When horses are to be taken to a distant area, the train is considered to be the most effective mode of transportation. In Pakistan trains have special boxes or wagons reserved for horses. They can accommodate three to five horses and contain separate feeding and watering devices for each animal. There is a layer of bedding material on the floor for the animals' comfort.
The horse, wearing a head collar, should be led into the wagon from a platform. If the horse is overly excited, wait until it calms down, do not try to drag it. The horse can be tied to a ring attached to the manger. Talk to the horse and pet it. When the horse is tied, close the door or snap a chain across it quietly. Care must be taken with yearlings that have never been on a train. They can be a problem unless they have been handled constantly. If they have not yet learned to accept discipline readily, they can do a lot of damage. When it is time to release the horse, make sure that it has been untied before opening the door to the wagon. Unsnap the chain or open the door, walk away and let the horse come out at will.
It is best to start getting a horse used to a truck or trailer early in life and especially before a journey is planned. If a mare is an easy loader, the foal can be allowed to follow her on and off the vehicle, and young animals may be fed in and around it. Never allow the horse to come off the trailer or truck as soon as the ramp is down. Make it a habit to insist that the horse stand still for a few minutes. This will prevent it from rushing backwards to get off. This is a frequent cause of injury to horses and people, and can also damage equipment.
There are a number of useful techniques for loading difficult horses. The best method is to park the truck or trailer in an alleyway or up against a wall, so that there is no escape around one or both sides. One person should hold the head with the animal wearing a bridle. Place a new market loader, purchased or improvised, on the horse's quarters and have two reliable helpers each hold the handle of the loader. The two helpers should pull forward as evenly as possible and not give up. The person at the head should guide the animal in, but not pull too hard or the horse may be inclined to throw its head up. The pressure on the loins and buttocks appears to prevent the horse from both rearing and kicking, although it may produce a small buck on the first occasion it is used.
Showing posts with label Handle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handle. Show all posts
Handling animals: catching poultry
When catching birds, a smooth style of movement is essential as sudden movements will cause the birds to take avoiding action, and then they are almost impossible to catch. Such episodes can result in smothering when the birds run into corners, injury from fleeing, and reduction in egg production.
Older chickens can be caught by grasping the body with both hands over the wings. This prevents flapping which could cause injury to the bird and alarm the other birds in the flock. Firm but responsive handling will be more successful in keeping the bird comfortable, whereas loose holding of the bird may allow it to free one or more limbs with the risk of injury.
The ideal approach is not always possible, and one may have to resort to catching the chicken by the legs. Both legs can be grasped with one hand. The other hand is used to support the bird from below in an upright position. It can then be held with the legs grasped and the body resting on the hand to allow it to be handled for condition scoring, general examination, assessment of laying status, etc.
Older chickens can be caught by grasping the body with both hands over the wings. This prevents flapping which could cause injury to the bird and alarm the other birds in the flock. Firm but responsive handling will be more successful in keeping the bird comfortable, whereas loose holding of the bird may allow it to free one or more limbs with the risk of injury.
The ideal approach is not always possible, and one may have to resort to catching the chicken by the legs. Both legs can be grasped with one hand. The other hand is used to support the bird from below in an upright position. It can then be held with the legs grasped and the body resting on the hand to allow it to be handled for condition scoring, general examination, assessment of laying status, etc.
Handling animals: Horses and ponies
Anticipation is the key to safe handling of horses and ponies. Developing an awareness of the animal's natural behaviour and thus avoiding certain situations can enable handlers to prevent accidents. Most horses and ponies will behave better if handled with confidence, firmness, and kindness. Thrashing an animal will only produce fear and panic, and the horse or pony invariable stronger than the handler, will react instinctively and be less likely to perform the required activity. Wearing stout footwear is essential to give confidence to the handler. Boots or shoes with steel toe-caps are well worth considering as they protect the foot from trampling and enable the handler to stay close to the horse without fear of injury.
There are a number of tricks for catching difficult horses or ponies which are worth trying, depending on the circumstances.
There are a number of tricks for catching difficult horses or ponies which are worth trying, depending on the circumstances.
- Always approach the horse or pony from the front and slightly to one side where it can see you. The animal's vision behind and directly in front is good. Speak as you approach in order to give it a warning. Handle the horse or pony first on the lower neck or shoulder as this a safe area.
- Offer food over the fence. Some animals will then consider you to be a visitor rather than a catcher. This works best if the animal is wearing a head collar. It will usually submit once you have hold of the head.
- Try sending someone to catch the animal who does not normally ride the pony or who is dressed in clothing not usually worn when handling or riding.
- When an animal comes close but snatches its head away when you try to catch it, try crouching on the ground with some food close by. The unsuspecting animal may allow you to touch a front leg which you can then pick up. It then assumes that it is caught. Leaving a short length of rope or leather on the head collar may also help with a head-shy animal.
- Cornering a horse or pony with the help of two or more people some times works, provided it does not usually gallop off when you are still a long way from it. Try to avoid exciting the animal, and if possible let it move forward a little. Many animals will give up once they are cornered and allow themselves to be caught.
- Sometimes an animal can be difficult to catch even in a confined space because it is frightened or has been injured. In this case it may be necessary to use a lasso. If the animal cannot be caught with a lasso, a lariat can be tried. A lariat is a rope constructed with an extremely tight or hard twist and is used for holding and catching an animal. Knots are difficult to tie in a lariat because of the stiffness of the rope.
Handling animals: Goats
Goat handling is strongly influenced by the fact that they seem to enjoy companionship and being handled once they have become used to it. Regularly handled dairy goats are often very friendly. Fibre-producing breeds seem to be more reserved, but even they soon get used to being handled, and in small numbers can be almost as amenable to handling as the dairy breeds. The exceptions are the males. Although rarely unfriendly, their strong, almost overpowering smell makes them unattractive animals to handle, and as a result they are often handled badly.
Catching goats: The inquisitiveness of goats can often be used to good advantage when an individual animal is handled. The group should be approached quietly and in a friendly manner. The handler should enter the pen and, if necessary, pretend to carry out some task to attract their attention. They will almost certainly crowd around, and then it is a simple matter to hold one. Although goats are very inquisitive, they are also cunning and soon learn when the handler is trying to catch one of them, so care should be taken to avoid a time-wasting chase. Once goats are caught, they can be restrained by a firm hold around the neck at the base of the skull. A collar should then be used. Fibre-producing goats such as Angoras should not be restrained by holding their fleece, as this will cause excessive bruising under the skin.
Goats are natural followers and should be led rather than driven when ever possible. A lot of time can be saved if the goats are taught to recognize a food bucket or bag. They will usually follow a handler into a pen if they think they are going to be fed. Goats that are not used to regular handling, such as some fibre-producing types run out on hill land, will need to be handled for some routine treatments, e.g. vaccination and drenching.
Catching goats: The inquisitiveness of goats can often be used to good advantage when an individual animal is handled. The group should be approached quietly and in a friendly manner. The handler should enter the pen and, if necessary, pretend to carry out some task to attract their attention. They will almost certainly crowd around, and then it is a simple matter to hold one. Although goats are very inquisitive, they are also cunning and soon learn when the handler is trying to catch one of them, so care should be taken to avoid a time-wasting chase. Once goats are caught, they can be restrained by a firm hold around the neck at the base of the skull. A collar should then be used. Fibre-producing goats such as Angoras should not be restrained by holding their fleece, as this will cause excessive bruising under the skin.
Goats are natural followers and should be led rather than driven when ever possible. A lot of time can be saved if the goats are taught to recognize a food bucket or bag. They will usually follow a handler into a pen if they think they are going to be fed. Goats that are not used to regular handling, such as some fibre-producing types run out on hill land, will need to be handled for some routine treatments, e.g. vaccination and drenching.
Handling Animals: Sheep
Preparation: Prior to actual handling, it is wise to have though through all the tasks and possible responses of the sheep. Are all the facilities, tools, chemicals, and protective clothing ready? Are there sufficient people on hand having the necessary skill? Is the route ready, with all unnecessary avenues blocked off? Once handling has started, such preparation helps the job to go smoothly and lessens delay due to unforeseen events.
Risk of injury: Because of the relatively small size of sheep, we tend to lift and move them manually, often with a bent back. Such action may cause low-grade back injury with a cumulative effect.
Although sheep are generally not aggressive towards people, they sometimes cause injuries. Rams, particularly during the mating season, may attack with sufficient force to cause serious leg or back injury. Remember that sheep do not sense their environment in the same way as humans. They have eyes at the sides of their heads and can almost see behind themselves without turning their heads.
Arousal: Here are some common factors that tend to incite or arouse sheep:
Risk of injury: Because of the relatively small size of sheep, we tend to lift and move them manually, often with a bent back. Such action may cause low-grade back injury with a cumulative effect.
Although sheep are generally not aggressive towards people, they sometimes cause injuries. Rams, particularly during the mating season, may attack with sufficient force to cause serious leg or back injury. Remember that sheep do not sense their environment in the same way as humans. They have eyes at the sides of their heads and can almost see behind themselves without turning their heads.
Arousal: Here are some common factors that tend to incite or arouse sheep:
- Visual isolation from other sheep
- Proximity of dogs or people
- Hunger or thirst
- Sexual activity
- New environments
- Unusual loud or high frequency sounds
- Proximity of other sheep
- Low-frequency noises such as the "rumble" call of a ewe to her lamb, or the courting ram to an oestrous ewe
- Low illumination, as in covered yards.
Handling animals: Cattle
Skills and risk of injury: Good cattle handling is a skill which gets a job done safely, humanely, and quickly. Most cattle handling can be done with out physical exertion. It is best done with ingenuity and patience - not by force. By understanding the behaviour of cattle, actions can be predicted and thus directed to give the required response.
Cattle can cause injury to handlers in a variety of ways. At up to 800 Kg as an adult, a bull's weight is sufficient to knock down, trample, or crush a against wall or fence, either intentionally or accidentally. Bruised or broken toes may result from trampling by cattle unless protective foot wear is worn. Cattle and buffaloes use their heads to attack and to defend themselves. If horned, they can inflict severe damage when they attack with the head. A quick thrust sideways or forward can be fatal. They can butt with with great force and inflict injury even when polled or dehorned. Dairy bulls are particularly dangerous. Cattle/buffaloes usually kick with one hind leg at a time in a forward, outward, or backward movement, and so can stricke someone standing at their shoulder. Cows are particularly protective in the first day or two after calving and may attack anyone approaching their calves. Tail switching can cause injury to unprotected eyes if they are struck by the long hairs at the end of the tail.
Welfare: The welfare of animals is very important. It is our obligation to maintain their well-being. The whole handling procedure is easier when animals are relaxed. People with dairy farm experience generally accept that dairy cows are easier to handle when they are comfortable, that is, when they are clean, dry, and away from drafts.
Animals should be kept calm so that they move and stand quietly. Cattle should be allowed to settle down for 20 minutes or so after yarding. Control of arousal is fundamental in controlling the movement of animals. Handling, by its very nature, stimulates animals and raises their excitement level. Humped cattle have a reputation for being more difficult to handle in yards. It should be kept in mind that an animal's response to a stimulus depends not only on the type and intensity of the stimulus but also on the unique temperament of the animal.
Social Behaviour: Cattle and buffaloes are social animals, forming attachments and living naturally in groups. When a group is being formed or added to, there are usually conflicts among animals which are expressed by fighting, withdrawing, appeasing, etc. In this way two animals sort out which one has priority of access to something desirable like a patck of grass or a good place to lie down. This establishes a social herarchy which works for the befit of the herd. The struggle for dominance is especially noticeable in the case of cattle. When a social heirarchy is set up in a herd of cattle, it usually lasts for a long time.
When an animal is taken out of the group for more than a day, there is usually considerable antagonism shown towards this animals from the others when it returns. This can result in a drop in milk production in cows or physical damage among bulls. The animal should, therefore, be returned as soon as possible. If the animal has been away for more than a day, it is better to return it when the other animals in the group are engaged in some activity and too distracted to get involved in a fight. Fighting among cattle, particularly bulls, occurs when familiar and unfamiliar animals are mixed together in a group. The increased muscle activity results in elevaated pH of carcasses and dark, firm, dry meat.
Psychological behaviour: Early experiences can have a lasting impact on cattle and buffaloes, so it is especially important to exercise care and caution when handling an animal for the first time. One bad handling experience may be remembered by the animal for as long as three years. If cattle are handled gently from youth, they will be much easier to handle later, for example, when being loaded into a vehicle for transportation. If an animal has been handled badly when driven into yard, for example, it will be much more difficult to get it back into that area again. A handling system must be well established from the outset and made to work the first time.
From an early age, animals should be trained to accept and expect a daily routine. Cattle readily learn to accept routine, and routine makes dairy milking and handling much easier and productive. Animals even become so used to routine that small changes in their environment, such as a change of milker, can create excitement and result in a pronounced drop in productivity.
Handler characteristics: The attitude of the handler is very important. Impatient handling may cause injury and affect production dairy cows. A confident milker usually obtains higher yields. It is commonly believed that animals can detect a handler's lack of confidence. Handlers who are unsure of themselves certainly do not have good control over animals and so fail to get the desired responses from them. A new handler should therefore learn proper techniques from the start and keep practising them regularly.
Handling animals with minimum disturbance also increases the opportunity for heat detection the dairy herd. The animals' response to the stimulation of handling may point to certain conditions such as hypomagnesaemia or lameness.
Cattle can cause injury to handlers in a variety of ways. At up to 800 Kg as an adult, a bull's weight is sufficient to knock down, trample, or crush a against wall or fence, either intentionally or accidentally. Bruised or broken toes may result from trampling by cattle unless protective foot wear is worn. Cattle and buffaloes use their heads to attack and to defend themselves. If horned, they can inflict severe damage when they attack with the head. A quick thrust sideways or forward can be fatal. They can butt with with great force and inflict injury even when polled or dehorned. Dairy bulls are particularly dangerous. Cattle/buffaloes usually kick with one hind leg at a time in a forward, outward, or backward movement, and so can stricke someone standing at their shoulder. Cows are particularly protective in the first day or two after calving and may attack anyone approaching their calves. Tail switching can cause injury to unprotected eyes if they are struck by the long hairs at the end of the tail.
Welfare: The welfare of animals is very important. It is our obligation to maintain their well-being. The whole handling procedure is easier when animals are relaxed. People with dairy farm experience generally accept that dairy cows are easier to handle when they are comfortable, that is, when they are clean, dry, and away from drafts.
Animals should be kept calm so that they move and stand quietly. Cattle should be allowed to settle down for 20 minutes or so after yarding. Control of arousal is fundamental in controlling the movement of animals. Handling, by its very nature, stimulates animals and raises their excitement level. Humped cattle have a reputation for being more difficult to handle in yards. It should be kept in mind that an animal's response to a stimulus depends not only on the type and intensity of the stimulus but also on the unique temperament of the animal.
Social Behaviour: Cattle and buffaloes are social animals, forming attachments and living naturally in groups. When a group is being formed or added to, there are usually conflicts among animals which are expressed by fighting, withdrawing, appeasing, etc. In this way two animals sort out which one has priority of access to something desirable like a patck of grass or a good place to lie down. This establishes a social herarchy which works for the befit of the herd. The struggle for dominance is especially noticeable in the case of cattle. When a social heirarchy is set up in a herd of cattle, it usually lasts for a long time.
When an animal is taken out of the group for more than a day, there is usually considerable antagonism shown towards this animals from the others when it returns. This can result in a drop in milk production in cows or physical damage among bulls. The animal should, therefore, be returned as soon as possible. If the animal has been away for more than a day, it is better to return it when the other animals in the group are engaged in some activity and too distracted to get involved in a fight. Fighting among cattle, particularly bulls, occurs when familiar and unfamiliar animals are mixed together in a group. The increased muscle activity results in elevaated pH of carcasses and dark, firm, dry meat.
Psychological behaviour: Early experiences can have a lasting impact on cattle and buffaloes, so it is especially important to exercise care and caution when handling an animal for the first time. One bad handling experience may be remembered by the animal for as long as three years. If cattle are handled gently from youth, they will be much easier to handle later, for example, when being loaded into a vehicle for transportation. If an animal has been handled badly when driven into yard, for example, it will be much more difficult to get it back into that area again. A handling system must be well established from the outset and made to work the first time.
From an early age, animals should be trained to accept and expect a daily routine. Cattle readily learn to accept routine, and routine makes dairy milking and handling much easier and productive. Animals even become so used to routine that small changes in their environment, such as a change of milker, can create excitement and result in a pronounced drop in productivity.
Handler characteristics: The attitude of the handler is very important. Impatient handling may cause injury and affect production dairy cows. A confident milker usually obtains higher yields. It is commonly believed that animals can detect a handler's lack of confidence. Handlers who are unsure of themselves certainly do not have good control over animals and so fail to get the desired responses from them. A new handler should therefore learn proper techniques from the start and keep practising them regularly.
Handling animals with minimum disturbance also increases the opportunity for heat detection the dairy herd. The animals' response to the stimulation of handling may point to certain conditions such as hypomagnesaemia or lameness.
Approaching animals for handling and restraining
General Precautions:
- When approaching an animal in a shed, stall, or paddock, always speak to it before touching it.
- Approach the anoimal from the left side and handle from the head or near the head (beware of the horns of cattle and buffalo).
- It is not advisable to carry a stick, but if one is needed it should be kept out of sight of the animal.
- Get some information about the animal from its attendant or owner, e.g. whether the animal is calm or aggressive.
- Treat strange animals with suspicion, but try not to let the animal know that you are afraid of it.
- The animal should wear a head collar or a halter. If required, use two ropes on the head collar and tie one to each pillar ring. (Two ropes are especially needed when working with stallions or bulls).
- Never handle the hind quarters or hind legs without having the animal's head held and a foreleg lifted or restrained.
- Take hold of the forelock (in the horse), ear, or nose until a halter has been put on. Do not grasp the nose too tightly, otherwise breathing may be obstructed.
- It is important never to make a sudden snatch at the animal's head collar. This alarms the animal and may make it suspcious on future occasions.
- Keep in mind that some animals kick backwards, some forwards, and other laterally with their hind legs. some cattle can kick all three ways.
- Bulls, especially over a year old, are often treacherous and should be properly secured before being approached by a stranger. They are usually rung before they are one year old. It is wise not to trust a bull.
- When haltering horned animals, it is best to slip the poll-piece of the halter over the horns and ears before adjusting the loop around the nose, so that the animal cannot take the halter off and break loose.
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