Facility Design
Facilities should be designed to help move cattle in the way they would naturally go. Immediate action should be taken to fix any dangerous equipment or facilities. Cattle will balk at shadows and contrast. Therefore, take care in the design of facilities so that shadows and light/dark contrasts are minimized.
Employees should also be aware that unusual objects and even parts of their bodies can keep cattle from moving forward if they are in view.
- Squeeze chutes should be adjusted for the size of cattle that are going through the chute.
- There should be solid gates and solid sides for chutes so that the cattle cannot see to the other side and see other cattle moving in another direction or be distracted by people and other objects and activities.
- Ramps and alleys should be curved with a 13 to 16–foot inside radius so that cattle keep moving instead of balking at what is ahead in the squeeze chute or cattle truck.
- Loading ramps should have stair-steps with a 3.5" rise and 12" tread.
- Crowd pens should be round to encourage cattle to keep moving instead of getting bunched up in the corners.
- Flooring should be non–slip to avoid slipping, falling, and bruising.
- All employees should be on the lookout for protruding objects that can injure cattle. Inspect facilities for shiny or rubbed spots and tufts of hair.
Transportation
Starting, stopping, and cornering
- Pull away slowly and make gentle turns. This is especially important the first hour on the road while the cattle are getting balance.
- During transit, the ride for the cattle should be as smooth as possible. Smooth starts, gentle stops, and smooth cornering decrease injury and stress to the animals. It also makes your job easier because the cattle will shift their weight less if they are not being tossed around in the trailer. To help prevent cattle from falling, the trailer’s floor should be slip resistant.
Animal density
- Always observe the proper density and loading numbers for the trailer you are using. Cattle need adequate space to get up should they fall. However, if animals are loaded too loosely, they can be injured if the vehicle makes a sharp turn or sudden stop. Divider panels can be used to maintain proper animal density.
Heat and cold stress
- Heat and cold stress can cause morbidity or mortality. Be aware of the wind chill and humidity factors when you are transporting animals. Work around dangerous conditions by moving early in the day, at night, or not at all until conditions improve.
Shipping fever
- Shipping fever, also called bovine respiratory disease, gets its name from the fact that many calves develop respiratory disease after having been shipped from the ranch to a stocker operation or feedlot. It can be caused by several organisms, but the common sign is pneumonia. The stresses caused by weaning, transportation, and commingling with other animals, exposure to dust, etc., weaken the calf’s immune system and make the calf extremely susceptible to disease organisms present in the new location or carried by the other new animals.
Resting
- Animals should be rested before and after shipping and working to reduce stress and morbidity. Transport and working are stressful events, and may weaken an animal’s immune system. During long transports, allow resting periods to reduce stress and possibly reduce shrink/weight loss.
- Check cattle on a long haul after two hours on the road, and then every four hours after that.
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Montana Beef Quality Assurance,
821 N. 27th St., PMB 159,
Billings, MT 59101,
406-896-9068(o), 406-671-0851(m)
cpeck@montana.edu
Montana Beef Network,
119 Linfield Hall
Bozeman, MT 59717,
406-994-4323,
mharbac@montana.edu