Livestock will follow the leader, and handlers need to take advantage of this natural behaviour to move animals easily. Animals will move more easily into the single file chute if it is allowed to become partially empty before attempting to fill it. A partially empty chute provides room to take advantage of following behaviour. Handlers are often reluctant to do this because they are afraid the line will run out and miss notches on the power chain. Once a handler learns to use this method, he will find that keeping up with the line will be easier. As animals enter the crowd pen they will head right up the chute.
One of the most common mistakes is overloading the crowd pen. Crowd pen sizes and densities in pork operations may vary depending on the size and line speeds of plants. In cattle plants, 18 cattle is the maximum number which should be placed in the crowd pen.
This picture illustrates the correct number of animals in a crowd pen.
In pork plants, 15 pigs is the recommended maximum for chain speeds under 300 an hour and 25 pigs for chain speeds over 800 per hour. Handlers must also be careful not to push the crowd gate up too tightly. Animals need room to turn. The crowd gate should be used to follow the animals and should never be used to forcibly push them. The handler should concentrate on moving the leaders into the chute instead of pushing animals at the rear of the group.
One-way or sliding gates at the entrance to the single file chute must be open when livestock are brought into the crowd pen. Cattle will balk at a closed gate.
One-way flapper gates can be equipped with a rope to open them by remote control from the crowd pen. Less prodding will be required if a stick with plastic streamers is used to turn cattle toward the chute entrance. To turn an animal, block the vision on one side of its head with the streamers. If the leader balks right at the chute entrance, a single poke with the prod may be required. Once the leader enters, the rest of the animals will follow.
Cattle walk calmly up the races and the handlers only use plastic ribbons to move the animals. Cattle move most easily when small bunches are put in the crowd pen as shown here. The animals need room to turn. Most cattle will move easily and the crowd gate does NOT have to be pushed up against them. The crowd gate should only be used on stubborn animals. If the cattle refuse to enter the single file chute, they may be seeing people or other moving objects up ahead. In the photo the man with the dark shirt is standing back away from the chute so that approaching cattle do not see him.
Grandin, T. (1991)
Principles of Abattoir Design To Improve Animal Welfare
in:J.Matthews (Editor) Progress in Agriculture Physics and
Engineering. CAB International Wallingford, Oxon, United Kingdom
Behavioral Principles of Livestock Handling
Professional Animal Scientist
December 1989 pages 1-11
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