What makes a good cattle yard design?
Good yard design The yards 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.
What width should a cattle crush be?
650mm to 700mm
The standard width of the race is 650mm to 700mm. Variations in size are permitted to suit different animal types, with 500mm recommended where the crush will be used exclusively for calves, 650mm to 700mm for dairy stock and up to 750mm for larger-framed beef animals.
How wide should a cattle race be NZ?
Cattle. Race: Internal width 650mm – 700mm and long enough for one cattle beast, but preferably two. Head-bail: Fitted at the end of the race. Loading ramp (optional): 3.5 – 4.6m long up to a rise of 1.2m loading height.
Why are some cattle yards circular in design?
The curved race encourages steady movement of cattle around the race. This is in contrast to their movement in a straight race, in which cattle will often move very quickly forward, baulk and then move backwards. A curved race has a natural anti-backing effect, and tends to be self-feeding.
What is a race in cattle yards?
The race – a curved race encourages cattle to move freely from one point to another but there are other race designs available. The ideal height is 1.5m and the recommended width between opposite posts is 675–700mm (plus the thickness of the rails).
How high is a cattle loading ramp?
An average height is 1.2 metres. Side panels should be at least 1.5 metres high. The best internal width between rails for loading is 750mm.
How Big Should cow pens be?
Size and Layout It is generally recommended that holding pens provide 20 square feet per cow and 14 square feet per calf. For a herd of 35 cow-calf pairs, you would need a holding pen that is at least 1,200 square feet, with additional pens for sorting.
Do you need planning permission for a cattle crush?
Grant aid for a stand alone cattle crush/race in existing buildings or the replacement of an existing crush does not require planning permission.
Can you leave cows unattended?
Cows are large animals so they do well alone with no issues and can care for themselves. Their sizes also makes it difficult for them to be preyed on. Sufficient grass, water, salt and a good fence are what you need to provide if you’re going to be leaving your cows unattended for a while.
Can cows go down ramps?
While cows won’t walk down stairs on their own, it has been proven that cows will walk down stairs if you force them to. So, yes, cows can walk down stairs. They just avoid the situation as much as possible, as they are not evolutionarily prepared for such steep slopes and foreign leg movements.
What is a cattle Bud box?
The Bud Box is a small rectangular box that disorientates the cattle before trying to make them go through the system and into a chute. When handling cattle with a Bud Box, it requires the handler to be in the box to manage the animals and move them in the proper direction.