Animal Health & Welfare

Methods Of Avoiding Disturbing Stimuli

Disturbing noises:

Noise during handling may be aversive to cattle due to its novelty, or its association with previous negative experiences whilst being handled.

• Minimise the sound of metal components striking against each other by using rubber strips to prevent metal-metal contact
• The design and use of crushes which rattle when entered should be avoided
• Handlers should avoid shouting to encourage movement

Contrasting light levels:

Shadows and objects on the ground which present a colour contrast can cause cattle to pause.

• Drains should be sited outside the areas used by cattle
• Use partitions of uniform colour
• Use a floor surface that is level and of uniform texture

Other disturbing stimuli:

• Cattle will hesitate when they see humans standing in front of them or other cattle alongside. Solid walls in races, forcing pens and crushes encourage efficient cattle movement to a better degree than open designs.  Where possible, do not stand at the front of the crush in full view of the animal.

Methods Of Utilising Positive Stimuli To Encourage Movement

Cattle will move freely when another animal is in view ahead, and they prefer to move towards a more brightly lit area.

• Orientate races to give the impression that cattle are being directed back toward the collecting pen where they started
• Other cattle being held in the dispersal pen should be visible through the exit of the crush
• The area of the crush and dispersal pen should be well illuminated
• Cattle naturally tend to circle a handler. Curved races and circular forcing pens make use of this tendency when the handler is positioned behind the shoulder of the animal on a raised catwalk

Currently, most Scottish handling facilities are based on designs with straight races and forcing pens and use open-sided gates rather than sheeted partitions. For more information, click on the 'Scottish Handling Facilities' option from the left hand menu bar.