Having a good safe working facility on farm has lots of benefits – to you, your animals, and your service providers. Yards that are fit for purpose are a pleasure to work in and reduce the risk of injury to all users (animal and human alike).
The following are some common things that make jobs difficult or dangerous, that we come across fairly regularly in cattle yards:
- Loose or broken rails/catwalk planks,
- no catwalk,
- gates that are hard to open or shut,
- race that’s too wide (allowing smaller cattle to try to turn around),
- no headbail,
- nails or bolts sticking out.
- Bars running over the top of the race can cause problems at scanning if the cows move around in the race running the risk of getting equipment caught if cows move backwards.
Many of these problems can be rectified easily with some quick repairs, others are things to consider when doing a major overhaul or renovation. Certain jobs can be done much more efficiently with the right facilities. Rectal scanning of cow or heifer mobs will require a solid catwalk unless they are to be done one at a time through a crush area with suitable restraint and side opening access. Dehorning and examination of the head requires a headbail, and if not available then sedation may be required (which means animals must be off feed for 12 hours, and incurs an extra cost). Any tasks that require reaching between boards should be considered hazardous.
If you are considering renovating or replacing yards, have a look around at a few different yards and ask the users what works and what doesn’t. There are some simple features that make a big difference in allowing certain jobs to be done so consider the stock classes you carry. Breeding cows? A side opening crush (or half gate where just the top opens) will make a caesarean much easier, and a side access or vet gate at the back of the crush will prove invaluable for a calving or individual manual pregnancy testing. How long does your race need to be? Do you need a sliding gate half way down if it’s very long, to prevent cattle piling up at one end? Handling large numbers of dairy beef weaners? A race that can be narrow when needed prevents them turning around. Finishing big bulls? A good solid crush and heavy duty headbail makes handling so much safer, for everyone involved.
Finally, please don’t be offended if we are called to a job and we need to change the original plan due to the facilities. Sedating animals is often an option but does come with its own risks and potential for extended withholding periods depending on the products used. If you aren’t sure what we require we are happy to discuss this with you beforehand.
If you have any have any concerns please give us a call to discuss 06 858 9060.
