattle yard designs. These adjustable panels allow you to narrow the width of the race by moving side panels in. Watch this video to see how Calf Reducing panels work in Te Pari Yards
3. Loading Ramp
A cattle loading ramp that is slippery or noisy will cause cattle to stop and try to back up. If cattle can see through the sides or bottom of the ramp this will also cause them to hesitate as they look for another way to get out.
Ramp floors need to be non-slip and not cause a hollow or loud noise. Studies have shown that steps at an approximate slope of 20% are the best for loading ramps. Steps give cattle a flat footing that they are less likely to slip on than a ramp incline with cleats on it. Loading ramp steps can be made out of concrete, wood or steel as long as they are non-slip, sturdy and well maintained.
A level section at least 1-2m long (4-6ft) at the top of the ramp will give cattle more confidence to move onto the different flooring material in the truck. This is also very important when unloading cattle from the top deck of a double-deck transporter. The internal ramps on these vehicles are often very steep, and a level section to slow the cattle down is worthwhile.
Having steps instead of a sloped surface drastically reduces slipping when the loading ramp is wet or mucky. Fully sheeted sides on a loading ramp reduces cattle visibility and distraction to help improve flow up the ramp. Take a look at the Te Pari Dual Height Loading ramp in action in this video >
4. Forcing Pen
Do you have a forcing pen in your cattle yards? Does it have corners that cattle bunch up in? Do you have to get in the pen with the cattle to get them to move into the race?
A circular forcing pen with a gate that swings at least 180 degrees will help improve flow in your cattle yard. A forcing gate lets you reduce the size of the forcing pen as cattle enter, eliminating the need to climb into the pen which is a huge safety benefit. A forcing gate should not be used to physically push cattle – only to encourage them up the race as the space in the pen reduces.
The Super C-Force Gate System from Te Pari is a heavy-duty 3.2m revolving steel gate which reduces the size of a circular force pen as the cattle enter the race. The gate locks quietly into the circular pen every 0.5m, moving the cattle up into the race. The pen can hold approximately 15 head of cattle meaning the operator can process 2-3 race loads of cattle before having to refill from the main pens.
The approach to race should be shaped like a funnel so that you don’t end up with multiple cattle trying to go up the race at once.
A circular forcing pen and curved race can be added to many existing yard designs without having to completely rebuild your yards. Talk to a Cattle Yard Design Specialist at Te Pari to discuss your options.
5. Lighting
Cattle do not like to move towards bright light or shiny reflections so yard orientation should avoid situations where stock in the race, forcing pens or on the loading ramp are moving directly into sun or shadows and that the handler is not looking into the sun.
Ensure the entrance of your race is not too dark or appears to be a dead-end with no place to go — a cow standing in the forcing pen must be able to see a minimum of two body lengths up the single file race.
Cattle will also avoid dark places in your yards where they have bad visibility. If you are using cattle yards at night, then you should have lights over the yards that provide good visibility for both cattle and staff.
6. Flooring and hazards
Is your cattle-yard full of mud, sharp stones or slippery concrete? This could be causing your cattle to hesitate especially if they have slipped or injured themselves in the past.
Having a textured concrete floor in your forcing pen and race prevents these main traffic areas from getting muddy and provides a safer and cleaner working environment.
The pens in your cattle yard should be inspected and maintained regularly by removing the build-up of mud and sharp stones. You should also level out the surface of the ground to prevent trip hazards. This can be done by adding a layer of gravel to problem areas.
7. Yard design and capacity
The overall design of your cattle-yard will affect how cattle flow through it. There are many things to consider such as how cattle enter the yards, the size of yard pens and how many cattle you put in them.
A steep hill leading to your yards could cause cattle flow problems. Cattle flow best when on level ground or slightly uphill.
Putting too many animals in a pen at once can make them stressed and agitated. Cattle don’t like to be overcrowded, it’s important to give them plenty of space to move around.
Pen sizes should be suitable for the mob sizes you are running. Cattle yard sizing should be calculated off total cattle numbers and mob sizes.
Cattle yards designed with an understanding of animal behaviour and natural instincts will increase productivity, improve meat quality and be more efficient with your time and money. If you’re considering upgrading your cattle yards then talk to a Cattle Yard Specialist at Te Pari to help you develop an efficient yard design.
Why did Steven choose Te Pari Cattle Yards?
As a one-man operator, cattle flow and safety were essential for Steven to be able to confidently handle cattle by himself. After working in his Te Pari Yard for over a year now, he wishes it was an investment he'd made years ago. “The cattle just flow so well”.