Well designed sheep handling systems speed flock movement, reduce animal stress and cut the risk of occupational injuries to handlers.
The most successful handling systems exploit the normal behaviour of sheep, and include features that encourage animal movement in the required direction. It is better to make use of the sheeps' willingness to learn to negotiate a system, rather than using fear as the motivator.
Spend time watching animals go through the current system. Make a sketch of the layout and mark red where they get stuck and green where they move on their own accord. Identifying problems with the current system and making a few simple changes can sometimes be very effective and not cost much.
Our latest BRP manual, Improving sheep handling for better returns, gives an insight into the range of sheep behaviours that all sheep farmers will be familiar with, and explains how, by understanding these, a system can be designed and operated to handle sheep calmly, and safely.
For more tips on improving an existing layout, or constructing a new handling system from scratch,
download the sheep handling manual, or
email BRP or call 0870 241 8829 to request a copy of the manual.
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